Mental Health
BSC HONS Psychology
Module : Psychology of Mental Health
Diagnosing Mental health and the attribution error
When we do not know someone well, we are likely to attribute the causes of any unusual
behaviour to an aspect of their personality, their character, i.e. to make an internal,
pathologising attribution.
When we know someone well (for example, when we get to know a client through taking a
thorough history), we are more likely to attribute the causes of any unusual behaviour to
some aspect of their situation/context, i.e. to make an external, non-pathologising
attribution.
So, familiarity breeds more charitable understanding
The difference between HEALTH / MENTAL HEALTH
`HEALTH –
Health is a complete state of physical, mental, social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity’
(WHO, 2007)
MENTAL HEALTH –
`Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders…[and]…is a state of well-being in
which the individual realises his own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively…& is able to make a contribution to his/her community’.
WHO (2007)
`…it is the emotional resilience which enables us to enjoy life and to survive pain, disappointment
and sadness. It is a positive sense of well-being and an underlying belief in our own and others
dignity and worth’.
(UKGB Health Education Authority, 1997
Mental Health as an Impairment is –
`… impairment of an individual’s normal cognitive, emotional or behavioural functioning, and caused
by physiological or psychosocial factors’.
BSC HONS Psychology
Module : Psychology of Mental Health
Diagnosing Mental health and the attribution error
When we do not know someone well, we are likely to attribute the causes of any unusual
behaviour to an aspect of their personality, their character, i.e. to make an internal,
pathologising attribution.
When we know someone well (for example, when we get to know a client through taking a
thorough history), we are more likely to attribute the causes of any unusual behaviour to
some aspect of their situation/context, i.e. to make an external, non-pathologising
attribution.
So, familiarity breeds more charitable understanding
The difference between HEALTH / MENTAL HEALTH
`HEALTH –
Health is a complete state of physical, mental, social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity’
(WHO, 2007)
MENTAL HEALTH –
`Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders…[and]…is a state of well-being in
which the individual realises his own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work
productively…& is able to make a contribution to his/her community’.
WHO (2007)
`…it is the emotional resilience which enables us to enjoy life and to survive pain, disappointment
and sadness. It is a positive sense of well-being and an underlying belief in our own and others
dignity and worth’.
(UKGB Health Education Authority, 1997
Mental Health as an Impairment is –
`… impairment of an individual’s normal cognitive, emotional or behavioural functioning, and caused
by physiological or psychosocial factors’.
