Definitions in the Field of Mental Health

Statistical Infrequency

Any behaviour, trait or characteristic that is rare in general population

• low IQ (-70)

• high IQ (130+)

Objective Standard Deviations strength of Statistical Infrequency

• to define abnormal behaviour

• reduces likelihood of misinterpreting information

• can occur in subjective definitions like deviation from social norms

Development strength of Statistical Infrequency

• can be used to measure normal child development

• positive implications as it makes sure the child is developing as expected

• e.g. intelligence development can be measured and compared to average person

Rare Desirables criticism of Statistical Infrequency

• statistically rare behaviours can be desired

• they are desired just infrequent

• e.g. high IQ (130+)

• says any rare behaviour is problematic and doesn’t distinguish

Misdiagnosis criticism of Statistical Infrequency

• some behaviour is not statistically rare but requires intervention

• e.g. anxiety and depression are commonly occurring and could not be considered statistically uncommon

• e.g. 27% elderly people have depression

• definitions assume conditions that are not rare are therefore not symptoms of mental illness but this is wrong

Failure to Function Adequately

Cannot cope with everyday life

• observer discomfort

• irrational behaviour

• personal distress

Patient’s Perspective strength of Failure to Function Adequately

• considers the role of personal distress

• acknowledges that the experiences of the patient is important

• improvement on statistical infrequency and deviation from social norms

• these fail to take account of personal distress and the experience of the individual

Threshold for Help strength of Failure to Function Adequately

• sensible threshold for when someone may need professional help

• most show some symptoms typical of disorders but to a certain extent

• if we cease to function that’s when help should be sought after

• treatment and services can be targeted at those who need it the most

COUNTER: early intervention might be better

Discrimination and Social Control criticism of Failure to Function Adequately

• open to abuse as those who make unusual lifestyle choices may be seen as failing to function

• e.g. living off the grid and not having a regular job

• hard to distinguish between deviating from norms and failing to function

• risk limiting personal freedom if we judge people

Not all Maladaptive Behaviour criticism of Failure to Function Adequately

• people often show dysfunctional or maladaptive behaviour

• doesn’t necessarily indicate mental illness

• e.g. smoking or eating unhealthy food excessively

• not signs of mental illness necessarily

Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (Jahoda)

There is a set criteria for ideal mental health and an absence of the criteria indicates a disorder

• autonomy

• new environments

• positive self esteem

• self actualisation

• stress cope

• accurate view of the world

Positive approach strength of Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

• offers an alternative perspective on mental disorders

• focuses on the ideal rather than what is undesirable

• this has influenced the positive psychology movement and the humanistic approach

Unrealistic Standard criticism of Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

• sets unrealistically high standard for mental health

• very few people would actually be defined as psychologically healthy

• difficult to measure the criteria of personal growth

• although the concepts are interesting they may not be useable to determine those struggling with mental illness

Culture Bound criticism of Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

• culture-bound criteria for ideal mental health as it was developed in western cultures

• western ideas of ideal mental health may not apply to other countries

• self-actualisation is not seen as important in collectivist cultures e.g. japan

• limits usefulness of definition to certain cultural groups

Mental Health is not Physical Health criticism of Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

• unlikely that mental illness can be diagnosed the same way that physical health is

• mental illnesses are consequences of life experience rather than physical issues

Deviation from Social/Cultural Norms

Any behaviour that violates unspoken culturally specific codes of conduct

• In the UK, not wearing shoes outside

Real World Application strength of Deviation from Social/Cultural Norms

• used in clinical practice

• e.g. key defining characteristic of antisocial personality disorder is a failure to conform to culturally acceptable ethical behaviour (recklessness)

• definition has value and use in psychiatry

Restriction of Personal Choice and Freedom criticism of Deviation from Social/Cultural Norms

• allows people to impose a narrow range of acceptable behaviour

• choosing to break social norms doesn’t mean someone has a disorder

• mental illness could be a way of excluding nonconformists from society

• using this as a criterion for judging mental health may limit freedoms and define mental health on prevailing social attitudes

Human Rights Abuse criticism of Deviation from Social/Cultural Norms

• carries risk of unfair labelling and even open to human rights abuses

• historically diagnoses have been used to control individuals

• using deviation from social norms as a basis for clarifying who has a disorder can be abused and used as a way of controlling

• and avoiding social debate

Context and Degree criticism of Deviation from Social/Cultural Norms

• behaviour which appears to break social norms needs context to be considered

• e.g. wearing a tiger onesie to school unless its world book day

• e.g. apologising after a momentary outburst vs persistent loss of control on their temper

• context and degree of behaviour need to be considered limiting its usefulness as a definition since its not complete