Clinical psychology has invested a lot of energy in the thorough examination of the
characteristics of mental disorders, but less in the implication of the accessible
mental health capacities in the recovery phase. Our aim in the present study is to
verify the two-continuum mental health model in clinical and non-clinical samples
in the light of the Maintainable Positive Mental Health Theory. A further aim is to
investigate the interrelationship between positive mental health and mental disorder
by examining various groups of mental disorders with different levels of severity.
We also examine the prevalence of the diagnostic categories of the Complete Mental
Health Model. Furthermore, we aim to identify mental health profiles and their correlates.
In the present paper, we introduce the protocol for the ongoing research. A cross-sectional,
case-control design is employed to investigate the two-continuum model of mental health.
The clinical sample (n = 400) is recruited from four Hungarian hospitals. The non-clinical
sample (n = 400) is collected using an online self-report survey-based research design.
The two-continuum model of mental health will be tested using exploratory factor analysis
and confirmatory factor analysis, with the symptoms of mental disorders and mental
health as outcome variables. We will then separate groups of mental disorders according
to the leading symptoms. Analysis of variance will be used to examine mental health
as the dependent variable at a certain severity level in different mental disorder
groups. Analysis of covariance will be used to identify the effect of different sociodemographic
indicators.The prevalence of the diagnostic categories of the Complete Mental Health
Model will be calculated and compared using chi-square tests. Finally, mental health
profiles will be identified using latent profile analysis. Our study draws attention
to the fact that "optimal human functioning" can be understood in ways that includes,
and not excludes, people living with mental disorder.
