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Reducing risks for mental disorders: Frontiers for prevention intervention research Committee on Prevention of Mental Disorders, Division of Biobehavioral Sciences and Mental Disorders, Institute of Medicine With almost 12 percent of all children and adolescents suffering from one or more mental disorders, including alcohol or other substance abuse or dependence, this report weighs the research evidence for risk factors and promotion of mental health, and it urgently calls for mounting widespread prevention efforts. Previous prevention movements were hampered by lack of clear definitions of mental disorders, limited knowledge of cause and risk mechanisms, and confusion over what prevention means. The committee redefines prevention programs to include only those interventions that occur before the first onset of a mental disorder. It distinguishes between universal prevention efforts aimed at the general public, selective preventive interventions targeted to individuals or a subgroup of a population, and indicated preventive interventions to reach high-risk individuals already showing propensity for mental disorder. The report demonstrates how intervention researchers develop effective prevention activities that focus on reducing risks and enhancing protective factors for five major mental disorders, including alcohol abuse and dependence, conduct disorder, and depressive disorders, each chosen because of their high emotional and monetary costs. It highlights successful intervention research programs for infants, young children, school-aged children, adults, and the elderly. Preventive intervention research includes identifying the disorder and its prevalence, reviewing what is known about risks and resiliency factors, doing pilot studies and replication trials, and building large-scale programs in communities. It considers cultural, ethnic, racial, and economic issues, and evaluates methods of implementation and evaluation. Promising approaches with families that benefit both young children and mothers include home-visiting programs, parent training activities, and special preschool curriculums.
National Academy Press
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Disclaimer Free To Grow is a national program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. |