Salutogenic Perspectives on Mental Health and Well-Being

Salutogenic perspectives shift the focus of mental health research from the origins of disease to the origins of health, emphasising factors that foster resilience and positive adaptation. Central to this approach is the concept of Sense of Coherence (SOC), which encapsulates an individual’s capacity to perceive life as structured (comprehensibility), manageable and endowed with meaning (meaningfulness). Rather than viewing stress solely as a risk factor, a salutogenic framework highlights how Generalised Resistance Resources—such as social support, coping strategies and economic stability—interact to bolster SOC. This orientation has guided investigations across populations, life stages and cultural settings, revealing that a strong SOC correlates with reduced anxiety and depression, improved quality of life and even enhanced physiological indices of stress regulation. Practical applications span workplace well-being initiatives, educational programmes and community interventions, all aiming to augment SOC and resource availability. Globally, the salutogenic model offers a unifying lens for policy makers and practitioners to design evidence-based strategies that not only alleviate mental distress but actively promote psychological flourishing.

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Salutogenic Perspectives on Mental Health and Well-Being publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in salutogenic perspectives on mental health and well-being across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Salutogenesis: An approach focusing on the factors and processes that support human health and well-being, rather than on disease causation.

Sense of Coherence (SOC): A global orientation expressing the extent to which one perceives life as comprehensible, manageable and meaningful.

Generalised Resistance Resources (GRRs): The array of personal, social and material resources that enable effective stress management and foster SOC.

Hair Cortisol Concentration (HCC): A biomarker reflecting cumulative systemic cortisol exposure over preceding weeks to months, used to assess chronic stress.

Perceived Social Support (PSS): An individual’s subjective appraisal of available emotional and practical assistance from social networks.

References

1. Change in sense of coherence mediates the association between economic recession and mortality among middle-aged men: A population-based cohort study from Eastern Finland. Social Science & Medicine (2023).
2. Sense of coherence mediates perceived social support and depressive and anxiety symptoms in cervical cancer patients: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry (2023).
3. Sense of coherence, mental health, and hair cortisol concentrations among older people during the COVID -19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health (2024).