WHAT IS RED PROEM?
The Network for the PROmotion of mental health and EMotional well-being of young people (PROEM Network) is an umbrella that encompasses the work carried out by different interdisciplinary research networks granted thanks to the support of the National Plan of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the Ministry of Science and Innovation since December 1, 2015.
Young people (up to 25 years of age, as defined by Horizon 2020) with emotional mental disorders suffer from stigmatization, isolation and discrimination. However, research on the diagnosis of these disorders and the promotion of these disorders is marked by fragmentation as researchers have traditionally worked in isolation. Thus, the practical and valuable experience of mental health professionals, child mental health organizations, end users and other stakeholders has not been echoed, which has diluted the impact of their work and experience. This Network promotes gender equality and includes young and experienced researchers in the field of Psychology and other disciplines. It will also seek the inclusion of minorities and underrepresented groups (e.g., LGBT, refugees, etc.).
RED PRO-EMOTION-Y
Thanks to the interdisciplinarity and heterogeneity of the members, the Network will be able to be sensitive to issues related to diversity and minority groups that may affect the detection of young people with emotional problems and the promotion of emotional mental health. One of the objectives of the network is to draft a roadmap on the current status of psychological assessment and promotion of mental health and emotional well-being in young people, concluding with current challenges and recommendations. Such a roadmap can serve as input for researchers, mental health professionals, users, the educational sector, interest groups, policy makers and counselors, with special consideration of gender issues, minorities and underrepresented groups.
As of December 1, 2015 and until November 30, 2018, the Interdisciplinary Research Network for the diagnosis and promotion of emotional problems and mental well-being in young people (PRO-EMOTION-Y) was developed, led by the University of Jaén (UJA), with Professor Luis Joaquín García as the main responsible. In his case, it was composed of 22 members and collaborators, including both research teams from universities and health foundations in the field of mental health and teams from other fields (linguistics, computer science, epigenetics, medicine, physical education, public health). It also counted on the collaboration of legislators, civil organizations, users, mental health professionals, the educational field, parents and young people, and minorities such as the LGTBI+ collective.
On April 24, 2018, the “International and Interdisciplinary Meeting PRO-Emotion-Y Network: sharing experiences in psychological assessment and promotion of mental health and emotional well-being in young people” was organized.
REPORT AND ROADMAP ON THE CURRENT STATUS, NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PROEM NETWORK FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND THE PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING IN YOUNG PEOPLE.
Another of the milestones of this network was that the Report and Roadmap document was included in the “White Paper” prepared as part of the international COST TREATme network (CA16102). Secondly, the priority established within the roadmap document in relation to evidence-based assessment and intervention protocols for young people is in line with the objectives of EVBRES (CA17117) and YOUNG-IN (CA17114). Thirdly, the document produced by our network of excellence was picked up by the “Council of Europe, Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development” within the document “Addressing the health needs of adolescents in Europe” which was provisionally published in the session of the Parliamentary Assembly dated December 4, 2018. Fourthly, our document has been included in the “Youth Wiki“, which is intended to serve as a virtual encyclopedia for all young Europeans.
RED PROEMA
Simultaneously, from July 1, 2018 and until December 31, 2020, the PROEMA Network (Network for the PROmotion of mental health and EMotional well-being of Adolescents) was launched, which also had the leadership of the UJA team, headed by Luis Joaquín García and the work of a large research team and collaborators.
During the development of its activity, the results obtained by the members of the network thanks to their funded projects were disseminated in scientific events that have allowed sharing the activities of the members to other researchers and mental health professionals. To this end, channels such as social networks were used to make our work known to adolescents and their families, as well as to mental health organizations, politicians, and interest groups. In addition, we listened to the contributions of the External Advisory Committee formed by FELGTBI+, AMTAES, COPOE and INJUVE, which includes groups, governmental and social agencies and user associations.
On the other hand, a document was generated on the availability of screening protocols and evidence-based interventions in the field of anxiety and depression for young people in Spain and beyond our borders. At the international level, a network was forged that has served as a seed to prepare proposals to the H2020 program and to Spanish funding entities.
During the first year of the network, a systematic review was carried out on evidence-based interventions, and in particular, on the role of treatment moderators, in young people with emotional problems. During the second year, we coordinated the complex process of searching for information on the availability of this type of resource in the field of child and adolescent mental health in Spain. In this way, a single document was generated with all the information on evidence-based protocols to know if an adolescent may have an emotional problem and what treatments work.
Likewise, specific news and videos were produced for World Mental Health Day or on Suicide Prevention Day, the fight against homophobia and transphobia and sexting/grooming. Finally, actions were carried out to inform politicians and stakeholders about the relevance of adolescent health and emotional well-being. As a result, the PROEMA network advised the Ministry of Health and Families of the Regional Government of Andalusia for an NLP during the current legislature that was approved and co-organized the World Mental Health Day. Likewise, a motion was approved in the Senate and another in the Assembly of Madrid with the advice of members of the Network. In the same sense, it co-organized, together with the Youth Institute, the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, the Conference on health and emotional wellbeing of young people in the era of the Coronavirus.
Finally, the PROEMA Network was recognized in the Acknowledgements section of the Youth 2030 Report, published by the Spanish Youth Institute, attached to the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030.
RED PROEMO
On June 1, 2023, the Network for the PROMOTION of adolescent health and EMOtional well-being (PROEMO – RED2022-134247-T), whose principal investigator is Luis Joaquín García, was launched.
PROEMO is a consortium that will last until May 31, 2025 and seeks that several Spanish researchers join efforts to promote the health and emotional well-being of adolescents. To this end, its main objective is the development of a report and roadmap for 2025, aimed at detecting current gaps and providing recommendations for the promotion of adolescent health and emotional well-being, based on the strategic document “Report and Roadmap on the current state, needs and recommendations for the improvement of psychological assessment and the promotion of health and emotional well-being in young people”, carried out by the PROEM Network in 2018.
It has funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) through the State Program to promote scientific-technical research and its transfer, within the framework of the State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research 2021-2023.
