Background: Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by heightened emotional reactivity and vulnerability to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress. In Uruguay, national surveys have reported a worrying prevalence of internalizing symptoms among adolescents, especially in female students. Despite the growing need, systematic evaluations of school-based mental health interventions remain scarce in this context.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the nationwide “Ni Silencio Ni Tabu” workshops on emotional intelligence (EI) and mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, stress) in adolescents aged 16–18.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was applied with two groups: students who had already participated in the workshops (experimental group) and those who had not (control group). Instruments included the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale–21 (DASS-21). Baseline assessments were conducted in both groups, followed by a second round of data collection after the intervention was implemented in the control group. Comparisons were made across gender and socioeconomic strata (school quintiles).

Preliminary Results: Initial analyses suggest that workshop participation is associated with higher scores in interpersonal and stress-management dimensions of EI, along with lower self-reported stress and anxiety. Gender differences were observed, with female students showing greater improvements in intrapersonal EI after intervention. Further multivariate analyses (ANOVA, MANOVA) are ongoing.

Conclusions: Findings support the effectiveness of community-based, school-embedded mental health workshops in enhancing EI and reducing psychological distress among adolescents. These results highlight the value of preventive, scalable interventions in middle-income countries and underline the importance of integrating positive psychology frameworks into national youth policies.

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