Mental Health through Metaphors: Exploring the Symbolic Frameworks of Social Work Students in the Context of Psychosocial Sustainability
Abstract
Future social workers must develop comprehensive mental health literacy to enable them to design sustainable psychosocial support systems and foster resilient, inclusive communities. In this study, it is explored how undergraduate social work students at public universities in Türkiye conceptualize mental health through metaphorical language. A total of 1300 metaphorical expressions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis grounded in metaphor theory. The findings indicate that the students predominantly frame mental health as a dynamic, regulated, and developmental system. The most frequently used metaphors, water (fluidity), scale (balance), and flower/tree (growth and care), suggest that the students perceive mental well-being as a process requiring emotional regulation, contextual awareness, and sustained relational support. Additional metaphors such as mirror (self-awareness), puzzle (complexity), and engine (systemic functioning) demonstrate an integrated understanding of psychological health that encompasses emotional, cognitive, and embodied dimensions. The prominence of growth- and balance-oriented metaphors indicates that the students approach mental health from a resilience-based and ecological perspective rather than a deficit-oriented framework. These findings underscore the pedagogical value of metaphor-based reflective practices in strengthening emotional intelligence, empathy, and professional identity formation in social work education. This study, which contributes to the development of sustainability-oriented mental health literacy, also supports global goals aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
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