Detection of Early Mental Health Risk Factors in Primary Schools

This article incorporates theoretical antecedents in the childhood mental health field; analyzes problems related to risk factor detection in 1st to 4th grade children attending public schools, from its natural evaluators in the school environment. It explains the procedures used to adapt and validate the risk detection instrument TOCA-R (Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised) used the psychosocial intervention Program: “Skills for the Life”, implemented by Junaeb (Junta Nacional de Auxilio Escolar y Becas) in subsidized particular and municipal schools since 1997, focused in the institutions with high school vulnerability indexes.The article contributes with the results of the review and adaptation of TOCA-R instrument, but preserving its reliability characteristics. The adaptation of the instrument is aimed to improve cost-effectiveness of the “Skills to the Life” Program.