Discussions about the most appropriate way to define mental health problems are not new , it seems that these understandings have diversified in recent decades. Definitions are becoming increasingly contested too, with many publications arguing for one perspective over another (e.g. psychosocial approaches vs. biomedical models or vice versa).
📌To the best of my knowledge 'Bio- psychosocial approach of Mental illnesses' have been the most talked about. But the critical review of this approach has found some lacunae in the approach like it increases confidence in the biological approaches,dissatisfaction with the model at a theoretical level because it reflects eclecticism understood as an unprincipled mix of different approaches and dissatisfaction towards model from psychosocial representatives they have observed that the bio-psycho-social approach has masked a “Bio-Bio-bio” approach to mental health problems. (John reed, The bio-bio-bio model of madness 2005)
Comparison of the broader groups of models shows that whilst all publications address the issue of mental health problems, the proponents of each model disagree with one another on a wide range of issues.Lets jump in the sea of these different models ⬇️
- Anti-psychiatry-A critical approach that denies the existence of mental illness.
- Biology-A comprehensive but exclusively biological approach for understanding mental health problems.
- Biology-culture-A joint approach focussing on biological and cultural issues related to mental health problems.
- Biopsychology-Joint biological and psychological perspectives.
- Biopsychosocial/medical-Approaches that stress the interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors to understanding mental health problems.
- Cognitive psychology-An approach that stresses the importance of internal mental processes for understanding mental health problems.
- Computational neuroscience-An approach that utilizes mathematical models and theories to understand the determinants of mental health problems.
- Critical realist-An approach that proposes the existence of a reality that is ontologically separated from experienced mental health problems.
- Developmental—biopsychosocial- Approaches that stress the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors for understanding developmental mental health problems.
- Ethnopsychology- An understanding of mental health problems informed by the culture of ethnic communities.
- Evolutionary/Darwinian-Approaches that stress the evolutionary origins of mental health problems.
- Existentialism-A philosophically based approach that seeks to understand existential issues related to the human condition to understand mental health problems.
- Genetics-evolutionary- A joint approach that focusses on the interplay between genetic and evolutionary mechanisms which lead to mental health problems.
- Gut microbiota-A biological approach that stresses the importance of gut microbes for developing mental health problems.
- Mad studies/neurodiversity-Approaches that propose normalizing perspectives of mental health issues and which reject illness concepts.
- Network—psychology-An approach that explains mental health problems through mapping the interplay of psychological symptoms.
- Network/biopsychology-A joint network and biopsychological approach.
- Neuroscience/neurobiology-A joint neurological and phenomenological approach.
- Phenomenology-An approach that understands mental health problems through analysing structures of consciousness and other mental phenomena.
- Power-threat-meaning framework-A model which views mental health problems as an understandable protective response to adverse environments.
- Property cluster-An approach that proposes that networks of mechanistic clusters cause mental health problems.
- Psychoanalysis-A set of psychological theories, originating from Freud, which focuses on the role of the unconscious mind as the cause of mental health problems.
- Psychosocial-Joint psychological and social perspectives on mental health problems.
- Radical approach-An approach that asks for a radical liberatory change when dealing with mental health problems.
- Recovery-An approach aimed at enabling people with mental health problems to define what recovery means to them so they can live a meaningful life.
- Salutogenesis-An approach that endorses health and well-being rather than illness.
- Social disability-An approach that stresses the socially induced disabling constraints on people with mental health issues.
- Spiritual- A spiritual perspective on mental health problems.
- Systems/Chaos Theory-Approaches that stress the non-deterministic emergence of mental health problems in biological and psychological realms.
- Theory development/application-Approaches that propose the need for new models of mental health problems through demonstrating fields of application.
- Traditional/spiritual-Traditional and spiritual perspectives on mental health problems.
- User/survivor studies-Approaches that stress the centrality of the experiences of people who have been treated in mental health services and are normally critical in nature.
- Neuropsychology-Joint neurological and psychological approach for understanding mental health problems.
- Neuroscience/neurobiology-A neuroscientific and biological approach for understanding mental health problems.
In conclusion the uncertainties around what constitutes a mental health problem have become more pronounced in recent decades.Researchers and reviewer's are still not able to detect any approaches which might act as a basis for consensus within the academic field, amongst clinical professions, or between stakeholders.
Key areas of contestation are:
(1) the characterization of mental health phenomena as a disease (or not)
(2) the etiology of such phenomena
(3) the boundary between mental phenomena and mental health problems
(4) whether to take a first or third-person perspective.
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author : Kanishka
Clinical and Forensic Psychologist .