Life Skills Program Research Articles

Parental expectations of residential immersive life skills programs for youth with disabilities and their perception of youth changes

Purpose This study explored parents’ expectations before their youth with a disability attended a Residential Immersive Life Skills (RILS) program, and perceptions of youth change over the following 12 months. Understanding expectations is important because parents play a key role in shaping their youth’s ongoing development and future hopes when they return home. Methods A secondary analysis of qualitative interviews with 13 parents was conducted using a recurrent cross-sectional analysis approach at three time-points: before youth attended a RILS program, and three and 12 months post-program. Results Before the RILS program, most parents focused on “concrete” life skills (e.g., self-care, budgeting), with some hoping for more youth self-awareness. After three months, many expectations were exceeded, leading some parents to re-evaluate their youth’s future. By 12 months, expectations had evolved further, although some parents expressed disappointment in perceived lack of change. Many parental expectations had been initially implicit and unstated. Conclusions Exploring parental expectations of RILS programs is critical, as parents can both enhance and diminish their youth’s personal growth and future aspirations. Parents should understand how RILS programs may (or may not) change both the youth and the family dynamic upon return home.

Life Skills in Compulsory Education: A Systematic Scoping Review

The significance of life skills within educational settings has grown; however, there remains a gap regarding a comprehensive understanding of the overarching concept. This systematic scoping review addresses that need, with the aim to identify and map empirical research published between 2013 and 2023 focused on life skills in compulsory education (grade 1–10). In addition to mapping the studies according to their characteristics, how life skills are defined is also examined, with a specific focus on collectivistic and individualistic perspectives. Through a rigorous search process, 50 studies were identified. The studies are mainly concerned with evaluating the efficacy of life skills programs or interventions for adolescents. They define life skills by both the type of skill and what it achieves. Key trends include an emphasis on an individualistic understanding of the term, lacking collectivistic perspectives. The implications focus on life skills education connected to lifelong learning, Bildung, and holistic growth from a collectivistic perspective, suggesting that future research could include life skills education for younger children for more sustainable effects favorable for desired societal outcomes.

Implementasi Program Keterampilan Hidup dalam Kurikulum Pendidikan Agama Islam

Life skills in Islamic Education help students tackle life's challenges through knowledge, attitudes, and vocational skills that support moral development in accordance with Islamic teachings. This research analyzes the implementation of the Life Skills Program in the Islamic Education curriculum at Kasatria Vocational School in Solo Sukoharjo using a qualitative approach and phenomenological study. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and documentation, then processed through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing, with data validity ensured through triangulation. The findings indicate that life skills are integrated into annual and semester programs, focusing on essential and personal skills. Interactive learning aids students in facing daily challenges and enhancing their self-potential. Individual skills include self-awareness and decision-making abilities. Work readiness skills teach discipline and hard work, which are vital for the job market. Skills training inspires reasoning abilities, while cooperative exercises enable students to present and discuss materials, building communication and collaboration skills that prepare them to work effectively in teams.

Life Skills Education: Equipping Individuals for the Enigmatic World

Traditional academic achievement is no longer the only measure of success in today’s world of fast change. Education in life skills has become an essential part of holistic learning, giving people the tools they need to deal with the challenges of daily living. The debate surrounding integration into existing education systems is addressed, emphasizing the need for fostering active participation and critical thinking. Life skills education, when effectively integrated, empowers individuals to become well-rounded, adaptable and responsible members of society. This article explores the core components of life skills education, encompassing personal, social and citizenship skills. It highlights the many benefits, including improved academic performance, enhanced mental health and increased employability. It also discusses how to integrate life skills programmes into formal education systems successfully and looks at potential strategies for developing these crucial skills.

Clinical Sociology and Community Interventions

At least 235,000 people experience homelessness in Canada each year, with over 35,000 experiencing homelessness on any given night (Gaetz et al. 2013a). For many, maintaining housing is challenging due to the absence of essential life skills. This paper departs from a community-identified problem with conventional life skills programming and uses sociological tools to address it. Community partners have expressed a need for a life skills curriculum that is inclusive, representing the intersecting needs and experiences of a diversity of clients, and that will address budgetary constraints of not-for-profit (NFP) organizations in the region. The Community-Ideas Factory: The Life Skills Project consists of an interdisciplinary research team and 16 NFPs collaborating to build a comprehensive, inclusive, relevant, and effective online life skills intervention. Adopting a clinical sociological and community-engaged research approach, our findings emphasize the importance of recognizing that essential life skills are diverse and shaped by the larger social, political, and economic context, such as social inequities. Notably, social justice is identified as a crucial life skill, uncovering the intersectionalities that shape individuals' lives and that must be integrated into life skills programming. This ground-breaking finding is facilitated by our methodology, deviating from the positivist research approaches prevalent in life skills studies. Significantly, the entire life skills curriculum is Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)-informed. The intervention addresses immediate financial strains for partner organizations. We anticipate that the intervention will interrupt current cycles of homelessness while holding promise as a preventative measure.

Evidence Register Green List Prevention: Analysis of the listed effectiveness-tested programmes

In the areas of prevention and health promotion, there is a large number of measures for children and adolescents. One way of facilitating evidence-based action for those involved in these taks is by making available online evidence registers with customised, effectiveness-tested measures. The Green List Prevention is such a register and offers an overview of evidence-based programmes in Germany, currently with a focus on psychosocial health. The aims of this study were (a) to analyse the characteristics of the available and evaluated programmes on the psychosocial health of children and adolescents, (b) to identify priorities and underrepresented areas of the Green List Prevention and (c) to optimise the search functions of the register. The characteristic features were recorded on the basis of the existing upper categories of the register entries which were differentiated into subcategories in an inductive procedure by at least two persons. In addition, deductive categories were added for relevant aspects concerning content and implementation. The upper and lower categories formed were operationalized with characteristic values. All entries were analyzed by using a data sheet and were descriptively evaluated. The 102 programmes listed (as of 2/2024) addressed not only the primary target group of children and youth, but also secondary target groups (mainly teachers and guardians). Social and life skills programmes as well as trainings for guardians represented a focus. Behavioral prevention programmes on the topics of violence (including bullying) (63.7%), addiction (46.1%) and/or mental health (35.3%) were frequently represented, whereas nutrition and/or physical activity (4.9%) were hardly represented. Most of the programmes (88.2%) could be assigned to the eligibility criteria of the statutory health insurers (§20a SGB V). Potentials digital implementation forms and further implementation aspects were identified. The Green List Prevention bundles a large number of different measures and that there is potential for expansion. Processing knowledge about effective measures in a user-friendly manner can be optimised through expanded search functions, so that resource-conserving, evidence-based action can be facilitated.

Physical Education Teacher Training Within Juvenile Detention Centers

In today's rapidly evolving educational environment, there is a pressing need to train teachers to respond to the increasingly diverse needs of students. Although physical education teacher education (PETE) programs across the country offer a wide variety of early field experiences for students, very few provide opportunities to work with currently incarcerated youths. One such partnership exists at Northern Illinois University (NIU), with a collaboration between the PETE program, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, and Project FLEX. Project FLEX is a physical activity and life skills program for incarcerated youths, one of the only current programs in the United States. The program's primary aims are to incorporate life skill content into sport programming that fosters the transfer of these skills outside of programming and to engage youth in activities that increased physical activity levels while encouraging improvements to their sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this article is to highlight the partnership between Project FLEX, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, and the PETE program at NIU, discuss the partnership's impact on those involved, and share some potential future directions of the partnership. Further explanation of the interplay between the PETE program, the student's roles and responsibilities within Project FLEX, and how such early field experiences are currently situated within the PETE program will be discussed.

Validating Tools to Measure Life Skills Among Adolescents in India

Life skill education is critical for developing various competencies among the adolescent population, especially in India, given the recent shift in policy focus. This article examines the reliability, factor structure, and the validity of scales measuring gender attitudes, perceived self-efficacy, resilience, and problem-solving developed to assess the effectiveness of a life skill program among Indian adolescents. Baseline data, before a life skill intervention program by Magic Bus India Foundation, were collected from over 16000 Indian adolescents between 11 and 15 years on different measures. Results from principal component analyses with promax rotation indicated a one-factor solution for all the scales. Further, confirmatory factor analyses indicated an excellent model fit using the diagonally weighted least squares method of estimation for the above-mentioned scales. The models for each scale were gender invariant, indicating that gender attitudes, perceived self-efficacy, resilience, and problem solving were assessed similarly between boys and girls. Additionally, correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship between gender attitudes and self-efficacy, a negative relation between gender attitudes and resilience, and a negative association between self-efficacy and resilience. Implications are discussed.

Supporting social emotional learning and wellbeing of displaced adolescents from the middle east: a pilot evaluation of the ‘forward with peers’ intervention

BackgroundA growing literature points to the critical role schools can play in promoting improved psychosocial wellbeing and resilience among first- and second-generation Arab immigrant and refugee adolescents, but few evaluations have examined the effectiveness of culturally adapted, school-based interventions.MethodsWe conducted a pilot evaluation of a culturally adapted social and emotional learning and life skills program, Forward with Peers (FwP), and examined its potential effectiveness for this population. FwP was evaluated across three high schools in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Within each school, one Arabic class was randomly assigned to receive FwP programming and another served as a control. The pilot evaluation sought to examine changes in several mental health and psychosocial outcomes of interest.FindingsImprovements in overall perceived social support (P = 0.045) and perceived social support from someone special in one’s life (0.042) were statistically significant in the treatment as compared to the control group. Comparative improvements were also marginally significant for resilience (P = 0.095) and perceived social support from family (P = 0.074).ConclusionsFindings highlight the potential of FwP and support the growing interest in establishing efficacy of school-based, culturally appropriate SEL programming to improve psychosocial wellbeing among Arab refugee and immigrant adolescents. FwP’s demonstrated improvements in resilience and social support have the potential to prevent mental health disorders and bolster coping mechanisms to minimize adverse consequences in this vulnerable population. Employing a strengths-based approach, FwP offers an alternative intervention to traditional treatment-oriented supports for the proliferation of mental health disorders within this vulnerable population.

Mental Health Needs of SOGIE Refugees in Canada: A Rapid Review

This rapid review investigated the mental health concerns of sexual orientation and gender identity expression (SOGIE) refugees in Canada. Database searches yielded 365 results across five databases, providing 12 papers for final thematic analysis once inclusion criteria were applied. Three themes emerged: (1) Stigma and discrimination negatively affected mental health and well-being; (2) SOGIE refugees faced challenges accessing services; and (3) the refugee claims process adversely affected well-being. Recommendations to improve SOGIE refugee well-being include implementing culturally safe policies in agencies, life-skills programs, and supportive spaces; promoting inclusivity, interprofessional collaboration between services, and innovative agency outreach to refugees; addressing biases in refugee claims boards and extending the refugee claim eligibility period.

Sexual health knowledge acquisition processes among very young adolescent girls in rural Malawi: Implications for sexual and reproductive health programs.

Early adolescence is a period characterized by enormous biological, cognitive, sexual, emotional, and social changes. Sexual curiosity and the desire to acquire sexual health (SH) information are part of these developments. Understanding the SH knowledge acquisition process is critical for designing interventions that can best support very young adolescents (VYAs). This study explored the SH knowledge acquisition processes among VYA girls aged 10 to 14 years who attended the DREAMs Girl Only Clubs (GOCs) and those who did not. The GOCs were a part of a larger comprehensive HIV prevention project called DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) which provided an evidence-based core package of interventions to VYAs to prevent HIV. In-depth interviews were conducted with 43 VYA girls aged 10-14 years in two rural southern districts of Zomba and Machinga in Malawi. Twenty-three VYA girls were GOC participants and 20 VYAs were not. Guided by the Social Ecological Model, a thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data with the assistance of Nvivo 12 software. The SH knowledge acquisition processes were the interaction of various factors at the microsystem (self-efficacy, attitudes, trust and the beginning of menstruation), mesosystem (communication of SH issues between VYAs and their immediate family and peers), and exosystem levels (availability of life skills programs and mother-groups in schools and availability of GOCs). Compared to Non-GOC participants, GOC participants demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of SH issues and positive sexual behaviors such as HIV testing. Limitations to SH knowledge acquisition were adult messages' focus on sexual relationship avoidance and on girls who have started menstruation; the perception of adults not being knowledgeable about SH and school teachers hiding some SH information. VYAs' SH interventions that provide VYAs with accurate, consistent, and age-appropriate SH information such as the GOCs have the potential to address the limitations that other sources have in reaching VYAs. Integrating such interventions with programs that empower parents, other adults, and teachers with comprehensive SH information and with skills on how to deliver SH information to VYAs can enhance VYAs' SH knowledge acquisition and influence positive behavior change.

An evaluation of delivery of the parent Preschool Life Skills program via telehealth.

Using telehealth technology to deliver parent training in evidence-based intervention has been suggested to increase the accessibility of such interventions and improve skill acquisition and generalization. Within behavior analysis, global restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for the development of telehealth supports for families. The current research examined the online delivery of a parent-mediated implementation of the Preschool Life Skills program (PLS). Four parents completed the parent PLS program with their typically developing children (aged 3-5 years) via weekly videoconferencing sessions. A multiple-probe experimental design was employed to assess the effect of the intervention on children's preschool life skills and challenging behavior. Parental embedding of PLS strategies during daily activities was also evaluated. The results demonstrated increases in children's preschool life skills, decreases in challenging behavior, and evidence of parent acquisition and use of PLS strategies.

Foundations for success: Professional Life Skills program advances veterinary education.

Foundations for success: Professional Life Skills program advances veterinary education.

The Effect of an Educational Program Based on the Montessori Curriculum in Developing Practical Life Skills among Kindergarten Children in Jordan

The main objective of this study was to examine the impact of an educational program based on the Montessori curriculum on developing practical life skills among kindergarten children in Jordan. The sample consisted of 50 children from private sector kindergartens located in the South of the capital, Amman. To meet the study’s objectives, an educational and a teacher-training program were developed. The practical life skills measure consisted of three dimensions; classroom life skills, environmental, and personal skills. The main results showed statistically significant differences, with regards to skills attainment, between the kindergarten children in the experimental and control groups attributed to the educational program. As a result of the positive impact of this program several recommendations were posed including: Ministry of Education officials to implement life-skills programs in Jordan’s kindergartens, and carrying out specialized studies on the impact of such programs.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Anaemia among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Mbaitoli L.G.A Imo State

Anemia during pregnancy continues to be a major health concern in Imo State and Nigeria. Globally, 41.8% - 60.0% of pregnant women experience anemia, and Nigeria has a prevalence rate of 55.1%. This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 to May 2023 and involved 250 pregnant women who attended antenatal care at Nwaorieubi Comprehensive Health Center in Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State. The objective of this study was to gain insights into factors related to anemia, as well as prevention and control measures within the context of antenatal care. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and by examining hemoglobin measurements from health records. Descriptive analysis was performed to determine means, frequencies, and proportions, while regression analysis (p<0.05) with odds ratios and a 95% confidence interval was used to explore associations. The prevalence of anemia during pregnancy was found to be 61%. The analysis revealed various factors contributing to anemia, including inadequate intake of vitamins, financial constraints, limited availability of antenatal care, lack of utilization of prenatal care services, gaps in awareness, cultural and social barriers, genetic conditions, and the occurrence of multiple pregnancies. Regression analysis highlighted significant correlations (p < 0.05) between inadequate intake of vitamins, underutilization of prenatal care, cultural and social barriers, genetic conditions, and multiple pregnancies. In terms of participant demographics, the descriptive analysis categorized participants into the following age groups: 15-22 (39 participants), 23-30 (90 participants), 31-39 (103 participants, 41%), and 40-49 (18 participants, 7%). It is worth noting that all participants in this study were married and identified as Christian. In order to raise awareness about the risk of developing anemia in late pregnancy, it is recommended that reproductive advice and education be provided to all women of reproductive age. Interventions such as mass media campaigns, outreach education, and life skills programs should be implemented to educate women on the importance of actively participating in antenatal care, adhering to prescribed medications, consuming a diverse range of nutritious meals, and incorporating iron-rich foods into their diets during pregnancy.

The Healing Elements of an Eclectic Life Skills Programme: Clients' Perspectives.

Introduction: The article reports the healing elements of an eclectic life skills programme (ELSP) from the perspective of group members. An ELSP utilising open groups was developed to manage clients with mixed diagnostic profiles and different stages of recovery simultaneously. The aim was to explore the healing elements of an ELSP. Methods: Maximum variation purposive sampling was used to select six participants for the phenomenological inquiry. Data collection is comprised of observations, semistructured interviews, and reflective journals. Data analysis comprised an inductive thematic analysis. Consumer Involvement: Participants all attended groups offered within the ELSP. They participated in two semistructured interviews: the first interview in the week following admission and the second just before discharge. In addition, they documented their experiences in reflective journals for the duration of their participation. Findings: The analogy of a kaleidoscope portrayed the four themes; three pertained to structural dynamics, namely, programme mirror, facilitator mirror, and mirror of other group members. The fourth theme, namely, the magical pattern, pertained to personal sense-making by individual group members. Conclusions: The dynamic interplay of healing factors, captured in the themes, facilitated healing. Self-reflection was integral to the creation of a bespoke, facilitated self-learning process with direct application in group members' own lives.

Using the Preschool Life Skills Program to Support Skill Development for Children with Trauma Histories.

The Preschool Life Skills (PLS) program has a wealth of evidence demonstrating efficacy in remediating important social and learning-to-learn skill deficits in at-risk preschoolers. Those same skill deficits also are common in older children in foster or residential care, most of whom have experienced some sort of trauma or other adverse childhood events. This study sought to evaluate individualized PLS curricula for two boys with substantial trauma histories and demonstrate how the PLS program could be delivered within a trauma-informed framework. We delivered the program and evaluated skill acquisition in a one-to-one setting in a UK-based clinic, and asked caregivers to assess skills at home. Results showed that both boys acquired skills targeted in their individual curriculum, but maintenance was sometimes inconsistent. Social validity assessments suggested that both boys enjoyed the training but were less definitive about its overall benefits. Caregivers rated the program highly and reported skill improvements at home. We discuss the implications of these findings in terms of adapting the PLS program to children with trauma histories.

Empowerment of Poor Communities Through Life Skills Program Automotive Training Cooperation Between BBPVP Makassar and BAZNAS Enrekang District

The high unemployment rate and poverty rate are a problematic mismatch of skills possessed by DUDI's current needs. BAZNAS, in collaboration with BBPVP Makassar, organizes automotive training as a form of solution to the above problems. This research aims to analyse the planning, implementation, and evaluation of automotive training as an effort to empower poor communities. The research method used is a qualitative case study. Research subjects included BBPVP managers, automotive training instructors, BAZNAS staff, BAZNAS commissioners, and automotive training participant alumni. Data collection techniques include in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. Validity of data using the triangulation method. Data analysis techniques include data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of the research explain that training program planning was carried out by identifying and analysing needs (TNA) carried out by BAZNAS, selecting training participants, compiling a curriculum, compiling materials, and determining learning strategies. Automotive training is carried out for 2.5 months. The methods used are lectures and practice. Evaluation of automotive training includes improving skills in participating in training, absorption in the world of work, reducing unemployment rates, and improving the economy of training participants. In conclusion, the preparation of the automotive training program has been adapted to the needs of DU/DI, its implementation is in accordance with SKKNI, helps people get absorbed into the world of work, and reduces high rates of unemployment and poverty. Keywords: Planning, Implementation, Evaluation

Winner for Life: A three-year study of student-athletes’ life skills development in a training programme for coaches and teachers

Growing numbers of researchers have investigated how training programmes influence coaches’ and teachers’ ability to promote life skills development, and concurrently, athlete-related outcomes. This study aimed to examine high school student-athletes’ development of life skills through a three-year programme called Winner for Life (Gagnant pour la vie). Delivered online to high school coaches and teachers, the programme targeted five life skills: (a) Goal Setting and Concentration (Year 1), (b) Healthy Eating Habits and Safety Behaviours (Year 2), and Physical and Mental Recovery (Year 3). In all, 148 student-athletes participated in the programme and completed questionnaires at five time points to assess life skills development. A general linear repeated measures model was used to assess changes over time. Missing data were handled using multiple imputations. Student-athletes reported higher scores on Goal Setting subscale at time 2 (vs. time 1) and time 3 (vs. time 2) and on Social Recovery subscale at time 2 (vs. time 1). They also reported lower scores on Sleep Quality subscale at time 3 (vs. time 2) and time 5 (vs. time 4). Additionally, a significant interaction was observed between student-athletes’ age (mean = 13.5 years) at study start, and improvements on certain life skills subscales over time. Overall, the fact that student-athletes did not improve on all life skills could be explained by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, which limited the programme’s influence from time 3. Results should be considered in light of limitations regarding gender distribution and ceiling effects on student-athletes’ scores. Recommendations to improve future life skills programmes are discussed, such as involving parents in delivery and encouraging life skills teaching over time.

Green List Prevention - An Evidence Registry for Prevention and Health Promotion in Germany

Abstract Introduction Evidence-based prevention and health promotion will be supported by practice-relevant evidence registries. The Green List Prevention provides an overview of evidence-based prevention programs for children and youth in Germany. It was modeled after the U.S. Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development in the context of the Communities That Care community prevention system. Programs are reviewed for conceptual, implementation, and evaluation quality and are categorized into three levels of evidence: (1) effectiveness theoretically well established, (2) ∼ likely, (3) ∼ proven. The Green List Prevention is used in communities, at state and national levels, and research. This paper provides insight into its content, keywording and enhancements. Methods To characterize the evidence-based programs, an inductive-deductive procedure was used to form 14 super- and 33 subcategories with 226 characteristic attributes. Based on these, all registry entries were categorized and summarized descriptively. Results The 100 programs listed (4/2023) address not only the primary target group of children and adolescents, but also secondary target groups (mainly teachers n = 53, guardians n = 46, educators n = 19) and are located in different environments (mainly school n = 61, family n = 28, kindergarten n = 23). Behavioral prevention on violence including bullying n = 64, addiction n = 47 and mental health n = 34 are in the foreground; topics such as nutrition (n = 3) and physical activity (n = 2) are little represented. Social and life skills programs (n = 61) and training for guardians (n = 25) are listed particularly often. Conclusions The Green List Prevention provides an overview of effective prevention and health promotion interventions for different contexts. Its current expansion to rate environmental and behavioral prevention measures on nutrition and physical Key messages • The Green List Prevention enables stakeholders to make a targeted selection of evidence-based programs and offers practice-relevant information e.g. main focus, program formats, implementation. • The evidence register Green List Prevention supports evidence-based prevention and health promotion in Germany.