Jennifer Clavijo-Marín

The rise in mental health issues among youth in Colombia is a critical public health concern. This study examined factors associated with baseline resilience in 4,361 children and adolescents participating in the “Conmigo, Contigo, Con Todos” program across three conflict-affected Colombian departments (Amazonas, Boyacá, Vaupés). This cross-sectional study analyzed participants aged 8–17 years from 56 schools. Resilience was measured using the CD-RISC. Socioemotional competencies were assessed using validated instruments. Due to systematic missing data in children's mental health screenings, complete-case multivariable linear regression (supported by multiple imputation sensitivity analyses) evaluated associations between resilience and sociodemographic, emotional, and familial factors. Male gender identity (β = 3.46), compassion (β = 0.35), and prosocial behavior (β = 0.38) were associated with higher resilience. Family dynamics emerged as robust correlates; youth "very satisfied" with family relationships showed significantly higher resilience (β = 8.26) versus those dissatisfied. Crucially, an absolute lack of perceived family support ("never") was associated with a severe reduction in resilience (β = -9.56) compared to youth who "almost never" felt supported. Geographic disparities were significant; residence in Vaupés correlated with lower resilience (β = -4.75) than Boyacá. Positive family dynamics are profoundly associated with higher baseline resilience in conflict-affected youth, whereas an absolute lack of support constitutes a severe vulnerability. Place-based disparities highlight the intersection of structural inequity and adaptation, emphasizing the necessity for culturally responsive interventions and longitudinal research.

Introduction: Mental health problems are increasingly prevalent among school-aged children and adolescents, underscoring the need for teacher-inclusive mental health interventions. Objectives: To examine the association between sociodemographic and socioemotional factors and resilience among teachers, prior to their participation in a school-based intervention aimed at strengthening socioemotional competencies. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 693 teachers from 56 public schools in Amazonas, Boyacá, and Vaupés, Colombia. Teachers completed standardized instruments including the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Compassion Scale (ECOM), and Prosocial Personality Battery (PSB), along with mental health screeners for anxiety (HARS), depression (Whooley), and PTSD (PCL-C). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariate linear regressions were used to assess associations between socioemotional factors and resilience scores. Results: The mean age was 47.13 years (SD = 9.91); most were female (65.95%). Median resilience score was 76 (IQR = 69–86). Teachers from Vaupés showed higher resilience, while those from Boyacá had lower scores. Higher compassion (ECOM: β = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.10–0.36) and prosociality scores (PSB: β = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.31–0.54) were independently associated with increased resilience. Conversely, higher anxiety levels (HARS: β = −0.22; 95% CI: −0.39 to − 0.06) and a positive depression screen (Whooley: β = −2.46; 95% CI: −5.18 to 0.25) were associated with lower resilience scores. Age and sex were not independently associated with resilience in the adjusted model. Conclusions: Mental health programs in school settings should prioritize teacher well-being as a central component for promoting student mental health outcomes. Findings underscore the relevance of addressing socioemotional skills and resilience in educators, particularly in contexts affected by armed conflict.

In Colombia, a country marked by armed conflict and deep social inequalities, stigma and perceptions of psychosocial disability critically influence access to rights and services. This qualitative study examines how these perceptions have evolved through a review of previous qualitative research. Organized around three key moments-the period prior to the implementation of the National Mental Health Policy, the disability certification process, and a recent participatory research initiative-the analysis identifies persistent tensions in institutional narratives and first-person accounts. The findings show a consistent gap between legal frameworks and lived experiences, particularly in indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities affected by violence. Although official policies promote inclusion and rehabilitation, they often fail to connect with local realities due to the persistence of stigma and discrimination, the effects of self-stigma on the subjective appropriation of rights, and the limited meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in key processes such as peacebuilding. Victims with disabilities face additional challenges that affect their mental health and restrict their social participation. While there have been institutional efforts to establish care pathways and guarantee rights, there remains limited understanding of how stigma and self-stigma have evolved - if at all - since the implementation of the National Mental Health Policy, as well as the impact of bureaucratic processes, such as certification, on subjective representations of disability. This analysis underscores the need for community strategies that consider cultural differences and confront structural and symbolic exclusion. The recent approval of the Mental Health Law 2025 represents a renewed opportunity to move forward, highlighting the importance of longitudinal and participatory monitoring to assess its impact on access, equity and social participation.

In low- and middle-income countries such as Colombia, the increasing prevalence of mental disorders in youth has driven interest in school-based community-based psychosocial interventions aimed at prevention and wellness promotion. However, little is yet known about how key capacities such as resilience and compassion are perceived in these contexts, where patterns of access to resources are limited and cultural dynamics may differ significantly from those documented in Western, educated, industrialized, wealthy, and democratic countries from which most of the existing research originates. This study explored perceptions of resilience and compassion among children, adolescents and teachers in educational institutions in three departments of Colombia. A qualitative observational study with a phenomenological approach was conducted within the framework of the intervention “Conmigo, Contigo y Con Todos – 3Cs” (with me, with you, and with everyone) which analyzed 833 focus groups: 166 with teachers and 667 with students in three measurement moments. The findings reveal that resilience and compassion are dynamic capacities shaped by emotional experiences and sociocultural context. The 3Cs Model facilitated processes of self-reflection, emotional regulation, reinforcement of mutual care, a deeper sense of community, and a reconfiguration of the school environment as a space for collective care and emotional safety. In addition, there was evidence of a re-signification of suffering among both teachers and students. These results underscore the value of contextually relevant, community-based, school-centered interventions for promoting mental health awareness and enhancing socio-emotional competencies in educational settings affected by adversity.

In low- and middle-income countries such as Colombia, school-based mental health interventions that promote resilience and compassion have been consolidated as effective strategies to promote emotional well-being in adolescents, especially in contexts affected by the armed conflict. “Conmigo, Contigo y Con Todo” (3C) is a psychoeducational model designed to strengthen resilience, compassion and inclusion in school settings, through strategies based on cognitive-behavioral and third-generation approaches. This qualitative study aimed to explore children and adolescents’ perceptions of resilience, compassion and inclusion, and to understand how these were transformed after their participation in the 3C model and three months later, compared to their initial perceptions. A total of 335 focus groups were conducted with students aged 6 to 18 years before, during and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using a six-phase thematic analysis with inductive coding. Findings evidenced a dynamic process in which participants re-signified resilience as a proactive ability to cope with adversity, while compassion and empathy evolved into concrete actions of mutual support and care. This process reflected the practical integration of the model in their school and personal contexts. The results underscore the potential of culturally sensitive school-based interventions to promote psychosocial well-being, highlighting the importance of strategies that empower students as active agents in their emotional and social development.

Resumen El objetivo de este artículo es presentar las múltiples formas de aplicación de las artes y las humanidades en contextos hospitalarios y en la formación profesional en las Facultades de Medicina y Enfermería y un Hospital Universitario de la ciudad de Bogotá-Colombia en el periodo 2008-2018. La caracterización se hizo a partir de métodos cualitativos, interpretativos, con aplicación de entrevistas semiestructuradas a actores identificados por bola de nieve y auto reporte. También se hizo observación participante en algunos lugares y prácticas. Se indagó sobre los sentidos y usos de las artes y humanidades con relación a la salud y la formación en salud. Los diversos actores asignan sentidos a estas prácticas relacionándolas con una mayor receptividad en el proceso enseñanza aprendizaje, la posibilidad de generar sentido de trascendencia sobre lo que se hace, dar respuesta a preguntas existenciales, proporcionar bienestar a las personas en condiciones de hospitalización y en menor medida a generar bienestar propio o de los profesionales de salud. Su lugar en los contextos explorados aún se percibe como subalterno, y se sostienen en su mayoría a partir de iniciativas individuales y voluntariado. Debe insistirse en su legitimidad para avanzar en su sentido social y emancipador.