Operationalising Mental Health: A Theoretical Basis

The aim of this paper is to propose cognitive theory as a theoretical basis for operationalising an independent concept of mental health. The shift away from an illness view to a much more ‘salutogenic’ (health‐enhancing) view of mental health demands an understanding of mental health that is separate from an understanding of mental illness. Embodied within this, however, lie both pragmatic and theoretical barriers to operationalising mental health in practice. The paper extends the debate in this area. It considers the difficulties involved in understanding mental health from a conceptual, definitional and descriptive stance. A critical discussion of the need for a theory of mental health is presented. Basic psychological theories are reviewed in an attempt to explore their appropriateness to development of an integrated theory of mental health. The paper culminates in highlighting the link between the ‘social’ and the ‘individual’ and argues for the use of cognitive theory as a theoretical basis from which mental health can be operationalised.