Kokonaisvaltaista

Kokonaisvaltaista is the partitive form of the Finnish adjective kokonaisvaltainen, which means holistic or comprehensive. The term describes an approach, analysis, or service that considers all relevant dimensions or aspects of a system, person, or phenomenon, rather than focusing on a single component. In practice, kokonaisvaltaista conveys a sense of integration and interdependence among elements such as physical, mental, social, and environmental factors.

The word is formed from kokonainen, meaning whole, combined with the suffix -valtainen, which yields an adjective indicating a characteristic or quality. As an adjective in partitive form, kokonaisvaltaista is used with nouns in the partitive case, for example: kokonaisvaltaista hoitoa (holistic care), kokonaisvaltaista kuntoutusta (holistic rehabilitation), kokonaisvaltaista oppimista (holistic learning).

Kokonaisvaltaista is widely used across sectors such as health care, education, social services, and business to describe approaches or policies that integrate multiple viewpoints and disciplines. It is commonly paired with nouns like hoito, kuntoutus, opiskelu, palvelut, and johtaminen to signal a comprehensive, interdisciplinary perspective. Related terms include kokonaisvaltainen (the base adjective) and kokonaisvaltaisuus (the noun form referring to holism or holistic quality). The concept often carries a normative emphasis on interconnectedness and system-wide outcomes, contrasting with more narrow or fragmented approaches.

In English, the closest equivalents are holistic or comprehensive, used to express the same idea of considering all relevant aspects in a given context.