Tejiendo Redes de Bienestar: El Servicio Comunitario como Enfoque Comunitario en Salud Mental

Limited access to mental health services in vulnerable communities requires innovative and contextualized strategies. Community service provided by psychology students emerges as a viable alternative that combines professional training with the implementation of community-based interventions, promoting a model of care focused on strengthening local networks and active participation. The research seeks to qualitatively describe the implementation and perceptions of a community service program in mental health developed by psychology students. The specific objectives included: documenting the implementation process of psychoeducational activities and analyzing perceptions of change in community well-being from the participants' perspective. Using a qualitative participatory action research design, 20 psychology students implemented a six-month community intervention program in a peri-urban area. Data collection techniques included participant observation, community focus groups, and reflective journals written by the students, which were analyzed using thematic coding.