Preventing the Development of Emotional Mental Health Problems from Early Childhood: Recent Advances in the Field

Abstract

Emotional mental health problems, also referred to as ‘internalising’ disorders, consist primarily of anxiety and depression. This paper discusses recent advances in preventing these mental health problems. Current research in fields relevant to internalising problems is reviewed, identifying the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed to allow effective prevention and early intervention programmes to be developed. The importance of attending to early childhood emotional problems is argued, based on data demonstrating their prevalence and continuity over time. There is currently an urgent need for empirical research focusing on the preschool years to inform prevention efforts.

Keywords:

• anxiety
• depression
• internalising disorders
• emotional problems
• prevention
• early childhood