Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

• Abnormality

  Deviation from ideal mental health
• This definition of abnormality

  • Views abnormality differently to the other three definitions
  • According to this definition, we are abnormal if we do not meet the criteria for ideal mental health
  • Any deviation from what is considered normal is classed as abnormal
• Ideal mental health

  A set of characteristics proposed by Jahoda (1958) that individuals should exhibit in order to be seen as normal
• Characteristics of ideal mental health

  • Positive attitude towards oneself
  • Self-actualisation (being motivated to fulfil your full potential)
  • Autonomy
  • Resisting stress
  • Accurate perception of reality
  • Environmental mastery
• Positive attitude towards oneself

  Having self-respect (value of your worth) and a positive self-concept (view of yourself)
• Self-actualisation

  Experiencing personal growth and development
• Autonomy


  Being independent, self-reliant and able to make personal decisions
• Resisting stress

  Having effective coping strategies and being able to cope with everyday anxiety-provoking situations
• Accurate perception of reality

  Perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion, with an objective and realistic view of the world
• Environmental mastery

  Being competent in all aspects of life and able to meet the demands of any situation. Having the flexibility to adapt to changing life circumstances
• 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑔𝓉𝒽𝓈:

  • Useful to plan goals
  • Positivity - focuses on positive attributes rather than negative.
  • Holistic - focuses on the person as a whole rather than just mentally. Society labels people, but you can just be happy the way you are.
  • Difference between mental health and mental disorders - helps prevent mental illnesses away from mental disorders.
• 𝐿𝒾𝓂𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈:

  • Self-centred - most people are able to look past mental illnesses of psychopaths because they are so deceiving.
  • Difficulty self-actualising - we are always developing so its difficult to find an end goal.
  • Benefits to stress - a good motivator, everyone gets stressed so its not abnormal unless its excessive.
  • Cultural issues - not all cultures have an autonomous view on life. Different things are normal in different cultures.