رویا دیوان بیگی

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of life skills training on distress tolerance, psychological adaptation, and high-risk behaviors among incarcerated women. Methods: This was an applied, experimental study. The study population consisted of incarcerated women in Kerman Central Prison in 2022. Sixty participants exhibiting high-risk behaviors were randomly assigned into an experimental group (30 women) and a control group (30 women). The experimental group received the World Health Organization's (WHO, 1998) ten-session life skills training program, each lasting 90 minutes, while the control group was placed on a waiting list. Both groups were assessed using the Simons and Gaher Distress Tolerance Scale (2005), the Derogatis Psychological Adaptation Scale (1986), and the Rajaee and Shafiei High-Risk Behavior Questionnaire (2011) before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance with SPSS software. Findings: Results indicated that life skills training significantly impacted distress tolerance, psychological adaptation, and high-risk behaviors in incarcerated women (p < .01). Conclusion: Life skills training can be effectively utilized to enhance distress tolerance and psychological adaptation, and to reduce high-risk behaviors.

Objective: High-risk behaviors represent a growing concern with important adverse consequences for women. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of life skills training in high-risk behaviors and distress tolerance among female prisoners. Methods:  This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a control group. The population comprised all female prisoners in Kerman in 2022. 40 participants were selected via random sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected using the High-Risk Behavior Questionnaire (Rajaee & Shafiei, 2011) and the Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons, J. S., & Gaher, 2005). The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS 26. Results: The results showed that life skills training significantly reduced a wide range of high-risk behaviors, including drug abuse, HIV/AIDS-related risk behaviors, violence, alcohol use, and unhealthy eating habits; however, it had no significant effect on smoking (p = 0.25). Additionally, the intervention significantly increased distress tolerance (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Although life skills training was associated with a significant reduction in high-risk behaviors in the present study, evaluating the findings and achieving generalizable results require conducting multiple clinical trials under diverse conditions.