Education in Mental Well-Being and Resilience: An Alternative for the Promotion and Prevention of Mental Health

Abstract

The World Health Organization defines Mental Health as a state of mental well-being that enables individuals to cope with the stressful situations of life, develop their abilities, learn, work productively, and contribute to the improvement of their surrounding environments. The aim of this document is to present a strategic approach to psychoeducational intervention focused on the salutogenic factors that cause and sustain mental health over time for its promotion and prevention. Its deterioration persists globally, particularly among younger generations and in the area of social connection. Mental well-being is lower in more developed countries and higher in Latin America and Africa. There is a negative correlation with cultural and economic indicators. The gender gap is greater in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, and higher levels of education and employment are associated with greater mental well-being. In Venezuela, people are facing circumstances that may be restricting their full potential. The most vulnerable groups include women, individuals over 65 years old, people living in poverty, those with lower levels of education, and youth between the ages of 18 and 24. Skills related to Mental Well-Being and Resilience can be taught and learned, making them a strategic focus for the promotion and prevention of Mental Health, as well as for meaningful and healthy human development. This requires networked collaboration and the establishment of alliances among all involved stakeholders, along with the creation of diverse forms of support and intervention that foster agency and autonomy, built with and for the communities.