Mental health is one of the most important things in a person’s life, affecting health and wellbeing, interpersonal relationships, studies, work, and the entire life-course. Good mental health strengthens trust, reciprocity and a sense of belonging in society. Productivity is closely tied to the mental health of the workforce. High levels of good mental health in the population will support success in Finland as a whole. Mental health is a form of capital for individuals, families, communities and society as a whole which can be looked after and invested in
at all life stages,
during studies and at work,
in everyday circumstances, communities and recreational activities,
in connection with societal and environmental changes.
In addition to a public health perspective, specific attention is given to minorities including different language and cultural groups.
What?
Positive mental health (i.e. mental wellbeing) is a resource and an integral part of health and wellbeing. Positive mental health stress the importance of the individual's mental resources (e.g. the ability to overcome adversities), opportunities to influence his or her own life, optimism and a sense of being in control of his or her own life, social relationships that produce satisfaction, and positive self-image and positive attitude to his or her personal development possibilities (e.g. good self-esteem).
The concept of positive mental health is aimed at moving the focus away from illnesses and problems. It is based on the idea that positive mental health is more than the absence of mental health disorders. Positive mental health can be developed despite the existence of a mental health disorder. The figure below clarifies the diversity of mental health and mental wellbeing.
Why?
To gain a full assessment of an individual’s mental health status, we need to measure the positive aspects of mental health as well as mental ill-health. Being able to measure positive mental health/mental wellbeing is informative in many different contexts for example for evaluating population mental health or mental health promotion interventions or when practitioners want to assessing individual levels of mental wellbeing.
How?
The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) has been developed to measure positive mental health and wellbeing. The scale was developed by the universities of Warwick and Edinburgh and there are two versions of it: the long 14-item scale (WEMWBS) and the short 7-item scale (SWEMWBS). The scales are also available in Finnish, Swedish and North Same. License is sought from the University of Warwick. The permit application can be found on the following page: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/research/platform/wemwbs/using/non-commercial-licence-registration/
The Scale has been validated in Finland in 2023: Sarasjärvi et al. 2023. Exploring the structure and psychometric properties of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) in a representative adult population sample. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115465
THL is conducting an evaluation and implementation research on a population-level mental health promotion model that is applicable to various target groups. The model is an established effective mental health promotion approach known as the ABCs of Mental Wellbeing (Act, Belong, Commit) model.
Why?
The ABC model strengthens mental health promotion and overall mental wellbeing at the population level. The study evaluates the model's usability and applicability at the municipal/regional level in Finland.
How?
The ABC model will be piloted in four municipalities for different target groups from 2023 to 2024. The evaluation and implementation study will be carried out in these municipalities using a multi-method approach, employing survey research, individual, and group interviews.
Mental wellbeing literacy is a new concept defining how we understand what supports our mental wellbeing. Also called positive mental health literacy, itis a new area for development for the Mental Health Promotion Group at THL.
Cultural safety is a combination of cultural awareness (acknowledging the differences between cultures), cultural sensitivity (respecting other cultures), and cultural competency (effectively working with diverse populations through appropriate behaviours, attitudes, measures, and policies) (Marsella et al.; Simon & Catherine, 2009).
