Deviation from ideal mental bealth

 Another approach suggests that abnormality can be defined in terms of deviation from ideal mental health.

 Humanistic psychologists consider the factors that may be important for normal development such as an ultimate goal.

However, this approach has been criticised as follows:

-       The approach is based on abstract and culturally relative ideals, not shared by collectivist societies. There are cultural variations in how to identify psychological health.

-       Unlike physical health, it is difficult to measure psychological health.

 Limitations with all these approaches

 Cultural relativism is a problem in all four of the approaches described. The definitions inevitably refer to some subjective, culturally viewed as abnormal and undesirable.

 However, there are also cultural universals – behaviors such as anti-social behavior or chronic depression are universally viewed as abnormal and undesirable.

 The resolution may lie in using a combined approach that focuses on which features are more likely to be associated with abnormality.