Strengths - Deviation from Ideal Mental Health:
- This definition focuses on the positives of mental health. It covers a wide range of criteria and so can also be seen as comprehensive. Most mental health problems can be identified using this definition and therefore it has good validity.
Limitations - Deviation from Ideal Mental Health:
- This definition is culturally relative - the criteria stems from Western, individualistic cultural ideals. This makes it inappropriate to use in cultures which do not share these ideals. EG: autonomy and potential for personal growth would not be viewed as features of ideal mental health in collectivist cultures which place an emphasis on responsibility to the family and community.
- Unlike physical health, where diagnostic tests can be used to measure aspects of health such as blood pressure or liver functioning, there are no equivalent, objective ways of measuring whether we meet the criteria for mental health. Therefore, judgements are subjective, and open to bias.
- It is unclear how many of these criteria we would need to deviate from, and to what degree, in order to be classified as abnormal. If we need to meet all of the criteria all of the time, then the definition is unrealistic and most of us would be considered abnormal. It can therefore be argued that Jahoda's criteria are too strict, and represent and ideal, rather than an achievable reality.