PRIMARY PREVENTION MENTAL-HEALTH-PROGRAMS - THE FUTURE IS EXCITING

Current outcome research on primary prevention mental health programs is encouraging and the future is exciting. Data continue to accumulate regarding the efficacy of preventive intervention. Exemplary programs can prevent multiple problems across different outcome domains sugges ting the need for collaboration among preventionists across discipline s and research areas. The commentators on our review (Durlak and Wells 1997) offered many useful suggestions to improve the next generation of research. Most recommendations fall broadly under the rubric of inc reasing the precision of theory, design, and program evaluation. If cu rrent recommendations for improving future research are followed the n ext reviewers of primary prevention mental health programs for childre n and adolescents will have a more complete and useful database for an alysis.