THE SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF MENTAL HEALTH

ABSTRACT

The social-ecological model of mental health and well-being reflects the multidirectional intricacy and dynamic ongoing interplay among factors operating within and across respective levels from macro (societal) through micro (individual). These factors affect people personally and corporately and can have singular as well collective impact on individual and society as a whole. The model emphasizes that intervention can be made at a variety of points to strengthen resilience and remove or reduce negative features associated with mental health at both micro and macro level. It also addresses interdisciplinary collaborative efforts to adequately address the diversity of issues that bear on the mental health and health of a community of people. It thus provides a matrix for determining and directing strategies that can together comprise a consistent, coherent response with cumulative force to effect positive change in the settings of concern.