Module 6: Beyond Stress And Recovery

Lecture 17: Positive Mental Health and Well-being

Positive Mental Health and Well-being

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as:

… a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity.

Mental health is clearly an essential part of this definition.

Mental health is described by WHO as:

… a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community.

This definition clearly indicates that the mental health is more than the absence of mental
illness. In a true sense, It is state of well-being beyond mental illnesses. In this positive sense
mental health is the foundation for well-being and effective functioning for an individual and for
a community.This definition also suggests that mental, physical and social functioning are
interdependent. Despite this, mental health is still thought of as a luxury and not a fundamental
aspect of our health.

Mental health is often used synonymously with mental health conditions or illnesses such as
depression, anxiety etc. However, the concept is more than that. In the broader sense, if a
person is not having mental illnesses does not necessarily mean that they are experiencing
positive mental health or flourishing. Therefore, it is a complex concept.

Mental health has two major dimensions-

-Mental health conditions/illness
-Positive mental health experiences such as happiness, life satisfaction, self-realization,
meaning in life etc.

Well-being is concerned primarily with the promotion of positive mental health experiences.
 What Is Well-being?

Well-being refers to optimal functioning and experience (Ryan and Deci 2001). The Royal
Society in the UK (2004) defined wellbeing as a "positive and sustainable mental state that
allows individuals, groups and nations to thrive and flourish.” This means at the level of an
individual, wellbeing refers to psychological, physical and social states that are distinctively
positive (Huppert, Baylis and Keverne, 2004). It is about enriching human life and enhancing
human functioning.

Well-being Categories
Well-being has been defined in diverse ways. However, most of these definitions falls under
four distinct categories (Huta, 2015). They are-
Orientations: What a person seeks in life and why (such as values, motives, ideals, and
goals.

Behaviors: The actual activities that a person does (e.g., attending parties, writing down
goals).

Experiences: Momentary or typical subjective feelings, emotions, and cognitive-affective

appraisals (e.g., positive affect).

Functioning: How well a person is doing in life in terms of abilities, accomplishments, health
habits etc. (such as being good at self-regulation, achieving maturity).

Hedonism vs Eudaimonism

Within each categories of well-being, researchers have focused on different contents of well-
being (Huta, 2015). For example, the contents of experience category may include positive
and negative affect, life satisfaction etc. Although there are numerous and complex definitions
of well-being, the majority of researchers agree that the contents of well-being fall under two
higher order philosophies or traditions – hedonia and eudaimonia (Huta, 2015).

Historical Roots of Hedonism and Eudaimonism

The debate between hedonism and eudaimonism has a long history. In the 4th century BC, this
debate was prominent between the two Greek philosophers-Aristotle and Aristippus. Aristotle
was the proponent of eudaimonism and suggested that a good life should be in accordance
with our true nature, virtue and reason. Aristippus on the other hand was the proponent of
hedonism and said that pleasure is the only good in life and pain only evil. The goal of life
should be to gain maximum pleasure.

Since then, many philosophers took side of both the traditions. For example, Hobbes, bentham
took the side of hedonism while plato, Kant took the side of eudaimonism.
 Biological Roots of Hedonism and Eudaimonism

Pleasure seeking or hedonia is regulated by the hot systems of the brain (older subcortical
part of the brain) while self-reflective process akin to eudaimonic processes is related to the
cold systems (newer, complex, cerebral part) of the brain (Steger and Shin, 2012)

See video lecture for visual presentation

Huta (2015) suggested that

“people need both hedonia and eudaimonia to flourish... Hedonia and eudaimonia are not
opposites, nor are they mutually exclusive – they are complementary psychological functions.
Furthermore, a person may derive a hedonic benefit but a eudaimonic loss from an activity, and
vice versa. It is therefore important to assess both hedonic and eudaimonic variables when
studying well-being outcomes.”

Psychology of Hedonic Well-being/Subjective Well-being

Psychologists who have adopted the hedonic view have tended to focus on a broad
conception of hedonism. Hedonic well-being which is also called as “subjective well-being”
captures the presence of positive affect and life satisfaction as well as the absence of
negative affect (Diener et al. 1999). Subjective well-being also called as happiness is
generally defined as an experiential state that contains a globally positive affective tone.

Researchers have conceptualized and measured happiness in at least two quite different
ways. One is affect balance, indicating having more pleasant than unpleasant emotional
states, and is thus essentially an aggregate of how one feels at different moments. The other,
life satisfaction, goes beyond momentary feelings to invoke an integrative, evaluative
assessment of one’s life as a whole.

SWB consists of three components: life satisfaction, the presence of positive mood, and the
absence of negative mood, together often summarized as happiness.

Psychology Of Eudaimonic Well-being/Psychological Well-being

The hedonic approach of well-being has been criticized by many scholars as being incomplete
because well-being is more than emotion and life satisfaction. Eudaimonic well-being
addresses these criticism by conceptualizing well-being in terms of positive functioning,
meaning in life and pursuing worthwhile goals, actualization of inner potentials and so on. The
core of wellness is not how pleasantly or unpleasantly one feels but how one functions in
response to life challenges (Ryan, 1989).
Eudaimonic well-being which is also called as “psychological well-being.” One of the most
common way by which eudaimonic well-being is conceptualized and measured in psychology
is by using six dimensions of psychological functioning proposed by Ryff (1989). These are-
Autonomy
environmental
mastery
personal growth
positive relations with
others purpose in life, and
self-acceptance.

Eudaimonic well-being will be discussed in more detail later in this course (last two modules).

Well-being as a Combination of Hedonism and Eudaimonism

There are models of well-being that combines the indicators of both hedonic and
eudaimonic well-being. Two such models will be discussed-

Keyes 13 dimensions of mental health as flourishing and

Martin Seligman’s model of flourish (PERMA)

(will be discussed in the next lecture in the context of well-being and resilience).

Keyes Model of Mental Health as Flourishing

According to Corey L. M. Keyes (2005, 2007), positive mental health includes hedonic well-
being and the psychological and societal aspects of eudaimonic well-being. Therefore, mental
health is a combination of emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

He distinguishes the state of flourishing from the state of languishing. The state of flourishing
is a combination of high level of subjective well-being with an optimal level of psychological
and social functioning. The state of languishing is a combination of low levels of subjective
well-being and low levels of psychological and social well-being. Keyes (2010) further stated
that those who are not languishing or flourishing are considered to be in moderate mental
health.

Keyes 3 factors and 13 Dimensions Of Mental Health As Flourishing

3 factors of positive mental health and flourish

(1) Positive Emotions (Emotional well-being)

(2) Positive psychological functioning (Psychological well-being)

(3) Positive social functioning (Social well-being)

The dimensions under each of these factors are as follows-

Positive Emotions (Emotional well-being)

Positive affect: Regularly cheerful, interested in life, in good spirits, happy, calm and
peaceful, full of life.

Avowed quality of life: Mostly or highly satisfied with life overall or in domains of life.

Source: Keyes (2007, Table 1, p. 98)

Positive psychological functioning (Psychological well-being)

Self-acceptance: Holds positive attitudes toward self, acknowledges, likes most parts of self,
personality.

Personal growth: Seeks challenge, has insight into own potential, feels a sense of continued
development.

Purpose in life: Finds own life has a direction and meaning

Environmental mastery: Exercises ability to select, manage, and mold personal environs to
suit needs.

Autonomy: Is guided by own, socially accepted, internal standards and values.

Positive relations with others: Has, or can form, warm, trusting personal relationships.

Source: Keyes (2007, Table 1, p. 98)

Positive social functioning (Social well-being)

Social acceptance: Holds positive attitudes toward, acknowledges, and is accepting of

human differences.

Social actualization: Believes people, groups, and society have potential and can evolve or
grow positively.
Social contribution: Sees own daily activities as useful to and valued by society and others.

Social coherence: Interested in society and social life and finds them meaningful and
somewhat intelligible.

Social integration: A sense of belonging to, and comfort and support from, a community.
Source: Keyes (2007, Table 1, p. 98)

References

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of
research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Annual Review of Psychology,
52, 141–166. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141

Huta, Veronika. (2015). An overview of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being concepts.

In book: Handbook of media use and well-being, Chapter: 2. Publisher: Routledge;
Editors: L. Reinecke, M. B. Oliver

Steger, M. F., & Shin, J. Y. (2012). Happiness and meaning in a technological age: A
psychological approach. In P. Brey, A. Briggle, & E. Spence (Eds.), The good life in a
technological age (pp. 92–108). New York: Routledge.

Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being:
Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302. doi:10.1037/0033-
2909.125.2.276

Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning

of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6),
1069- 1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069

Keyes CLM (2007). Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A

complementary strategy for improving national mental health. American
Psychologist, 62, 95–108

Keyes CLM (2005). Mental illness and/or mental health? Investigating axioms of the
complete state model of health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73:539–
548.
 Lecture 18: Well-being and Resilience

What is Resilience?

Resilience is another significant concept that is closely connected to well-being.

There are different definitions of resilience. Some are-

‘Dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity’
(Luthar, Gicchetti, and Becker, 2000; p. 543)

Resilience is characterized by ‘good outcomes in spite of serious threats to adaptation or

development’ (Masten, 2001; p. 228).

There are two defining aspects to resilience (Toland and Carrigan, 2016):
Exposure to significant threat or adversity
Achievement of positive adaptation despite threats to the development process

Some researchers also distinguish between resilience as a trait and resilience as a process
(Harms, et al., 2018).

As a trait it is considered as an individual ability to resist being damaged by trauma and

adversities. As a process, it is considered as an outcome of dynamic process of bouncing
back or recovering from the trauma or adversities. It looks at how an individual recover from
the adversities. Most of the researchers consider it as process and believes that resilience
involves thoughts, actions and behaviors that one can learn. It is not necessarily a privilege of
only some people.

Relationship between Resilience and Well-being

Resilience and well-being are closely related concepts to the extent that some well-being
instruments measure resilience (Davydov et al., 2010; Windle, 2011). The relationship
between resilience and well-being is not straightforward.

Many research indicate that higher level of well-being leads to more resilience (Kuntz,
Näswall, & Malinen, 2016). It could be due to the fact that positive individuals may be more
resilient because they approach situations expecting better outcomes and tend to elicit more
positive responses (Wood, Harms, & Vazire, 2010). Positive emotions (component of
hedonic well-being) facilitates resilience (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, & Larkin, 2003) as it
helps in adaptive coping.

It is also possible that resilience to predict a number of well-being outcomes such as

subjective well-being (Liu, Wang, Zhou, & Li, 2014). It is also possible that some antecedents
of well-being and resilience diminish the attainment of the other (Harms et al., 2018).
For example, few studies reported that the positive emotions associated with well-being, such
as joy and calmness, tend to generate a diffuse contentment rather than the sharp, vivid focus
on challenges associated with resilience (Fredrickson, 1998; Silard, 2016).

Therefore, well-being and resilience are closely connected. However, the relationship can be
complex and not straightforward.

Seligman’s PERMA Model of Well-being

Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology proposed five components of well-being.
He conceptualized well-being as a combination of both hedonic and eudaimonic components.
They are-

Positive emotions (Feeling good)

Engagement (finding flow)

Relationships (authentic connections)

Meaning (purposeful existence)

Achievement (a sense of accomplishment).

Well-being, Resilience and PERMA

Professor Seligman’s research has proven that an increase in PERMA will result in an
increase in resilience and a boost to mental health and well-being.

All the components of PERMA will be discussed in detail in the upcoming lectures.

A summary of each components will be discussed here briefly.

Positive Emotions

Positive emotions may include emotions such as amusement, hope, interest, joy, love,
compassion, gratitude etc.

Positive emotions can broaden our thoughts-action repertoire and build physical, psychological
and social resources (Fredrickson, 2001).
 Positive emotions enhances well-being and performance related outcomes and reduction in
negative emotions (Hart, Caballero & Cooper, 2010)

Building positive emotions

 Practice gratitude by reflecting on things for which you are thankful.

 Doing activities that you enjoy

 Spending time with loved ones

 Playing with children, pets, and friends

 Doing exercises particularly aerobic exercises

 Listening to uplifting music that you like.

Optimism is strongly connected to positive emotions and optimistic people are highly resilient to
stressful events.
Source: well-being and resilience center (SAHMRI)

Engagement

Engagement is about finding flow experience. The flow experience happens when we
are intensely focused on the task at hand in the present moment that we lose track of
time.

Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a leading researcher in this area. He found that

flow happens when we perform a challenging task where we have the opportunity to use
your skills/strengths (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997).

Flow and engagement improve subjective well-being, happiness, life satisfaction and positive
affect (Chen, Wigand, & Nilan, 1999). It is also found to be correlated with increase
performance, higher motivation and engagement and positive mood in organization context
(Kasa & Hassan, 2013)

Building Engagement

 Identify and do activities that lead you experience flow and engagement

 Identify and use your signature strengths. Find challenging tasks where you can
exercise your strengths.
 Learn and practice mindfulness meditation techniques to increase focus in the present
moment.

Relationships

Relationships refer to the nature of connections and interactions we have with others. We are
social creatures and positive relationships have a significant impact on our wellbeing.”
(Seligman, 2012). Social support can be a good source of coping during the stress. People
with high social support experience less stress and cope more successfully (Taylor, 2010).
Social support is a particularly important personal resource because it helps provide access to
further resources beyond those already possessed by the individual (Hobfoll et al., 1990).
Therefore, our relationships and social support are one of the most significant source of well-
being and resilience.

Building Relationships

 Identify and improve the problems in existing social network

 Build new connections by joining and participating in groups and communities that you like

 Altruistic and volunteer work

Meaning in life

Meaning is about doing things that are valuable and worthwhile. This involves belonging to
and/or serving something that we believe is greater than ourselves (Seligman, 2012). The
search for meaning in life could an intrinsic motivation among human beings. An individual
achieves meaning in life when his or her life is experienced as purposeful, significant, and
understandable (Steger, 2009). This sense of purpose provides individuals with goals that
guide action and promote well-being. Finding meaning in one’s life is an important determinant
of psychological well-being (Frankl, 1997; Steger, Kashdan, Sullivan, & Lorentz, 2008).

Building meaning

People may find meaning in different things-professions, creative pursuits, hobbies,

volunteering for a cause etc. Find what's yours and devote more time to it.

Get involved in causes greater than your personal life.

Accomplishment

It is about things that we have done or accomplished in our life. It is about working and
reaching our goals. Even small goals such as doing half-an-hour exercise everyday and
making efforts to achieve them give us a sense of accomplishment, happiness and well-being.
It increases our self-esteem and confidence.

Grit is associated with the idea of accomplishment. It is about perseverance and passion for
long-term goals introduced by Angela Duckworth. People who exhibit ‘grit’ persevere at their
goals over time even at the face of failures and adversities. It is especially important to
achieve high and difficult goals where sustained application of talent over time is required.

Building accomplishment

Set achievable and realistic goals. Goals need not be very big and high all the time. Setting
and achieving small goals on a daily basis can increase our sense of accomplishment.

Set your goals by assess your talents, strengths, and skills and persevere at it even if you fail
few times.

Celebrate your achievements with yourself and others.

Achieving intrinsic goals (relating to growth and connection, rather than money and status),
produces larger gains in well-being (Sheldon 2004).

Building Resilience-Final thought

According to APA website (apa.org), there are four core components that can enhance our
resilience. They are-

Build connections

Foster wellness,

Embrace healthy thinking and

Find purpose and meaning

So, the crux is that any strategy that leads to healthy coping and fosters well-being can
increase our resilience also.
References
Luthar, S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000), The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation
and guidelines for future work, Child Development, 71 (3), 543-562.

Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development.

American Psychologist, 56(3), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.227

Harms, P. D., Brady, L., Wood, D., & Silard, A. (2018). Resilience and well-being. In E. Diener,
S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being. Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers.
DOI:nobascholar.com

Davydov, D. M., Stewart, R., Ritchie, K., & Chaudieu, I. (2010). Resilience and mental health.
Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 479-495.
Windle, G. (2011). What is resilience? A review and concept analysis. Reviews in Clinical
Gerontology, 21, 152–169.
Kuntz, J. R. C., Näswall, K., & Malinen, S. (2016). Resilient employees in resilient organizations:
Flourishing beyond adversity. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 9, 456–462.

Wood, D., Harms, P. D., & Vazire, S. (2010). Perceiver effects as projective tests: What your
general perceptions of others says about you. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
99, 174-190

Fredrickson, B. L., Tugade, M., Waugh, C., & Larkin, G. (2003). What good are positive
emotions in crises? A prospective study of resilience and emotions following the terrorist
attacks on the United States on September 11 th , 2001. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 84, 365-376.
Liu, Y., Wang, Z., Zhou, C., & Li, T. (2014). Affect and self-esteem as mediators between trait
resilience and psychological adjustment. Personality and Individual Differences, 66, 92-97.

Fredrickson, B. L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of General Psychology , 2,
300–319.

Wellbeing and resilience center website: https://www.wellbeingandresilience.com/