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In order to manage with the burden of mental health problems in the world we need to develop cost-effective and safe preventive interventions. Education about resilience to support the ability to cope with life challenges in general, may be a useful strategy. We consider the concepts of Theory of Mind and Mentalization to be relevant in this context. In this paper we describe a simple modular intervention program based on these concepts which can be tailored to specific needs and situations in individual therapy as well as group levels. The program has shown promising results in pilot studies and is now tested in controlled trials in settings such as schools and educational institutions, adults diagnosed with ADHD, and children in care.

This article presents selected results of qualitative research into perceptions of health among adolescents. Pupils (N = 108) in the age 13-15 years from nine schools in four different municipalities in Denmark have been interviewed. An analytic strategy that combines knowledge research with systems theory is developed and used for the empirical analyses. The conclusions are focused on health-identities and health-strategies. Young people live their lives 'here and now' and it is hard for them to imagine how damaging the consequences of not taking risk-factors seriously can be. They cannot really relate to the diseases and it is therefore difficult for them to actively affect the different determinants. The adolescents feel that a lot of information and teaching is being directed towards them. They face an abundance of communication about health and information directed at their presumed risk-behaviour. They often experience saturation and lose both interest and focus. They reject patronizing or negative knowledge and generally express a desire to know more about the things that make life fun and positive. They feel that the knowledge directed at them must be more concrete and personally relevant for them. Finally, the adolescents are aware that they are influenced by their friends both positively and negatively. Indeed, they are concerned about the way they are being taught about health in school and desirous to learn more.

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