A Salutogenic Mental Health Model: Flourishing as a Metaphor for Good Mental Health

Abstract

This chapter focuses on a salutogenic understanding of mental health based on the work of Corey Keyes. He is dedicated to research and analysis of mental health as subjective well-being, where mental health is seen from an insider perspective. Flourishing is the pinnacle of good mental health, according to Keyes. He describes how mental health is constituted by an affective state and psychological and social functioning, and how we can measure mental health by the Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (MHC-SF) questionnaire. Further, I elaborate on Keyes’ two continua model of mental health and mental illness, a highly useful model in the health care context, showing that the absence of mental illness does not translate into the presence of mental health. You can also read about how lived experiences of former patients support Keyes dual model of mental health and mental illness. This model makes it clear that people can perceive they have good mental health even with mental illness, as well as people with perceived poor or low mental health can be without any mental disorder. The cumulative evidence for seeing mental disorder and mental health function along two different continua, central mental health concepts, and research significant for health promotion are elaborated in this chapter.

“Opening up a well of emotions”: A qualitative study of men's emotional experiences in the transition to fatherhood

“…An increasing amount of research addresses the mental health of fathers in the perinatal period, but studies often focus on diagnostic symptoms related to parental stress, anxiety and depression (Paulson & Bazemore, 2010; Philpott et al, 2017). Mental health can be viewed from a salutogenic perspective and not merely be understood as an absence of illness, but also as an emotional and functional presence, with room for positive feelings and life functions (Mjøsund, 2021). For most men, the perinatal period is a period of joy, and positive relations and experiences (Kotelchuck, 2022).…”

“…from a salutogenic perspective and not merely be understood as an absence of illness, but also as an emotional and functional presence, with room for positive feelings and life functions (Mjøsund, 2021).…”

Rethinking mental health wellness among adolescents living with HIV in the African context: An integrative review of mental wellness components

“…SOC reflects the coping capacity of people to deal with everyday life stressors and consists of three elements: comprehensibility (cognitive—extent to which the problem/stressor understood), manageability (behavioral—perceived availability of resources and belief in ability to use successfully use them) and meaningfulness (motivational—extent that one wishes to cope) (Antonovsky, 1987 ; Mittelmark et al, 2015 ). SOC is a developmental concept which begins to form during adolescence and stabilizes by the age of 30 years (Antonovsky, 1987 ; Braun-Lewensohn et al, 2015 ; Mittelmark et al, 2015 ; Hochwälder, 2019 ; Carlén et al, 2020 ; Mjøsund, 2021 ). Therefore, from a life-course perspective, strengthening SOC as a health promoting factor may improve overall physical and mental wellness in later life.…”

“…Antonovsky originally proposed SOC as the core concept of his Salutogenic Model of Health—which is aimed at explaining the origins of health and to describe how health can be promoted by focusing on wellness (Antonovsky, 1987 ; Braun-Lewensohn et al, 2015 ; Mittelmark et al, 2015 ; Hochwälder, 2019 ; Carlén et al, 2020 ; Mjøsund, 2021 ). The Salutogenic Model of Health was developed as an alternative to the pathological view of health/disease to improve health promotion by focusing on what makes people healthy.…”

Content validation of a Mental Wellness Measuring instrument for Adolescents Living with HIV: A modified Delphi Study

“…The MWM-ALHIV includes both eudemonic and hedonic dimensions of mental wellness. Previous scholars have argued that there is a need for empirical studies that go beyond life satisfaction and well-being in adolescents, to include both eudemonic and hedonic dimensions of mental wellness, explore the relationship between these dimensions and how this can be integrated into a meaningful framework to address mental wellness in a holistic manner [39][40][41]. Therefore, we argue that the strength of the measure is that it can be used to further empirical investigation and build an evidence based of mental wellness (including both eudemonic and hedonic dimensions) among ALHIV in the South African context.…”