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Life Skills - Reduced Adolescent Anger, Depression, and Anxiety

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Strategy researched

Life skills programmes that addressed adolescent health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including mental health

Impact achieved

Interventions were effective in reducing symptoms of anger (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.234), improving life skills (SMD = 0.755) and functioning (SMD = 0.491), and decreasing PTSD (SMD = 0.327), and depression and anxiety (SMD = 0.305). The results demonstrate the benefits of life skills programmes targeting one or more mental health outcomes and co-occurring risk factors in school and community settings.

Country of study

LMICs

Research methodology

Systematic review of 33 RCTs

Journal

Behaviour Research and Therapy; 2020

Journal paper title and link

Implementation and effectiveness of adolescent life skills programs in low- and middle-income countries: A critical review and meta-analysis

Excerpt from Abstract

"Most of the RCTs, conducted across 19 LMICs, targeted students (82%) and refugees (7%), and both genders (71%). Most of the interventions were delivered by teachers (n = 12), and specialist providers (n = 11), and most were focused on high-risk groups rather than clinically-disordered populations. These interventions were effective in reducing symptoms of anger (SMD = 1.234), improving life skills (SMD = 0.755) and functioning (SMD = 0.491), and decreasing PTSD (SMD = 0.327), depression and anxiety (SMD = 0.305). Trial effectiveness was positively associated with the following life skills: interventions focused on parent-child interactions ([Beta (B)] = 0.557, p < 0.05), assessing interpersonal relations ([B] = 0.204, p < 0.05) and stress management ([B] = 0.216, p < 0.05)."