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Mental Health and Social Work pp 1–19Cite as

Theories on Mental Health, Illness and Intervention

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Part of the book series: Social Work ((SOWO))

Abstract

The chapter attempts to provide an overview of thoughts and theories that influenced the understanding of etiology, manifestations, and management of mental health and mental illnesses from multiple perspectives. The perspectives of professional service providers and academia representing the social sciences, medicine and neuroscience, and those of service users and the implications for assessment and management of mental health and illness are discussed. The acknowledgment that the view of a human being must be holistic to be complete has put spiritual and cultural beliefs into the assessment and management of mental health. Hence, the biopsychosocial-spiritual framework may be the most consensual framework upon which social workers in multidisciplinary teams base the assessment and formulation of service plans for persons experiencing mental health problems and working toward recovery. The progression from control by external systems such as religious institutions and the state historically to the present-day movement of gaining control of individuals’ own recovery from mental illness has been a long journey of discourse. Research has also resulted in changes in policy, service provision, and the societal interpretation of abnormal behaviors that are outside the social norm. Emerging issues that may affect future social work practice in mental health such as the genetics of mental health leading to the targeting of specific therapies to individual patients or the relationship between structural issues such as economic and social inequalities with mental health are discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Rosaleen Ow

  2. University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Abner W. C. Poon

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  1. Rosaleen Ow
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  2. Abner W. C. Poon
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Correspondence to Rosaleen Ow .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapur, Singapore

    Rosaleen Ow

  2. University New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Abner Weng Cheong Poon

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Ow, R., Poon, A.W.C. (2020). Theories on Mental Health, Illness and Intervention. In: Ow, R., Poon, A. (eds) Mental Health and Social Work. Social Work. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0440-8_1-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0440-8_1-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-0440-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-0440-8

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