Letter from Florida Are we preventing diseases or promoting com petencies?

Abstract

Two approaches to the primary prevention of mental and emotional disorders are based upon different models of mental health problems. The establishment approach holds that costly efforts at primary prevention should be well designed, experimental and aimed at the reduction of risk for a specific mental disease. The other approach focuses upon the building of social strength, often through training in interpersonal problem solving, social competencies, improving self esteem and enhancing the availability of support groups. This model threatens the status quo because it advocates strategies that involve social, political and economic changes toward a more egalitarian and just society.