Supporting Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Life Skills Programs Targeting Gender-based Violence, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in the Countries of the Global South

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of life skills programs for adolescents in the countries of the global south, addressing issues related to gender-based violence (GBV), sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and also identify the link between specific life skills and the outcomes related to these three thematic areas. For the period of 2000 to 2020, 511 publications were identified through a database search in Web of Science, Worldcat, and Google Scholar. Sixteen articles evaluating 12 different programs, met the eligibility criteria and concerned data about 7626 adolescents aged 11-21 years. The review concluded that especially life skills programs targeting MHPSS outcomes have a potential to support resilience and healthy development of adolescents in the countries of the global south. The link between the specific life skills and outcomes could not be established, as only one study examined this relationship. The small number of identified studies prevents from drawing strong conclusions and points towards the need of conducting more research on adolescent life skills programming in the countries of the global south, so agencies can integrate these findings into their programs and adhere to the principle of doing no harm.