The effectiveness of life skills training on social-emotional development, suicidal thoughts and emotional memory of students with experienced violence

The study was conducted with the aim of the effectiveness of life skills training on social-emotional development, suicidal thoughts and emotional memory of students who have experienced violence. The research method is a pre-test-post-test experiment with a control group. The statistical population of this research was all the second-high school students of Ardebil city, among them, students who have experienced one of the victims in a few months and also have one of the problems of power imbalance. reported that 60 students were selected as victims of violence in a targeted manner and tested and controlled in two groups in a simple random manner. Both groups answered questionnaires of student's development of Sinha & Sing (AISS(, Beck's suicidal thoughts and emotional memory of King & Emonz before the experiment. Then, the experimental group received the life skills package in 10 sessions, and during this time, the control group did not receive any intervention. After completing the training of the life skills program, both groups answered the questionnaire again. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance test. The findings showed that emotional-social development showed a significant improvement in the subjects of the experimental group compared to the control group. Also, suicidal thoughts and negative emotional memory have significantly decreased in the subjects of the experimental group. Therefore, it can be said that teaching life skills has had a significant impact on social-emotional development, suicidal thoughts and emotional memory of students who have seen violence.
Keywords: Life skills training, Social-emotional development, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional memory, Violent students
Introduction
Schools, alongside families, play a crucial role in the development of children, serving as one of the most significant environments shaping their growth. Within the school setting, positive interactions with teachers and peers act as protective factors against behavioral and emotional challenges. However, exposure to violence poses a serious risk to students' development, with violent discipline and peer victimization being among the most harmful forms.
From a developmental psychopathology perspective, childhood maltreatment creates a toxic educational environment that can severely impair socio-emotional development. Such disruptions often lead to psychological issues, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Violence inflicted by teachers and peers also adversely affects students' cognitive functioning. Research highlights a causal link between adverse emotional experiences and the emergence of psychological symptoms, with these experiences being stored as what is known as emotional memory. Childhood maltreatment disrupts emotional regulation and recognition, increasing the likelihood of psychological disorders and the reoccurrence of violence in adulthood.
To address these issues, various intervention and prevention programs have been developed to improve the mental health of students exposed to violence. One such program is life skills training. The lack of these essential skills places adolescents at a higher risk for psychological and behavioral problems, as mastering life skills equips individuals to effectively navigate challenging situations. Studies have demonstrated that life skills training helps adolescents steer clear of high-risk behaviors. Therefore, this study seeks to explore the effectiveness of life skills training on the socio-emotional development, suicidal thoughts, and emotional memory of students who have experienced violence.
 
Materials & Method
This study utilized an experimental design with pre- post-test with control group. The research population consisted of female high school students in the secondary school students during the 2022-2023 academic year in Ardabil, Iran. A multi-stage cluster sampling method was employed to select the sample group. First, one region, specifically the city center, was randomly chosen from various areas of the city. Within this region, three high schools were randomly selected, and students were asked to complete the California Violence Scale. From the respondents, 60 students who had experienced at least one instance of victimization two to three times per month and reported at least one form of power imbalance were identified as the sample group.
These 60 students were then randomly assigned, in equal numbers, to either the experimental or control group. Both groups completed the study’s questionnaires. After, the experimental group received life skills training, both groups were asked to complete the research questionnaires again during the post-test phase. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Data analysis did with SPSS23.
 
Findings
The results of the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed significant differences in the mean scores for socio-emotional development (F=180.880; P<0.001), suicidal thoughts (F=35.062; P<0.001), and emotional memory (F=4.636; P<0.001) between the pre-test and post-test phases. Specifically, the experimental group showed significantly higher mean scores for socio-emotional development in the post-test phase compared to the control group. Conversely, the experimental group’s mean scores for negative emotional memory and suicidal thoughts were significantly lower in the post-test phase than those in the control group.
These findings indicate that life skills training had a substantial positive impact on enhancing socio-emotional development, reducing suicidal thoughts, and decreasing negative emotional memory among students who had experienced violence.
 
Discussion
The data analysis using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed that the life skills training program significantly enhanced the students' socio-emotional development. This improvement suggests that the program effectively taught students essential skills such as self-control, creative thinking, and decision-making. According to problem behavior theory, practicing self-control and creative thinking, along with engaging in problem-solving activities, equips adolescents to better evaluate environmental situations and respond more effectively through improved decision-making skills.
Adolescents, with their tendency toward risk-taking, may be more likely to engage in violent behaviors at school. However, problem-solving skills training, as a preventive measure, can help reduce their involvement in such behaviors. This is particularly important because the brain regions responsible for decision-making are still developing during adolescence. Early adolescence is a critical period of brain maturation, which is linked to improvements in executive functions. By training and practicing problem-solving skills, this brain maturation process is positively influenced, leading to enhanced cognitive abilities in students.
Moreover, life skills training can significantly enhance students' social development. Strong and cohesive emotional bonds between students, their parents, and teachers play a crucial role in preventing them from becoming victims of violence. A solid relationship with parents and teachers provides supervision, helping to identify potentially threatening situations students might face. In these circumstances, parents and teachers can work together to minimize students' exposure to environments where they might be at risk of victimization or violence.
The multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) results showed that life skills training significantly reduced suicidal thoughts among students who had experienced violence. This indicates that the program effectively strengthened adolescents' abilities to cope with unpleasant emotions and diminished risk factors like poor self-control and aggressive behavior. Consequently, there was a notable decrease in suicidal thoughts and an increase in positive, adaptive behaviors among the adolescents.
Another key finding from the MANCOVA analysis was that life skills training improved the negative emotional memory of students who had experienced violence. The training appears to have achieved this by promoting adaptive emotion regulation strategies.
Conclusion
Research shows that social-emotional learning programs equip students with the skills to recognize and manage their emotions, set and pursue positive goals, make responsible decisions, and effectively navigate interpersonal situations. As a result, these skills are expected to contribute to a reduction in suicidal thoughts.