Mental Health Prevention and Promotion: Scientific Advances and Public Health Strategies

Mental and behavioral disorders constitute a growing component of the global disease burden, yet preventive psychiatry remains an underdeveloped field. This chapter reviews recent advances in the identification of modifiable risk and protective factors for common mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, and psychosis. It evaluates the evidence for universal, selective, and indicated prevention programs across settings — schools, workplaces, primary care, and digital platforms — and discusses the science of mental health literacy and stigma reduction.