HENKA: Growing in Emotional Well-being

HENKA is a universal, whole-community, school-based program that aims to promote emotional well-being and prevent mental health problems among adolescents enrolled in 1st to 3rd year of Secondary Education (ESO) in Catalonia, Spain (approximately 12 to 16 years old), through the development of resilience. The programme's name takes its origin from the Japanese term Henka, meaning a positive and transformative change, reflecting its focus on fostering sustainable improvements in adolescents' socioemotional functioning.The program targets adolescents, their families and school professionals. Its effectiveness is being evaluated through a non-randomized, two-arm, cluster-controlled quantitative phase (intervention schools compared to control schools), combined with a qualitative phase using focus groups. The study builds on the HENKA Pilot study (Ethics Committee code PIC-85-22), which assessed the feasibility of the evaluation process, including the validity of the assessment instruments and participants' viability and acceptability, before scaling up the program to a larger population.

Inclusion Criteria: * Enrolled in Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) in Catalonia, Spain. * Adolescents enrolled in 1st, 2nd or 3rd year of ESO. * Adolescents under 18 provide assent to participate; parents/guardians provide written informed consent. * Parents/guardians and teachers who sign informed consent participate in the program evaluation. * Representatives from the Wellbeing for Being Well Program (BxB), Community Emotional Well-being Representatives (RBEC), or Health and School Program (PSiE) who have collaborated with the HENKA program in Catalonia and sign informed consent (qualitative phase only). Exclusion Criteria: * Parents/guardians who do not sign informed consent for minors under 18. * Adolescents who do not assent to participate. * Parents/guardians who do not sign their own informed consent. * Teachers who do not sign their informed consent. * Representatives or professionals from any of the three programs (BxB, RBEC, or PSiE) who do not sign informed consent (qualitative phase only).