What is a strength of deviation from ideal mental health
Positive approach. Jahoda’s ideas are in accord with the ‘positive psychology’ movement as it offers an alternative perspective on mental disorder that focuses on the ‘ideal’ rather than what is undesirable.
What is a weakness of deviation from ideal mental health
Unrealistic criteria. Very few of us attain all Jahoda’s criterion for mental health and potentially no one is able to achieve all of them simultaneously. Therefore, according to this approach most of us are abnormal as we are likely to deviate from ‘good mental health’ at many points in life.
What is a weakness of deviation from ideal mental health
Cultural relativism. Many of Jahoda’s mental health criteria are culture-bound. For example, the goal of self-actualisation is relevant to members of individualist cultures but not collectivist cultures where people promote the needs of the group not themselves. If we apply Jahoda’s criteria to people from collectivist cultures, we will likely find a higher incidence of abnormality.
