Prevention of mental health problems in adolescence

Mental health problems in adolescence are noteworthy in that they are outside of the normative adolescent developmental experience. Twenty percent of adolescents in the United States experience significant and persistent mental disorders, which indicates the need for prevention and early intervention. The purpose of this chapter is to review research on the prevention of mental health problems in adolescence. Various sociocontextual factors that place an adolescent at risk for mental health problems are examined. In particular, studies that identify risk factors for problems common to adolescence, including depression, suicide, and disorders of conduct and eating are reviewed. Evaluative research on prevention and early intervention programs in this substantive area are also critically reviewed. A summative report and critique on the state of research in this area is given along with suggestions for future research. A call for the active involvement of nursing in this research agenda is made.