Impact of life skills training on psychosocial well-being of Tibetan refugee adolescents

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of life skills training (LST) to promote psychosocial well-being of Tibetan refugee adolescents in India. Design/methodology/approach A total of 300 students having low coping strategies, self-confidence and emotional intelligence (EI) participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to experimental ( n =150) and control group ( n =150). LST consisting of ten core skills was implemented on the experimental group. Findings ANCOVA and regression analysis revealed that LST was effective in enhancing coping strategies, self-confidence and EI among Tibetan refugee adolescents. Research limitations/implications This study was quantitative in its statistical design and approach. Further research combined with qualitative tools must be explored to gain deeper insight into the personal journey of these young refugees and to corroborate the impact of LST on their psychosocial well-being. Practical implications Results from this study will help to integrate LST into regular school curriculum, thereby ensuring its implementation on a daily basis. Originality/value Previous studies on Tibetan refugees have focused on physical and mental hardships experienced by them. There is limited research on strategies adopted to address the needs of these young refugees after migration. This is the first school-based intervention study that tailored the WHO recommended ten core skills to suit the social and cultural contexts of these young refugees and equip them with psychosocial skills to increase their capacity to cope with the complexity of migration.