Mental health promotion and the prevention of mental disorders

Abstract

The scope of this chapter is limited to mental health promotion and primary prevention of mental disorders, given the overlap that primary prevention has with mental health promotion, as well as the overlap that secondary and tertiary prevention have with treatment and ameliorative care (X-REF). Mental health promotion and primary prevention of mental disorders (hereafter referred to as mental health promotion and prevention) use similar strategies, reducing risk and strengthening protective factors that have the dual outcomes of promoting mental health and reducing risk for a range of mental disorders. The two concepts are interrelated. Promoting mental health may reduce the incidence of mental disorders, as positive mental health is protective against mental disorders; and interventions to prevent the onset of mental disorders can promote mental health. Both concepts may be present in the same intervention and use similar strategies, but they have different and complementary outcomes.