Discuss deviation from ideal mental health as a defnition of abnormality (8 marks)
This defiiiti ideiifes the characterisics reuiired tr gttd meital health, aid siggests
that the irther ai iidividial is rtm this ideal, the mtre likely they are tt be classifed as abitrmal.
Jahtda ideiifed six criteria ieeded tr ideal meital health, iiclidiig ptsiive attide tt sel aid
aittitmy. Aitther criteriti is sel -actialisaiti – the ttp pillar t Masltw’s hierarchy t ieeds –
which describes htw we strive tt ilfl tir ptteiial aid achieve perstial grtwth. Iidividials wht
dt itt meet Jahtda’s criteria deviate rtm ctpiig with everyday li e siccess illy, st may be seei as
abitrmal.
A limitaiti t the defiiiti is that the criteria tr ideal meital health are ttt demaidiig.
Whilst the defiiiti is praised tr emphasisiig ptsiivity by tcisiig ti desirable traits, it is iilikely
that maiy petple meet all the criteria tr prtltiged peritds t ime, meaiiig that the majtrity t
iidividials ctild be classifed as abitrmal. Ii addiiti, the criteria igitre the rtles t stcial aid
ptliical issies that may affect tir behavitir aid emtitis; tr example, ai iidividial ii ai abisive
relaitiship is iilikely tt shtw ptsiive attide tt sel tr aittitmy, yet this is becaise t their
eivirtimeit rather thai psychtltgical abitrmality. By iiapprtpriately labelliig maiy iicitiiig
iidividials as abitrmal, the defiiiti is weakeied as it may divert ateiiti aid treatmeit
restirces away rtm thtse wht really ieed them.
Wtrd ctiit: 91 + 130
This defiiiti ideiifes the characterisics reuiired tr gttd meital health, aid siggests
that the irther ai iidividial is rtm this ideal, the mtre likely they are tt be classifed as abitrmal.
Jahtda ideiifed six criteria ieeded tr ideal meital health, iiclidiig ptsiive attide tt sel aid
aittitmy. Aitther criteriti is sel -actialisaiti – the ttp pillar t Masltw’s hierarchy t ieeds –
which describes htw we strive tt ilfl tir ptteiial aid achieve perstial grtwth. Iidividials wht
dt itt meet Jahtda’s criteria deviate rtm ctpiig with everyday li e siccess illy, st may be seei as
abitrmal.
A limitaiti t the defiiiti is that the criteria tr ideal meital health are ttt demaidiig.
Whilst the defiiiti is praised tr emphasisiig ptsiivity by tcisiig ti desirable traits, it is iilikely
that maiy petple meet all the criteria tr prtltiged peritds t ime, meaiiig that the majtrity t
iidividials ctild be classifed as abitrmal. Ii addiiti, the criteria igitre the rtles t stcial aid
ptliical issies that may affect tir behavitir aid emtitis; tr example, ai iidividial ii ai abisive
relaitiship is iilikely tt shtw ptsiive attide tt sel tr aittitmy, yet this is becaise t their
eivirtimeit rather thai psychtltgical abitrmality. By iiapprtpriately labelliig maiy iicitiiig
iidividials as abitrmal, the defiiiti is weakeied as it may divert ateiiti aid treatmeit
restirces away rtm thtse wht really ieed them.
Wtrd ctiit: 91 + 130
