Health Psychology Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health psychological science Master - Essay ExampleAs Tudor (1996) states mental health should be seen as a positive concept, that must be seen as different from psychopathology. Good mental health is not only intimately not having difficulties which cannot be all overcome, but also implies that the individual will develop in, an emotionally and intellectually, healthy federal agency across their lifetime. These healthy skills will give the individual, child or adult, the strength to be able to curb when lifes inevitable problems find them, as well as being able to form fulfilling interpersonal relationships (BMA, 2006 MHF, 2006).The landmark mental health covers a wide be adrift of difficulties that individuals may encounter throughout their lives. These can range from everyday concerns, such as a homework deadline, to severe and crippling problems, such as depression (BMA, 2006). The ONS (2006) defines mental health disorders as a set of clinically recognised abnormal behavi our and symptoms, which effort the individual extreme distress and distortion to their everyday lives. These crippling problems cause great suffering for the individual, and firmly affect their ability to function in everyday life. However, these disorders do not manifest over night. They ar usually brought on slowly and have roots in childhood (Ahrons, 2004). Therefore, if British children are already suffering from mental health difficulties, then as an adult they will have a last chance of these problems continuing or reoccurring. As has been reported in the media (USAtoday, 2008 The Times, 2008 BBC, 2008) British society seems to be permit down their children, as they are reportedly the unhappiest children in Europe (UNICEF, 2006). Other research has implied these same results (Alexander & Hargreaves, 2007 Porthouse, 2006). Research print in Porthouse (2006) stated that John Bradshaw has shown that British children were more unhappy than most of their European counterparts . This led to a flurry of research on the matter. Bradshaws report (Porthouse, 2006) and later ones from UNICEF (2006) have suggested that Britain is one of the worst places for child health, that British teenagers have the second lowest score for their hopes and ambitions for their future careers and employment prospects. The UNICEF (2006) report covered six important dimensions including material wealth, family relationships and peer relationships, education, the childs subjective understanding of their well-being, all brought together to present an encompassing picture of British childrens lives. Alexander & Hargreaves (2007) state that what was most striking from their research was the amount of agreement which the results showed, particularly in the main(prenominal) areas of educational purpose, curriculum and assessment, the condition of childhood and society, and the world in which todays children are growing up (p.1). What was more striking though was the negativity and cr itical tenor that these issues told the researchers. The researchers found repeatedly that the children felt under powerful or even extreme mechanical press from the schools they attended. However, Harris and Guten (1979) state an individuals health behaviour shows little consistency. They may go to the gym everyday to look aft(prenominal) their bodies, and then eat fast-food burger on the way home. This makes applying theory difficult. In addition, health behaviour tends to change over periods of time, making conclusive assumptions of