Using a structured model to promote mental health
| Pages | 114-121 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-12-2017-0040 |
| Published date | 17 September 2018 |
| Date | 17 September 2018 |
| Author | Joanne L. Keeling,Catherine McQuarrie |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Public mental health |
Using a structured model to promote
mental health
Joanne L. Keeling and Catherine McQuarrie
Abstract
Purpose –A Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being Working Model (subsequently “the model”) was
developed in response to recognition through teaching undergraduate nursing students that interventions
aimed at enhancing mental health and well-being are often hidden or cloaked in traditional professional
specific working interventions. The model was developed with thepurpose of making the elements of mental
health and well-being promotion visible and structuring them into a framework to aid working practice and
personal development. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness from the participant
perspective of using the model to enhance clients’mental health and well-being in community settings
(Keeling and McQuarrie, 2014).
Design/methodology/approach –A total of 14 participants were interviewed within two focus groups.
Five questions were posed to the participants structured around their experiences of using the model when
working with clients in the community. The responses were recorded and transcribed and then categorised
using a thematic analysis approach.
Findings –Three key themeswere derived from the analysis in equal measure:“Reconciling a Non-traditional
approach”,“Promoting a holisticapproach”and “Developingcreativity and sense of empowerment to promote
mental healthand well-being”. The findings suggestthat using the model enabledparticipants to engage with
clients in meaningful ways that in turn developed their self-confidence in helping clients develop creative
strategies to promote their own mental healthand well-being.
Originality/value –This paper shows that using a structured model to promote well-being and mental
health has benefits in enhancing creativity, therapeutic relationships and knowledge base. Further research is
needed in terms of the utility of the model from the client’s perspective.
Keywords Creativity, Therapeutic relationship, Holistic approach, Mental health promotion
Paper type Research paper
Background
The model was initially presented at an international conference (Keeling and McQuarrie, 2010)
and then used as a teaching tool to community workers in an attempt to bring together the
elements of facilitating the promotion of mental health and well-being. Two focus groups were
later used to elicit the experiences of those participants (n¼14) in using the model when working
with people in community settings.
Mental healthand well-being promotion have increasingly gained recognitionas important aspects
of any caring activity. However, literature is often focused on mental health and well-being
promotion as an adjunct or secondary consideration of treatment and professional-led “fixing”
which can lead to a reactive and reductionist approach to care (Johansson et al.,2009;
Kelsey, 2017; Shahand Mountain, 2007). In developing the model,it was considered how mental
health and well-being promotion could become the focus of caring activity with the intention that
increased self-efficacy and behavioural change would become the catalyst for more long-term
behaviourchange and health benefits (Cornwallet al., 2003). The model incorporatesthe concepts
inherent within mental health and well-being promotion (Barry and Jenkins, 2007; Cattan and
Tilford, 2006) but structures these concepts into a coherent framework for practitioners of any
discipline to use( Figure1). In enabling individuals to consider what is importantto them and what
Received 1 December 2017
Revised 8 May 2018
Accepted 21 June 2018
Joanne L. Keeling is Manager
of Pre-Registration Nursing
Education at the School of
Nursing, University of Central
Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Catherine McQuarrie is based at
the School of Human and Health
Sciences, University of
Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
PAGE114
j
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH
j
VOL. 17 NO. 3 2018, pp. 114-121, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-5729 DOI 10.1108/JPMH-12-2017-0040
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