Abstract:
The traditional definition of health as having physical, mental and social components will be extended by the delineation of the concept of spiritual health, a notion that unifies research based on the concepts of resilience, coping and alienation from school. These latter concepts involve both the individual and their environment. They are currently being used as indicators to unravel the complex area of measuring mental health of school students. Their combination into the one concept of spiritual health, might be more useful as an explanatory concept of mental health of young people, than the traditional interpretation of mental health which is more closely aligned to mental illness.
Research has identified a direct relationship between young people's mental health and academic achievement. Utilising the concept of spiritual health may provide the opportunity to draw together separate areas of research in designing and evaluating comprehensive approaches to mental health promotion in secondary schools.
Research has identified a direct relationship between young people's mental health and academic achievement. Utilising the concept of spiritual health may provide the opportunity to draw together separate areas of research in designing and evaluating comprehensive approaches to mental health promotion in secondary schools.