Deviation For The Ideal Mental Health

• Proposed by Jahoda (1958), this definition looks at the positives rather than the negatives – the idea of mental health rather than mental illness
• Jahoda identified 6 major criteria for optimal living, which she believed promoted psychological health and well-being, enabling an individual to feel happy (free of distress) and behave competently
• —She claimed that anyone lacking any of these qualities would be vulnerable to mental disorder, and therefore ‘abnormal’. The more characteristics they fail to meet and the further they are from realising them, the more abnormal they are.
• Jahodas Criteria


  1.Predict the meanings of Jahoda’s criteria:–Self-attitudes–Personal growth and self-actualisation–Integration–Autonomy–Having an accurate perception of reality–Mastery of the environment
• 1.Self-attitudes – having high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity, high self-respect and a positive self-concept
• Personal growth and self-actualisation – the extent to which an individual develops their full capabilities i.e. fulfilling their potential
• 1.Integration – being able to cope with stressful situations
• 1.Autonomy – being independent and self-reliant and able to make personal decisions
• Having an accurate perception of reality – perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion. Having an objective and realistic view of the world
• Mastery of the environment – being competent in all aspects of life and being able to meet the demands of any situation