What is it about?

This article focusses on an innovative I-Flourishing and Languishing Opportunities Wheel (I-FLOW) model, which can be applied to mental health nursing from a different perspective to many other frameworks. It positions realistic optimism and flow at its epicentre, suggesting that these are in a constant dynamic state of homeostatic balance. It recognises that wellbeing can be a combination of managing positive and negative feelings, thoughts and behaviours and that this is central to successful navigation of our life experiences.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

The I-FLOW model can help increase self-awareness and assist in taking conscious steps in developing one’s wellbeing. The I-FLOW model accepts that individuals can feel positivity, yet experience negativity at the same time.This model can assist users by reflecting and encouraging opportunities for action, which can be matched with their own capacities. It could support them by stretching their capabilities, learning new skills thereby increasing self-esteem, with the potential benefit of timely feedback from a mentor/supervisor. The model has advantages over a traditional questionnaire, as it helps focus on the immediacy of the situation with subtle individual and cultural interpretations and not using pre-determined responses.

Perspectives

The model will hopefully contribute to positive pyschology research, by increasing the lexicon and vocabulary within it. It is worthwhile remembering that different people respond and cope differently to the same situation, so the intelligent use of creating positive relationships helps heal, give support and encourages personal problem-solving. There are other wellbeing models that the individual may prefer and the I-FLOW model may help some more than others. The value of the I-FLOW model may lie in subsequent refinements and amendments. However, it is hoped that it will provide a topic for discussion and application within mental health nursing and positive psychology, contributing to the evolution of future academic discourses.

Mrs Jan Macfarlane
University of Bolton

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Positive psychology and the I-FLOW model: a new dynamic model of homeostatic wellbeing for mental health nursing, British Journal of Mental Health Nursing, May 2021, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjmh.2021.0006.
You can read the full text:

Read

Resources

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page