psychology: unit 4 aos 2

define mental wellbeing

an individual’s state of mind, enjoyment of life, and ability to cope with the typical stressors of everyday life and develop to their potential

what does ‘levels of functioning’ mean in relation to mental wellbeing?

how well an individual can cope, function in daily life, and engage meaningfully in relationships and tasks

define resilience in mental wellbeing

the ability to successfully cope with and manage change and uncertainty, ‘bouncing back’ from adversity and returning to positive functioning

.what is social and emotional wellbeing (sewb) in aboriginal and torres strait islander contexts?

a holistic, multidimensional framework including body, mind, emotions, family and kinship, community, culture and country, spirituality and ancestors

what factors affect mental wellbeing?

internal factors (e.g. biology, thoughts, emotions) and external factors (e.g. relationships, environment)

define functioning in the context of mental wellbeing.

how well an individual independently performs or operates in their environment, reflecting observable behaviour in meeting everyday life demands, including cognitive and emotional elements

what are examples of daily living skills related to functioning?

personal hygiene, dressing, eating, taking medication, managing household tasks, accessing transport

give examples of areas of functioning besides daily living skills.

interpersonal relationships, emotions, cognitive skills, school/work, leisure/recreation

list three characteristics of people with high functioning.

resilience, self-determination, work-life balance

outline how resilience demonstrates high functioning.

coping with everyday life and challenges

outline how self-determination demonstrates high functioning.

actively attempting to find a solution to an issue, reflecting a sense of self control and autonomy

outline how maintaining a work-life balance demonstrates high functioning.

an individual can manage stress, set boundaries, and prioritise their time in a way that supports both productivity and overall wellbeing

define adaptive behaviour.

behaviour that enables effective adjustment to environment and daily demands, typical of mentally healthy individuals

define maladaptive behaviour.

counterproductive or disruptive behaviour that interferes with adjustment and roles in society; persistent maladaptive behaviour leads to low functioning and is often seen in mental illnesses

what are the six wellness domains according to the australian psychological society?

intellectual, physical, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational

list factors that contribute to resilience.

flexibility, organisational skills, problem-solving ability, realistic planning

how do support systems influence resilience?

supportive relationships, role models, encouragement, and trust enhance coping ability

what is cultural safety?

addressing racism, upholding human rights and cultural respect for aboriginal and torres strait islander peoples, determined by their experiences with individuals, organisations, and systems

when is cultural safety more likely to occur?

when individuals, organisations, and systems critically examine and challenge biases, prejudices, and power differentials that perpetuate inequalities

what is cultural responsiveness?

processes and practices that are respectful and relevant to the beliefs, cultures, and linguistic needs of aboriginal and torres strait islander peoples

list three reasons sewb is important.

recognise and address intergenerational and transgenerational trauma; prevent systemic racism by ensuring fair policies and practices; prevent misdiagnosis and mislabelling due to cultural differences in beliefs and ways of knowing

what is the ‘self’ in the sewb framework?

the individual, who is connected to spirituality, body & behaviours, mind & emotions, family & kinship, community, culture, and country & land

what are the determinants of sewb?

social, historical, political, and cultural factors

describe the sewb connection to mind & emotions

includes mental health disorders and the importance of positive feelings and wellness

positive factors of connection to mind & emotions

aids belonging, mindfulness, and accessing support for recovery from mental illness

risk factors of connection to mind & emotions

threats to safety, social disadvantage, intergenerational trauma, experiences of racism, misdiagnosis, and mislabelling

describe the sewb connection to body & behaviours

includes physical health and considers the importance of optimal functioning

positive factors of connection to body & behaviours

sports & exercise, hunting and gathering, traditional diets and medicines, access to culturally safe services

risk factors of connection to body & behaviours

smoking, alcohol, and drug misuse, junk food, chronic and communicable diseases. exclusion from health, wellbeing, and other essential services.

describe the sewb connection to family & kinship

includes family and kinship relations, systems of reciprocity and caring.

positive factors of connection to family & kinship

learning family history, sharing experiences with other ATSI peoples, being part of healthy relationships and family connections.

risk factors of connection to family & kinship

removal of children from families, incarceration, family violence, grief and loss, lack of cultural education.

describe the sewb connection to community

includes cultural structures of responsibility and obligation

positive factors of connection to community

self-determination and community control. having ATSI mentors, role models, advisors and Elders. cultural revitalisation, participating in community activities, community harmony.

risk factors of connection to community

describe the sewb connection to culture

positive factors of connection to culture

risk factors of connection to community

describe the sewb connection to land and country

positive factors of connection to land and country

risk factors of connection to land and country

describe the sewb connection to ancestors and spirituality

positive factors of sewb connection to ancestors and spirituality

risk factors of connection to ancestors and spirituality

define mentally well

being in a generally positive state of mental wellbeing, having the ability to cope with and manage life’s challenges, working productively, striving to fulfil one’s goals and potential, and having a sense of connection to others and the community in general

define mental health problem

the difficulties experienced by a person are mild, temporary and able to be treated within a relatively short period of time e.g. stress

define mental illness/disorder

a mental health state that involves a combination of thoughts, feelings and/or behaviours which are usually associated with significant personal distress and impair the ability to function effectively in everyday life

define a mental health continuum.

a model that places mental states along a range from mentally well to mental disorder, without fixed boundaries and movement present over time.

list the typical categories on the mental health continuum.

mentally well; mental health problem; diagnosable mental disorder.

explain why continuum categories have no clear-cut boundaries.

symptoms and functioning occur on a spectrum and can overlap across categories.

describe how someone can feel mentally ill without a disorder.

subclinical symptoms may cause distress or interference without meeting diagnostic criteria.

describe how someone can have a disorder yet function well.

effective supports, treatment, and coping can maintain strong functioning in work/school/social domains.

identify factors that influence shifts along the continuum.

internal and external factors such as stressors, coping strategies, and recovery processes.

state two benefits of the continuum approach.

applies to everyone; promotes mental wellbeing as a positive, buildable state.

explain how the continuum approach supports early help.

it enables recognition of early signs and creates opportunities for early intervention before serious illness develops.

define the dual continuum model of mental health.

a model with two independent axes: mental wellbeing (low–high) and mental illness (absent–present).

define stress.

a psychobiological response to internal or external stressors that can be acute or chronic.

explain when stress is adaptive.

mild to moderate stress is adaptive because it increases alertness and improves coping and performance.

explain when stress becomes problematic.

unmanaged or chronic stress can impair functioning and contribute to the development of mental disorders.

define anxiety.

a state of arousal involving feelings of apprehension and anticipation of a future threat

describe the physiological signs commonly associated with anxiety.

common signs include rapid heart rate, faster breathing, muscle tension and general arousal.

explain how mild–moderate anxiety can be helpful.

it increases alertness and can prompt protective or productive behaviours like studying or avoiding danger.

describe when anxiety becomes maladaptive.

when it is severe, persistent, or excessive and impairs concentration, memory, decision-making or daily functioning.

define an anxiety disorder.

a group of disorders characterised by chronic, excessive worry or fear that significantly interferes with life.

distinguish fear from anxiety.

fear is a present-oriented, short-lived response to a specific threat, whereas anxiety is anticipatory and future-focused.

define phobia.

a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation that is avoided or endured with marked distress.

describe typical reactions in phobia.

phobic reactions often include intense physiological arousal, avoidance behaviour and distress even when merely thinking about the stimulus.

define internal factors for mental wellbeing.

internal factors are influences originating within the person, including biological and psychological components.

define internal biological factors (provide eg)

physiologically based or determined influences such as genes, sex, neurotransmitter balance, brain function, hormones, and stress response systems.

identify two biological factors partly under personal control.

quality of diet and sleep hygiene

define internal psychological factors (provide eg)

influences associated with mental processes like thinking styles, beliefs, attitudes, learning history, emotion processing, decision-making and coping.

outline how psychological factors shape wellbeing.

they guide how we appraise situations, regulate emotions, solve problems, relate to others and manage stress.

define external factors for mental wellbeing. (provide eg)

influences originating outside the person, including relationships, education, work, income, housing, stigma and access to services.

outline the diagnostic features of specific phobia.

marked + persistent fear triggered by the stimulus, near-immediate anxiety, avoidance or endurance with intense distress, and fear disproportionate to actual danger.

identify the five categories of phobic stimuli.

animal, situational, natural environment, blood/injection/injury, and other.

describe the typical physiological response to a phobic stimulus.

activation of the acute stress response (fight–flight–freeze) with increased heart rate, breathing changes, sweating, trembling and possible panic symptoms.

explain the function of GABA.

GABA reduces the likelihood of postsynaptic neurons firing, balances excitatory glutamate activity, and regulates CNS arousal as a calming agent.

explain the effect of low gaba levels on neural activity.

low gaba reduces inhibition, which heightens neural activity and arousal, making anxiety responses more likely.

outline how gaba dysfunction leads to the development of a phobia.

heightened arousal and easier activation of the fight–flight–freeze response increases vulnerability to developing phobic reactions.

define long-term potentiation (LTP)

the long-lasting strengthening of synaptic transmission due to repeated stimulation of neural impulses (“neurons that fire together wire together”).

explain LTP’s function in learning and memory.

strengthens neural connections and improves synaptic transmission, which forms the basis of learning and memory.

describe what causes LTP in phobia.

the repeated pairing of a previously neutral stimulus with a fear-provoking unconditioned stimulus.

explain LTP’s role in phobia.

LTP strengthens the association between a phobic stimulus and a fear response, making the pathway easier to activate and the fear response easier to retrieve.

describe synaptic changes during LTP in phobia.

repeated activation of the neural connection causes synaptic plasticity and dendritic sprouting, enhancing signal efficiency.

explain reconsolidation in phobia.

anticipated encounters reactivate fear memories, further strengthening neural pathways through reconsolidation.

identify the brain structure involved in phobic ltp.

the amygdala tags emotional responses, particularly conditioned fear, and is the initial site of ltp formation for specific phobias.