Primary prevention in mental health encompasses activities directed towards whole communities and especial1y high risk groups within a community to reduce the incidence of problems in mental health and promote wel1 being. According to Bloom, preventive actions should be directed towards those exposed to stressful life events to modify those factors that produce the undesireable consequences of those events. The Iiterature points to two types of factors: personalit'Y characteristics (pereeption of events, self-esteem, controlability, confidence in others, a sense of meaning in their actions, and flexibility) and perceiued. social support.