Nurses frequently completes mental health assessments. Describe some variables that would affect mental health and identify two strategies that would promote mental well-being and health.
You will need to include one research/scholarly reference from within the past 5 years with an in-text citation in all of your posts/replies: initial, peer and instructor.
Mental health can be affected by a variety of variables, including genetics, biology, environment, and life experiences. Some specific examples include:
Trauma, such as childhood abuse or exposure to violence
Chronic stress, such as ongoing financial or relationship difficulties
Lack of social support
Chronic physical health conditions
Substance abuse
Two strategies that have been shown to promote mental well-being and health are:
Mindfulness-based interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) (Keng, Smoski, & Robins, 2011).
Social support, such as having a strong network of friends and family, as well as support from mental health professionals (Brown, Nesse, Vinokur, & Smith, 2003).
Reference:
Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical psychology review, 31(6), 1041-1056.
Brown, G. W., Nesse, R. M., Vinokur, A. D., & Smith, D. M. (2003). Providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it: results from a prospective study of mortality. Psychological science, 14(4), 320-327.
