Positive Life Skills Research Articles

HED-Start: A Brief Positive Psychology Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Psychological Adjustment in Patients New on Hemodialysis.

Initiation onto hemodialysis marks a critical transition with intense psychosocial demands. Interventions using cognitive-behavioral therapy to improve distress have been variably effective but require trained staff and are typically delivered only to those who screen positive for clinically significant distress. Interventions guided by positive psychology are lacking. To investigate the effectiveness of a brief positive-skills RCT in improving psychological adjustment in new hemodialysis patients. Using a parallel (2:1) design, blinded cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) design, incident patients (<6 months at NKF dialysis centers) undergoing hemodialysis were randomized to intervention or usual care (UC). HED-Start intervention comprised four group sessions delivered by healthcare staff on positive emotions, acceptance, and life-orientated goal setting. Measures were taken at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 12 weeks: distress/mood (HADS; SPANE); quality of life (KDQOL-SF, WHOQOL-BREF); benefit-finding (BFS, BIPQ); life-oriented skills (HEIQ, CD-RISC-2); self-efficacy (CD-SES). A total of 147 participants enrolled in the trial (response rate, 51.0%; retention [assessment], 90.5%). Study arms were comparable on all baseline and outcome variables except for age, diabetic nephropathy, and hypertensive nephrosclerosis which were subsequently controlled for. Repeated measures ANCOVAs (intention to treat) were used. HED-Start yielded significant reductions over time in depression, and increased quality of life, self-efficacy, benefit finding, and skills relative to UC (moderate effect sizes). Rates of clinically significant depression significantly decreased in HED-Start (p < .001) and increased in UC (p = .002). The significant positive effects of HED-Start, a low-intensity and cost intervention, on several adjustment indices, suggest that programs focusing on positive life skills can value add to existing renal care services.

Fostering an international network of women scientists and clinicians, encouraging open dialogue, and inspiring future women scientists in ophthalmology and vision science

Fostering an international network of women scientists and clinicians, encouraging open dialogue, and inspiring future women scientists in Ophthalmology and Vision Science.How to encourage women scientists and clinicians to go after their dreams Be a listening ear. … Stay open‐minded. … Help her set attainable goals. … Take action. … Encourage her to visualize her goals. … Reinforce the importance of positive life skills, such as hard work, persistence, a positive attitude, and responsibility. Be realistic about challenges.

Comparison of Life Skills between Intercollegiate Athletes and Non-Athletes of Government Girls Higher Secondary Schools of District Mardan, Pakistan

This study aimed to compare the life skills about interpersonal relationship skills, stress management skills, and decision-making skills amongst intercollegiate athletes and non-athletes of government girls’ higher secondary schools in district Mardan, Pakistan. The researcher followed a descriptive survey research design to meet the set objectives of the study. girl athletes and non-athletes from Government Higher Secondary schools of District, Mardan with age range 15-21 years of class 9th, 10th, 1st year, and 2nd year constituted the target population for the current study. A close-ended adapted questionnaire University of Pretoria (South Africa) using a Likert scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” was used to collect the required information from the participants consisting of girls’ athletes and non-athletes from government higher secondary schools of district, Mardan. A total of 568 questionnaires were administered among the participants and 468 questionnaires with (an 82.39%) ratios were received back. For an inclusive assessment of life skills, different attributes were labeled to each life skill, whereas all 34 items were assigned to 04 skills in the questionnaire. The collected data were properly tabulated and processed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings of the study indicated that sport has produced a positive role in the development of life skills among athletes as compared with non-athletes. This finding can be helpful for those who intend to develop and promote the sport in their respective areas. It has been concluded that participants acknowledged the role that sport has essential in the development of life skills such as interpersonal relationships (2.90), stress management (2.37), decision making (2.66), and problem-solving skills (2.49). However, it was noticed that urban school athletes produced a higher mean score on one life skill such as interpersonal relationships (2.93) and the rest of life skills mean scores are lower. It is recommended that school sports participation of girls may be ensured/enhanced to develop and promote the positive life skills necessary for products as well as a dynamic role in society.

Life Skills Development Through Sports Among Student-Athletes: A Survey of Secondary Schools

Life skills are applicable psycho-social skills and abilities to develop desirable qualities such as self-confidence and socialization. In this context, the research aims to investigate how participation in sportive activities during secondary education affects an individual's life skills. The sample group in the study consisted of 212 students, 99 female and 113 male students, studying at Private İstek 1915 Çanakkale Schools in Çanakkale province. Life Skills Scale for Sport (LSSS) scale was used to evaluate life skills acquired through sport. Statistical package program (SPSS 21 Version) was used to analyze the data obtained in the study. The findings of the research showed that there were differences in the life skills of the sample group according to the variables discussed. According to gender, the sub-dimension of goal setting is in favor of male students. It is seen that as the years of doing sports increase and those who play in the school team have higher life skills gains. In addition, students who play team sports have higher scores than those who play individual sports in all sub-dimensions of the scale except communication, which are time management, leadership, teamwork and goal setting. As a result, it is thought that secondary school students who play sports regularly, play in a club or school team and are directed to sports starting from an early age have more positive life skills in their future lives.

Promoting development of entrepreneurial skills of youth in Ghana through a structured sport intervention program

IntroductionThe purpose of this brief report is to describe how a structured sport-based positive life skills program can be used in promoting the development of entrepreneurial skills of youth in Ghana.MethodsA total of 29 youth participated in the study with 11 as the control group and the remaining 18 as the intervention group. The students in the intervention together with 5 parents participated in a weekend mapping camp. Data for the study was collected with the Youth Experience Survey for Sport to measure the Life skills and entrepreneurship skills using a quasi experimental pre and post test control group design.ResultsThe youth in the intervention group reported important physical and personal benefits and entrepreneurial skills such as cooperation (teamwork), risk taking, creativity, leadership, cognitive development, and positive engagement in physical activity which they did not previously have. The results are similar to existing published papers giving this report a commendable validity and reliability.DiscussionSimilar to the previously published papers, the perceived gains in this report also show that exposing youth to a structured sport-based positive life skills program produce both physical benefits and development of lifelong skills necessary to develop skills necessary for entrepreneurial endeavors. When this intervention is upscaled in Ghana the country could offset high youth unemployment with its associated challenges.

Students’ experiences and learning of social inclusion in team activities in physical education

Physical education (PE) can be a context in which students are ‘educated through the physical’, which includes the possibility to learn social inclusion as an important life skill and contributor to the greater good of society. A key goal in the Norwegian educational system is that such positive life skills become internalised in students. The aims of this study were to understand students’ experiences of and behaviour towards social inclusion – such as passing the ball – in team activities and how the teacher facilitated the learning of social inclusion. We use Dewey’s pedagogical perspective on education, and Johnson and Johnson’s cooperative learning model to discuss possible consequences and implications of our findings. The participants consisted of two secondary classes from two state schools in Norway, where one class was investigated in depth. Methods comprised written narratives, interviews, observation and video recordings of PE lessons. Data creation was triangulated, and thematic analysis was conducted. The results highlighted a paradox between students’ experiences of and behaviour towards social inclusion in team activities. Students disliked socially exclusive behaviours, but they often provided positive feedback when the behaviour was seen as successful in the context of a game; furthermore, students could themselves behave in a socially exclusive manner. Although the teacher could ‘teach by telling’ the students to pass the ball or by having rules, passing the ball did not become internalised in students. We discuss a model of ‘learning through experiences and reflections’, according to which students may learn to become socially inclusive beings.

A systematic review of sport-based life skills programs for young people: The quality of design and evaluation methods

Over the past two decades, researchers have reported positive life skills outcomes for young people participating in sport-based life-skills programs. However, to date, there has been a lack of consideration in the literature regarding the quality of the programs designed and the evaluation methods adopted. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the life skills literature to: (a) assess the quality of sport-based life skills program design and evaluation methods; and (b) identify characteristics relating to the quality of sport-based life skills programs where authors had evidenced life skills development and transfer. Using the PRISMA guidelines, we searched six databases for relevant research papers and applied inclusion and exclusion criteria to the papers returned, of which 15 papers met the criteria. We conducted two quality assessment exercises (design and evaluation methods) and found three moderate-high quality life skills programs, 11 moderate quality programs, and one low quality program. We present the characteristics (regarding quality) of intervention designs and methods, conclude with recommendations for designing quality sport-based life skills programs, and provide guidelines for researchers to evaluate sport-based life skills programs. Lay summary: Through engaging in sport-based life skills programs, young people can develop transferable skills. However, the quality of these life skills programs is unclear. We assess the quality of the design and evaluation methods of sport-based life skills programs, present the characteristics of moderate-high and moderate quality programs, and offer recommendations for future research and practice. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS The characteristics identified can be used to aid the development of the content, delivery and evaluation methods within future sport-based life skills programs. The quality assessment tool (QATID) that is embedded within this paper can be used by applied researchers to ensure that the design of their life skills interventions is of high quality. By using the QATID and the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) when designing and evaluating sport-based life skills programs, applied researchers can validate better subsequent claims of program effectiveness.

Assessing Results of 4-H Mentoring with Native American First-Generation 4-H Youths

To reach first-generation Extension families and combat barriers faced by Native American youths, North Dakota State University Extension has been involved in the national mentoring program 4-H Youth and Families with Promise (YFP). In the program’s fourth year, we conducted ripple effect mapping to explore changes in the schools and communities where YFP was being implemented. Our findings indicate that as a result of relationships with mentors, youths gained positive life skills and critical workforce expertise that will assist them in attaining their education goals and securing career opportunities. Implications for Extension programming include the recommendation to conduct programs featuring opportunities for youth entrepreneurship and community involvement that reflect a community’s culture.

Leadership of Youth Through Self-Transformations

Positive attitudes, skills, and behaviors around vocational direction characterize the area of development known as working. Young people should be actively involved in activities that will expose them to and offer the opportunity to practice not only the actual skills needed for a particular career, but also the work readiness skills needed to find and maintain employment. In order for youth to be prepared to work in partnership with adults, they need to develop and/or enhance their leadership skills. Leadership training prepares youth to manage time, work as a team, set goals, start conversations, facilitate meetings, and make effective presentations. Promoting youth leadership development is a great way to promote positive life skills learning.

Helping at-risk youth overcome trauma and substance abuse through animal-assisted therapy

Animal-assisted therapy is a goal-oriented adjunct to traditional therapy programs. This type of therapy has benefitted many populations, including children, adolescents, and adults, in their recovery from a wide variety of physical and psychological traumas. Examples include patients who are undergoing rehabilitation related to major surgery, serious illness, or debilitating injury and patients who are receiving treatment to overcome substance abuse, physical abuse, and behavioral problems. The purpose of this article is to show how animal-assisted therapy has been used with at-risk youths who participate in a treatment program for a variety of traumatic experiences, including abuse and neglect, as well as criminality and substance abuse. In the therapy program, the youths work through a structured, goal-oriented curriculum with certified therapy dogs and volunteer handlers. Together they complete progressively advanced tasks in which the youths transfer skills learned about dog handling to understanding and modifying their own behavior. The overall aim is to help the youths develop positive life skills and facilitate positive social interactions to help break the cycle of crime, violence, or substance abuse.

Effectiveness of the Art of Living YES+ Programme on College Students

During Examination sports and entrance tests Peer Pressure is very much common. It is experienced in human relations too. So how can we cope with everything? The Art of Living YES+(The Youth Empowerment Seminar) programme is a life skills programme. It is composed of three modules: Healthy Body, Healthy Mind and Healthy Lifestyle. The Art of Living YES+ Programme is based on- Sudarshan Kriya, Meditation and breathing techniques, Techniques for mental focus and concentration, Techniques for overcoming fear and anxiety, Interactive process, team games, Food awareness, Group discussions, Learning through fun and games, service to others, confidence building and leadership. The researcher developed a rating scale for measuring YES+ programme. Post test only experimental group design was used in this research. The students of IRMA (Institute of Rural Management), Anand made the population for the study. For content analysis X2 was found out and interpretation is derived from the result. College students have shown positive tendency about YES+ programme. It is suggested that such progammes can be implemented on various groups at colleges and in higher education to enhance the positive life skills and better living and life style.

Effectiveness of the Art of Living YES! Programme on School Students

Peer Pressure is very much common during Examination, sports and entrance tests. It is experienced in human relations too. So how can we cope with everything? The Art of Living YES! (The Youth Empowerment Seminar) programme is a life skills programme. It is composed of three modules: Healthy Body, Healthy Mind and Healthy Lifestyle. The Art of Living YES! Programme is based on- Sudarshan Kriya, Meditation and breathing techniques, Techniques for mental focus and concentration, Techniques for overcoming fear and anxiety, Interactive process, team games, Food awareness, Group discussions, Learning through fun and games, service to others, confidence building and leadership. YES! programme was applied by the Art of Living teacher. The researcher developed a rating scale for measuring YES! programme. Post test only experimental group design was used in this research. The students of SSRVM School, VallabhVidyanagar made the population for the study. For content analysis X2 was found out and interpretation is derived from the result. School students have shown positive tendency about YES! programme. Students were more positive. YES! programme was found more effective on the students of SSRVM School. It is suggested that such progammes can be implemented on various groups at Schools to enhance the positive life skills and better living and life style.

Effects of a sport programme (Box'Tag®) on disadvantaged youth participants

There is evidence that appropriately structured sport programmes can help young people to build positive life skills while also improving their physical fitness and psychological well-being. Disadvantaged and marginalised young people have relatively low rates of participation in sport, and designing programmes that attract and retain them presents a major challenge. Some success has been reported for programmes involving boxing, but such programmes entail a high potential for injury. The present study assessed the effects of a modified, low-risk form of boxing, known as Box'Tag®, on disadvantaged 11–12-year-olds. Volunteer Grade 7 students (N = 51) participated in an eight-week programmes of two to three sessions per week. Using a matched-pair design to control for effects of gender and risk of social disengagement (at-risk/not-at-risk), participants were assigned to either the Box'Tag® intervention or a control condition, in the form of a largely non-physical social skills programmes called Rock and Water. To assess aspects of psychological well-being, the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were administered at baseline (T1), at 4 weeks (T2), at 8 weeks (T3), and a follow-up at 12 weeks (T4). Participants completed a shuttle run and other fitness tests at T1 and T3. Qualitative feedback from participants (n = 36) was gathered via open-ended questions at T3. No significant between-group differences were found for BRUMS or SDQ scores, although both the intervention and control groups reported significant reductions in total difficulties scores from T1 to T2 and the not-at-risk members of the Box'Tag® group reported the most positive trends for total mood disturbance from T1 to T2. The Box'Tag® group showed significant improvement in shuttle run performance from T1 to T3, whereas the control group showed no improvement. Programme perceptions were more positive for Box'Tag® participants than for the control group, and behavioural benefits were found for both programmes. Overall, the Box'Tag® programme appealed to children of both sexes, engaged children at risk of social disengagement, had positive effects on aerobic fitness, and yielded behavioural benefits for some participants.

Positive Life Skills Improve Teacher Student Behaivour

Human life is a bundle of grossly violent happenings as well as happy moments. It is a mixture of sanefiil and painful elements. This is a self proved truth without exception. It is also basic human understanding that retaliatory reactions to life situations bring vindictiveness. Sometimes such reactions trigger tremendous anger which could lead one to crime easily. However, this gloomy picture could be cleansed with the intervention of positive life skills. When the rudimentary principles of ethics and morality are contemplated with compassion and knowledge, then a person will never betray his conscience.What prevents us from acquiring positive life skills? Greed, jealousy, selfishness and meanness are some of the things that mislead the human mind hugely. One may pursue greed to acquire wealth at the expense of others, which is both illegal and unethical. Further, even if one manipulates all documents to win a legal battle, the deprivation one causes to another remains unforgivable in the eyes of nature, which punishes the wrong-doer by depriving from the finer gifts of nature. No one is free of negative qualities. But, a constant monitoring of negative qualities can help us get rid of them. The moment one starts gazing at jealousy with one self, it disappears instantaneously. The capacity to disassociate oneself from the negative feeling is in itself the biggest gift which not everyone of us have. Once we set in motion that mechanism, nothing can mislead us and an eternal joy becomes part of our existence. Also, eternal joy is not partial in approach. Like the sun rays falling on all of us equally without discrimination, eternal joy is there to be experienced equally by everyone. The source of eternal joy is there in each of us and can get activated any time.The dominant aim of human life on this earth is happiness and peace. With slight variations of meaning and source of happiness and peace, the following traits of happiness are almost universally recognizable:* Happiness depends upon choices. Happy people make well thought out moves to achieve happiness. They don't waste time in waiting for happiness to fall from the sky.* Enthusiasm, consisting of the uige and drive, is a prominent symptom of happy people. Such people keep full control on their lives.* Happy people well know what they want or do not want from their lives. They foresee future life events and work on their dreams.* Happy people pose only creative questions which have the intent and content to promote happiness.* Happy people would be found less complaining and would not choose to waste time and energy in criticizing others. They understand that such activities would give rise to negative feelings only.* Happy people don't recognize any kind of fear. They have the capacity to cross over difficulties and challenges.* If a happy person commits a mistake, he/she would never find fault with others. Rather such person would choose to own the mistake and its consequences.* Happy people always think of enhancing their talent.* Happy people are always proactive, not reactive.* Happy people seriously take care of their fitness, not to impress others but they know that fitness enhances happiness.The traits mentioned above are infact part of the positive psychology which is built on the study of positive subjective experiences (such as joy, happiness, contentment, optimism and hope); positive individual characteristics (such as personal strengths and human virtues that promote mental health); and positive social institutions that contribute to individual health and happiness (Seligman, 2003). The main assumption of positive psychology is that it is focused more on the negative aspects of human behaviour compared to the positives. Positive psychology endorses a more realistic and balanced view of human nature that includes human strengths and virtues without denying human weakness and capacity for evil. …

Promoting Life Skills and Preventing Tobacco Use among Low-Income Mumbai Youth: Effects of Salaam Bombay Foundation Intervention

BackgroundIn response to India's growing tobacco epidemic, strategies are needed to decrease tobacco use among Indian youth, particularly among those who are economically disadvantaged. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a school-based life-skills tobacco control program for youth of low socio-economic status in Mumbai and the surrounding state of Maharashtra. We hypothesized that compared to youth in control schools, youth exposed to the program would have greater knowledge of effects of tobacco use; be more likely to take action to prevent others from using tobacco; demonstrate more positive life skills and attitudes; and be less likely to report tobacco use.Methods/FindingsUsing a quasi-experimental design, we assessed program effectiveness by comparing 8th and 9th grade students in intervention schools to 8th grade students in comparable schools that did not receive the program. Across all schools, 1851 students completed a survey that assessed core program components in early 2010. The program consisted of activities focused on building awareness about the hazards of tobacco, developing life skills, and advocacy development. The primary outcome measure was self-reported tobacco use in the last 30 days.Findings indicate that 4.1% of 8th grade intervention students (OR = 0.51) and 3.6% of 9th grade intervention students (OR = 0.33) reported using tobacco at least once in the last 30 days, compared to 8.7% of students in the control schools. Intervention group students were also significantly more knowledgeable about tobacco and related legislation, reported more efforts to prevent tobacco use among others, and reported stronger life skills and self-efficacy than students in control schools. Limitations to the study include schools not being randomly assigned to condition and tobacco use being measured by self-report.ConclusionsThis program represents an effective model of school-based tobacco use prevention that low-income schools in India and other low- and middle-income countries can replicate.

Building Positive Life Skills the Smart Girls Way: Evaluation of a School-Based Sexual Responsibility Program for Adolescent Girls

In response to the public health epidemic of teenage pregnancy, the present study investigated a new, gender-specific, school-based approach to adolescent pregnancy prevention for middle school girls called Smart Girls Life Skills Training(©) (Smart Girls). Participants included 854 students (633, experimental group; 221, control group) across three time points to assess change in social sexuality expectations, personal/self sexuality expectations, perceived susceptibility, and parent-adolescent communication. Girls who received the Smart Girls curriculum increased their personal/self sexuality expectations and improved some aspects of their parent-adolescent communication compared to control group participants. The evaluation provides initial evidence that Smart Girls is at least partially effective at changing personal/self sexuality expectations and parent-adolescent communication for middle school girls. Implications, recommendations, and next steps for school-based teen pregnancy prevention programs are offered.

Implementation and Outcomes of a Responsibility-Based Physical Activity Program Integrated into an Intact High School Physical Education Class

Underserved youth are at risk for numerous threats to their physical and psychological well-being. To navigate the challenges they face, they need a variety of positive life skills. This study systematically explored the implementation and short-term outcomes of a responsibility-based physical activity program that was integrated into an intact high school physical education class. Qualitative methods, drawing on multiple data sources, were used to evaluate a 20-lesson teaching personal and social responsibility (TPSR) program. Participants were 23 African American students in an urban high school. Five themes characterized the program: (a) establishing a relevant curriculum, (b) navigating barriers, (c) practicing life skills, (d) seeing the potential for transfer, and (e) creating a valued program. Findings extend the empirical literature related to TPSR and, more generally, physical activity programs designed to promote life skills. Implications for practitioners are discussed.

Improving Women's Adjustment to HIV Infection: Results of the Positive Life Skills Workshop Project

Women face many challenges as they adjust to life with HIV infection. This report describes the results of a program designed to assist HIV-infected women to reframe negative meanings associated with HIV infection and adjust to HIV infection. The idea for the Positive Life Skills (PLS) workshop emerged from the results of a study of adjustment to chronic illness among HIV-infected women, guided by the cognitive appraisal model of stress and coping. Small-group sessions (6-15 women) met weekly for 10 consecutive weeks to identify and dialogue about personal and group learning needs. Women explored the power of art, science, and alternative therapies as venues for reframing the meaning of HIV in their lives. The workshop participants included 187 HIV-infected women (mean age, 39 years; range, 23-62 years). Responses from the workshop participants over a 6-year time frame suggested that the PLS workshop was effective at increasing antiretroviral adherence, improving mental well-being, and reducing stress.