Feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a school-based mental health program: evaluation of socio-emotional skills training component in the Colombian Amazon.

School-based mental health interventions are increasingly recognized as a strategy to address the growing mental health needs of children and adolescents, particularly in low-resource and remote settings. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary outcomes of the socio-emotional skills training component of a school-based mental health program implement in the Colombian Amazon. A mixed-methods study was conducted in two schools in Leticia, Colombia. The quantitative component used a pre-post design to assess mental health indicators among students and teachers over 10-month intervention period. The qualitative component included focus groups with students, teachers, and parents to explore acceptability, feasibility, and perceived effects. At baseline, high levels of mental health symptoms were observed across groups. Among primary school students, 36.7% reported significant depressive symptoms, increasing to 65% after intervention (p < 0.001). Among secondary school students, 68.4% reported depressive symptoms at baseline, with no significant overall changes following the intervention, although a shift from more severe to milder symptom categories was observed. Among teachers, high levels of emotional distress persisted over time, with 61.9% meeting criteria for burnout. Overall, quantitative findings were mixed across groups, with some indicators worsening, others remaining stable, and small improvements observed in resilience. Qualitative findings indicated high acceptability and perceived usefulness of the intervention. Participants reported improved emotional awareness, communication, and use of socio-emotional skills, as well as increased openness to discussing mental health within the school and family environment. High participation among students and teachers supported the feasibility of implementation within routine school activities, although parental participation was more variable. Overall, the findings suggest that the socio-emotional skills training component is feasible and acceptable in a low-resource, culturally diverse setting, while quantitative results indicate mixed outcome patterns that warrant cautious interpretation. Further research using controlled and adequately powered designs is needed to evaluate effectiveness.