this definition is slightly different from the others. it starts from the view point of what would be ‘ideal’. this definition starts by attempting to define what a normal person is like
marie jahoda likened mental illness to physical illness
marie jahoda approached the problem by attempting to identify the various factors that were necessary for optimal living
jahoda’s 6 criteria:
self-attitudes
personal growth and self-actualisation
autonomy
accurate perception of reality
integration
mastery of the environment
self-attitudes: must have high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity. these need to be realistic
personal growth and self-actualisation: extent to which individuals develop their full capabilities
autonomy: able to be independent and not reliant on others to maintain their psychological wellbeing e.g. you can regulate your own emotions
accurate perception of reality: realistic outlook on life e.g. not overly optimistic or pessimistic. being overly optimistic is likely to lead to abuse by others and disappointment whereas being overly pessimistic could lead to morbidity and depression
integration: being able to deal with stressful life events
mastery of the environment: ability to change to suit the conditions (physical, social etc) that you find yourself in e.g. the ability to love, function at work and in interpersonal relationships etc
