MENTAL WELLBEING DEFINED AS GLOBAL STUDY SETS STANDARD FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE WELL

The research brings global alignment to what it actually means to be mentally well.

For years, “mental well-being” has been widely used but rarely agreed upon. Now, a major international study has delivered something the sector has long lacked: a clear definition.

Led by the University of Adelaide in partnership with Be Well Co, and published in Nature Mental Health, the research brings global alignment to what it actually means to be mentally well.

Surveying 122 experts across 11 disciplines, the study identified 19 dimensions of mental well-being, with six emerging as essential.

The core building blocks of mental well-being

The research found six factors underpin positive mental health: meaning and purpose, life satisfaction, self-acceptance, connection, autonomy and happiness.

Together, they form a broader definition that goes beyond mood alone, instead reflecting how people feel, function and relate to others.

“By agreeing that positive mental health isn’t a single feeling, but a combination of how we feel, how we function and how we connect with others, the study brings much-needed clarity to the field,” said Adelaide University researcher Matthew Iasiello.

More than just feeling good

Importantly, the study distinguishes between mental well-being and mental illness, confirming that people can experience positive mental health even while living with a condition.

“Positive mental health isn’t about feeling good all the time,” Dr Iasiello said.

“It’s about having a combination of emotional well-being, psychological functioning, and social connection that helps you live a meaningful, manageable life, even when things might be hard.”

Factors such as income, housing and physical health were identified as influences, rather than defining elements.

Why mental well-being matters

Researchers say the findings could reshape how mental health is measured and supported across workplaces, healthcare and policy.

“Understanding what makes up positive mental wellbeing helps individuals and organisations focus on what can really make a difference,” said co-researcher Joep van Agteren.

Senior author Dan Fassnacht said the study offers a long-awaited framework for action.

“You can't build what you can't define,” he said.

“For the first time, we have a scientifically agreed blueprint for what good mental health actually looks like – and that changes everything.”