Mental health

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Empirical approaches to positive mental health assessment are recent developments in psychiatry.
• Previous research has faced challenges, including conflating average with healthy, and overlooking cultural influences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review six distinct models of positive mental health.
• To highlight research needs and historical context for each model.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and conceptual analysis of six models of positive mental health.
• Identification of common pitfalls in mental health research.

Main Results:

• Six models of positive mental health were identified: functioning above normal (e.g., DSM-IV Global Assessment of Functioning Scale), positive psychology (e.g., self-efficacy), maturity (Erikson's developmental tasks plus career consolidation and "keeper of the meaning"), emotional/social intelligence, subjective well-being, and resilience (e.g., DSM-IV Defense Function Scale).
• Each model captures different facets of positive mental health.

Conclusions:

• Current models of positive mental health are analogous to the parable of the blind men and the elephant, each representing a partial perspective.
• Further research is needed to integrate these models and understand their collective contribution to conceptualizing positive mental health.