Researchers have redefined what it means to have positive mental health – identifying six essential elements which experts say could bring long-awaited clarity to the field.
The study, published in Nature Mental Health , identifies the core elements as meaning and purpose, life satisfaction, self-acceptance, strong relationships, autonomy and happiness.
Researchers also highlighted that factors such as income, housing and physical health, while important, are drivers of wellbeing rather than defining features. This distinction could help policymakers better understand where to intervene.
The findings were developed following a survey of 122 experts across 11 disciplines and involved researchers at the University of York Mumbai, the University of Adelaide and a number of collaborators around the world.
Experts say that the lack of a common definition for mental wellbeing has, over the years, limited progress in mental health policy and treatment.
Professor Lindsay Oades, Provost at the University of York Mumbai, said: “In any other profession, you couldn’t aim for a positive outcome to a strategy, treatment, or intervention, if you had hundreds of different ways to measure the severity of the problem in the first place, and so it really isn’t surprising that so many sectors struggle creating programmes to promote positive mental health.
“The real significance of having an agreed definition of mental wellbeing is how we can use it in practice, particularly how governments measure national wellbeing, support public health strategies and fund new interventions.
“If we take education as an example, we hope that by having an agreed set of wellbeing factors, that we can guide schools to support children’s emotional development, with a greater focus on building resilience and connection from an early age.”
The findings could also influence workplaces, where mental health initiatives are increasingly seen as central to productivity and employee retention. By identifying specific factors that contribute to wellbeing, organisations may be better equipped to design targeted support programmes.
Dr Matthew Iasiello, from the University of Adelaide, said: “By agreeing that positive mental health isn’t a single feeling, but a combination of how we feel, how we function and how we connect with others, the study brings much-needed clarity to the field.”
The study reinforces that mental wellbeing is not the absence of mental illness. This distinction could shift how services are designed, placing greater emphasis on helping people to thrive, rather than only treating illness.
The researchers say the next step will be applying the framework in real-world settings, with the potential to reshape how mental health is measured and supported worldwide.
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