The Effectiveness of Life Skills Training on Enhancing the Social Skills of Children With Hearing Impairments in Inclusive Schools

2015 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 469-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narges Adibsereshki ◽  
Abas Mahvashe Vernosfaderani ◽  
Guita Movallali
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Life Skills ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Hearing Impairments ◽  
Life Skills Training ◽  
The Social ◽  
Inclusive Schools

scholarly journals A Mobile Phone–Based Life-Skills Training Program for Substance Use Prevention Among Adolescents: Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Severin Haug ◽  
Raquel Paz Castro ◽  
Andreas Wenger ◽  
Michael Patrick Schaub
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Life Skills ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Problem Drinking ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Life Skills Training

BACKGROUND Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Life-skills training programs conducted within the school curriculum are effective in preventing the onset and escalation of substance use among adolescents. However, their dissemination is impeded due to their large resource requirements. Life-skills training provided via mobile phones may provide a more economic and scalable approach. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to test the appropriateness (ie, acceptance, use, and evaluation) and short-term efficacy of a mobile phone–based life-skills training program to prevent substance use among adolescents within a controlled trial. METHODS The study design was a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster-randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline and follow-up assessments after 6 and 18 months. This report includes outcomes measured up to the 6-month follow-up. The efficacy of the intervention was tested in comparison to an assessment-only control group. The automated intervention program <i>SmartCoach</i> included online feedback and individually tailored text messages provided over 22 weeks. The contents were based on social cognitive theory and addressed self-management skills, social skills, and substance use resistance skills. Linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models, as well as logistic or linear regressions, were used to investigate changes between baseline and 6-month follow-up in the following outcomes: 30-day prevalence rates of problem drinking, tobacco use, and cannabis use as well as quantity of alcohol use, quantity of cigarettes smoked, cannabis use days, perceived stress, well-being, and social skills. RESULTS A total of 1759 students from 89 Swiss secondary and upper secondary school classes were invited to participate in the study. Of these, 1473 (83.7%) students participated in the study; the mean age was 15.4 years (SD 1.0) and 55.2% (813/1473) were female. Follow-up assessments at 6 months were completed by 1233 (83.7%) study participants. On average, program participants responded to half (23.6 out of 50) of the prompted activities. Program evaluations underlined its appropriateness for the target group of secondary school students, with the majority rating the program as helpful and individually tailored. The results concerning the initial effectiveness of this program based on 6-month follow-up data are promising, with three of nine outcomes of the intention-to-treat analyses showing beneficial developments of statistical significance (ie, quantity of alcohol use, quantity of tobacco use, and perceived stress; <i>P</i>&lt;.05) and another three outcomes (ie, problem drinking prevalence, cannabis use days, and social skills) showing beneficial developments of borderline significance (<i>P</i>&lt;.10). CONCLUSIONS The results showed good acceptance of this intervention program that could be easily and economically implemented in school classes. Initial results on program efficacy indicate that it might be effective in both preventing or reducing substance use and fostering life skills; however, data from the final 18-month follow-up assessments will be more conclusive. CLINICALTRIAL ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN41347061; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN41347061

scholarly journals A Mobile Phone–Based Life-Skills Training Program for Substance Use Prevention Among Adolescents: Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/26951 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e26951
Author(s):  
Severin Haug ◽  
Raquel Paz Castro ◽  
Andreas Wenger ◽  
Michael Patrick Schaub
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Life Skills ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Problem Drinking ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Life Skills Training

Background Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Life-skills training programs conducted within the school curriculum are effective in preventing the onset and escalation of substance use among adolescents. However, their dissemination is impeded due to their large resource requirements. Life-skills training provided via mobile phones may provide a more economic and scalable approach. Objective The goal of this study was to test the appropriateness (ie, acceptance, use, and evaluation) and short-term efficacy of a mobile phone–based life-skills training program to prevent substance use among adolescents within a controlled trial. Methods The study design was a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster-randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline and follow-up assessments after 6 and 18 months. This report includes outcomes measured up to the 6-month follow-up. The efficacy of the intervention was tested in comparison to an assessment-only control group. The automated intervention program SmartCoach included online feedback and individually tailored text messages provided over 22 weeks. The contents were based on social cognitive theory and addressed self-management skills, social skills, and substance use resistance skills. Linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models, as well as logistic or linear regressions, were used to investigate changes between baseline and 6-month follow-up in the following outcomes: 30-day prevalence rates of problem drinking, tobacco use, and cannabis use as well as quantity of alcohol use, quantity of cigarettes smoked, cannabis use days, perceived stress, well-being, and social skills. Results A total of 1759 students from 89 Swiss secondary and upper secondary school classes were invited to participate in the study. Of these, 1473 (83.7%) students participated in the study; the mean age was 15.4 years (SD 1.0) and 55.2% (813/1473) were female. Follow-up assessments at 6 months were completed by 1233 (83.7%) study participants. On average, program participants responded to half (23.6 out of 50) of the prompted activities. Program evaluations underlined its appropriateness for the target group of secondary school students, with the majority rating the program as helpful and individually tailored. The results concerning the initial effectiveness of this program based on 6-month follow-up data are promising, with three of nine outcomes of the intention-to-treat analyses showing beneficial developments of statistical significance (ie, quantity of alcohol use, quantity of tobacco use, and perceived stress; P<.05) and another three outcomes (ie, problem drinking prevalence, cannabis use days, and social skills) showing beneficial developments of borderline significance (P<.10). Conclusions The results showed good acceptance of this intervention program that could be easily and economically implemented in school classes. Initial results on program efficacy indicate that it might be effective in both preventing or reducing substance use and fostering life skills; however, data from the final 18-month follow-up assessments will be more conclusive. Trial Registration ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN41347061; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN41347061

Life Skills Training

1988 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-163
Author(s):  
Richard I. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Life Skills ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Life Skills Training

scholarly journals Differences in Adolescents With Down Syndrome and Asperger in a Social Skills Training Program

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110088
Author(s):  
María Auxiliadora Robles-Bello ◽  
David Sánchez-Teruel ◽  
Nieves Valalencia-Naranjo ◽  
Francisca Barba Colmenero
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Social Skills Training ◽  
Asperger's Syndrome ◽  
Asperger’S Syndrome ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Learning Potential ◽  
The Social ◽  
Study Results

Background/Objective: Researchers have traditionally reported that individuals with Down syndrome possess a strength in their social development, yet the opposite occurs with Asperger’s syndrome. Based on this premise, we sought to assess effectiveness of the social skills training program. Method: Thirty adolescents aged 11 to 14 years with Down syndrome and Asperger’s syndrome participated in the study. Results: Significant differences between both groups were detected in the posttreatment measures and a connection was found between adolescents’ learning potential and the benefits gained. Conclusions: The training program is effective at improving the social skills under evaluation in adolescents with Down syndrome; however, this benefit is greater among adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome.

The effectiveness of a combination of Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Training in people with schizophrenia: A rater-blinded randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 030802262110229
Author(s):  
Selma Ercan Doğu ◽  
Hülya Kayıhan ◽  
Ahmet Kokurcan ◽  
Sibel Örsel
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Social Skills Training ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Occupational Performance ◽  
The Social ◽  
Skills Training Group

Introduction This study aimed to assess the impact of a holistic combination of Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Training on occupational performance, social participation, and clinical symptoms in people with schizophrenia. Method 60 people with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to two groups. One group received standardized Social Skills Training once a week for a total of 10 sessions, while the other group received a combination of Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Training once a week for a total of 16 sessions. Results A greater increase was determined in the scores of COPM total performance/satisfaction and the Community Integration Questionnaire in the Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Training group. Furthermore, these achievements were sustained in the Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Training group compared to the Social Skills Training group at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusion The clients received the combination of Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Training showed a better improvement compared to the Social Skills Training group in terms of occupational performance, social participation, and severity of clinical symptoms. The use of Occupational Therapy in a holistic approach in psychosocial rehabilitation of people with schizophrenia can increase their functionality and social participation. Further studies are needed to assess long-term effects of Occupational Therapy in schizophrenia.

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