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Impact of Extension Projects in the School Health Program: Playful Activities as a Tool for Addressing Mental Health in Adolescents in Primary Care

José Guilherme CANDIDO SECCO, Marcos Paulo C. V. HUTCHISON, Márcio Cristiano DE MELO and Naila A. DE OLIVEIRA

Extension projects integrated into the School Health Program play a key role in addressing mental health concerns among adolescents. This case report describes an innovative intervention using playful educational strategies to detect and manage bullying, harassment, anxiety, and depression among adolescents aged 12–16 within primary care settings. The initiative reinforced the importance of participatory activities as a pathway for early mental-health identification and prevention.The project was implemented at a Basic Health Unit (UBS) in São Paulo with the participation of 30 adolescents. The intervention combined playful tools—such as structured games, role-playing scenarios, and guided group discussions—designed to promote expression, emotional literacy, and identification of risk situations. A clinical vignette involving a 14-year-old adolescent with anxiety symptoms and recurrent bullying was used to stimulate reflection and support group-based problem-solving.The project uniquely merged playful dynamics with structured health-education strategies, enabling adolescents to engage in sensitive topics in a safe, non-judgmental environment. This integrative approach demonstrated how extension projects can expand the pedagogical and preventive reach of the School Health Program by fostering meaningful dialogue around mental health.The activities effectively facilitated the identification of adolescents experiencing bullying, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Participants showed improved empathy, communication, and teamwork. The positive outcomes support the scalability of the method. Future project cycles aim to address additional public-health topics, such as dengue without warning signs, using the same playful-educational framework.The intervention demonstrated how university extension projects can strengthen the School Health Program by incorporating creative, adolescent-centered strategies. Playful activities not only promoted engagement but also enhanced the capacity of primary care teams to identify mental-health risks early, integrating clinical vigilance with health education.This extension project highlights the transformative contribution of playful activities to adolescent mental-health promotion in primary care. The experience reinforces the potential of extension initiatives within the School Health Program to support early identification, prevention, and comprehensive management of mental-health conditions among adolescents.