Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (DIMH)


  Definition that starts from what is normal/mentally healthy and works backwards from that
• Jahoda's criteria for normal/mentally healthy


  • Positive attitudes towards the self - having self-respect and a positive self-concept
  • Self-actualisation and personal growth - having a motivation to achieve our full potential
  • Being resistant to stress - being able to cope with stressful situations and cope with anxiety
  • Personal autonomy - being independent, self-reliant and able to make personal decisions
  • Accurate perception of reality - perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion. Having 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
• Abnormality


  Absence of Jahoda's criteria for normal/mentally healthy
• If a person deviates from one or more of Jahoda's criteria, they would be vulnerable to a psychological disorder
• Psychological Behaviour


  • A person with anorexia nervosa has lost touch with reality as they perceive own body in a distorted way thinking they are significantly larger than they actually are. They also do not have a positive attitude towards the self as they often have a negative self-concept and low self-esteem
• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (DIMH) definition


  • Positive approach to viewing abnormality - focuses on the positives rather than the negatives and focuses on what is desirable rather than what is undesirable
  • Covers a broad range of criteria for mental health, probably covering most reasons someone would seek help from mental health services
• Limitations of the DIMH definition


  • Sets an unrealistically high standard for mental health, most people would be judged as abnormal
  • Difficult to measure the criteria, e.g. capacity for personal growth or environmental mastery
  • Rooted in Western societies and a Western view of personal growth and achievement, may not apply to non-Western cultures