Cultural Influences on Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing in Scotland

The Scottish Government’s National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing and the Glasgow Centre for Population Health have provided funding for this innovative three-year research project.

Based in Glasgow University’s Public Health and Health Policy Section, we are investigating what could be called the ‘missing dimension’ in positive mental health for Scotland: namely, cultural influences on wellbeing. The project aims to provide insight into how positive mental health and wellbeing can evolve, in the distinctive context of Scottish culture. The Principal Investigator is Professor Phil Hanlon and the researcher is Sandra Carlisle, both of whom are based in the Public Health and Health Policy Section. The project will run until January 2009.

During Phase 1 of the project (February 2006 – January 2009) we are exploring the possible impacts of modern culture on wellbeing and positive mental health in Scotland. We are doing this through a ‘scan’ of the many different literatures which bear on the subject, recognising that a comprehensive review of the entire literature is beyond the scope of the project.

Our aim is to synthesise a wide variety of knowledge and perspectives, bringing these together in the form of a series of discussion papers. Links to these papers are given below.  

Discussion Paper 1 (February 2006): Thematic Organisation of the Literature Scan

Discussion Paper 2 (March 2006): Consumer Society and ‘The Good Life’

Discussion Paper 3 (April 2006): Thinking About ‘Culture’ as an Influence on Health and Wellbeing

Discussion Paper 4 (May 2006):The Role of Emotions in Wellbeing: Bridging Biology and Culture

Discussion Paper 5 (August 2006): Spirituality and Wellbeing: Alternative Salvation in the Therapy Culture?

Discussion paper 6 (January 2008): Modernity and its Consequences for Wellbeing

Discussion Paper 7: (March 2008): The links between sustainability and well-being: concurrent and convergent thinking

The discussion papers were written primarily for debate with our research advisory group rather than for a general audience, so the reader should bear this in mind. We would, however, be very pleased to receive comments on any of the ideas and arguments raised in the above papers and invite interested people to contact our researcher (contact details below).

Throughout all the phases of this project our work is informed and strengthened by discussions with the members of our advisory group, who represent a range of organisations with an interest in the challenges facing those working to improve wellbeing across Scotland:


Gregor Henderson, Director, National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing in Scotland, Scottish Government
Andrew Lyon, Converger, International Futures Forum, St Andrews
James McCormick, Scotland Advisor, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
David Reilly, Consultant, Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital
Carol Tannahill, Director, Glasgow Centre for Population Health
Stephanie Young,Senior Director, Skills & Learning, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow

Most group members will also be actively involved in Phase 2 of the project, where we plan to conduct a number of ‘learning journeys’ to a range of communities and organisations, using real life examples to gain fresh insight into how positive mental health and wellbeing are being created and sustained across Scotland.
 
To comment on the above, contribute to the debate, or for further information, please contact our researcher, Sandra Carlisle, at Glasgow University on 0141 330 4042, or email s.carlisle@clinmed.gla.ac.uk.

Recent publications resulting from this project are:

Carlisle & Hanlon (2007) Well-being and consumer culture:A different kind of public health problem? Health Promotion International:22 View online

Carlisle & Hanlon (2007) The complex territory of well-being:contestable evidence, contentious theories and specultative conclusions. Journal of Public Mental Health:6 View online

Please note that you may need to pay to access these articles.