CALICUT UNIVERSITY – FOUR-YEAR UNDER

GRADUATE PROGRAMME (CU-FYUGP)

BSc PSYCHOLOGY

Programme B. Sc. Psychology

Course Title Life Skill Development
Type of Course MDC -1
Semester I
Academic Level 100-199
Course Details Credit Lecture per Tutorial Practical Total Hours
week per week per week
3 3 - - 45
Pre-requisites Nil
Course The Life Skill Development course equips students with essential tools
Summary and strategies to navigate everyday challenges, fostering self-awareness,
enhanced interpersonal skills, effective communication, and the
confidence to tackle life's challenges with resilience and adaptability for
lifelong success

Course Outcomes (CO):

CO CO Statement Cognitive Knowledge Evaluation
Level* Category# Tools used
CO1 Demonstrate a profound understanding U C Instructor-
of different life skills and its created exams
significance in daily life
CO Practise life skills U&Ap P Role-Playing
2 Assessments
CO3 Critically Analyse situations and An M Develop and
illustrate the life skills utilized present various
real-life
scenarios /
case studies/
Analysis of
skills in
different life
situations
CO4 Develop effective communication and Ap P Role play
interpersonal relationship.
CO5 Compare between problem-focused and U C Written

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 emotion-focused coping strategies. Assessments
CO6 Practise stress management in personal Ap P Role play
and professional life

CO7 Create life skill-based interventions in C C Discussion

personal and professional life.

CO8 Originate socially sensitive decisions C P Discussion

and solve problems through
internalization and characterization of
life skills.

* - Remember (R), Understand (U), Apply (Ap), Analyse (An), Evaluate (E), Create (C)
# - Factual Knowledge(F) Conceptual Knowledge (C) Procedural Knowledge (P)
Metacognitive Knowledge (M)

Detailed Syllabus:
Module Unit Content Hrs Marks
(45) (50)
I Introduction to Life Skills 7 105
1 Life skills- Definition by WHO 2
2 10 Core Life Skills 2
3 Components of life skill 1
4 Significance of Life skills for adolescents and 2
youth
Sections from References:
II Social Skills 7 12
5 Self-Awareness- Understanding one self- 1
Importance of Balanced Diet, Exercise, Sleep
Hygiene
6 Empathy 2
7 Effective communication and interpersonal 2
relationship
8 Assertiveness as a type of communication- 2
Passive communication and aggressive
communication
Sections from References:
III Cognitive Skills 15 16
9 Critical Thinking 1
10 Creative Thinking Skills - Thinking ‘out of the 1
box’
11 Decision making 1

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 12 Career decision 2
13 Conflict and its types-( Approach- Approach, 2
Avoidance- Avoidance, Approach- Avoidance)
14 Attempts of negotiation 2
15 Problem-solving- Individual and group level 2
16 Barriers to problem solving 2
17 Goal Setting 2
Sections from References:
IV Coping skills/ Management skills 7 12
18 Coping with emotion- Significance of Emotional 1
regulation
19 Stress- Biological changes associated with stress 2
20 Eustress and Distress- role of perception in stress 2
21 Coping mechanisms- Emotion-focused and 2
problem-focused
Time management
Sections from References:
V Open Ended Module: Application of life skills for 9
various groups
1 Teachers can decide the application of life skills
to any specific groups or organizations according
to the locality or social needs of the college.
Students can engage in the activities designed by
the teacher and the teacher will do a continuous
assessment of the performance of the student. An
interactive method of teaching can be preferred.
 Eg.: Encourage students to craft personal
narratives that highlight their experiences,
values, and goals to relate it to life Skills
 Share and discuss these narratives in a
supportive and constructive environment.
 Facilitate activities that allow students to
explore their leadership styles and
preferences.
 Encourage participation in student
organizations or community service to
develop leadership skills.
 Conduct workshops on effective
communication, active listening, and
conflict resolution.
 Encourage role-playing scenarios to
practice and reinforce interpersonal skills.
 Do self-assessment and peer assessment
after workshops and discuss the
significance of feedback communication.
Suggested activities for different modules
( Submit report of any two)

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Module 1:
 Analysis of skills in different life
situations- to identify the usage of life
skills and lack of skills- The teacher or
students can select suitable activities to
identify and internalize life skill
 Eg. Compare short-term and long-term
goals.(Identify life skills used and apply
life skills in analysis, and suggest
decisions with self awareness- Impulsive
decision- habit formation etc. -generate
discussion)
 Analyze a story- for example-the Story of
Crocodile and Monkey- relationship
development- Effective Communication-
emotional management- quick decision
making- terminating relationship-
identified toxicity in relationship etc.-
generate discussion
 Other life events leading to decision-
making can be analyzed in the classroom
 Students can find out similar socio-
political events for analysis and
discussion
Module 2
 SWOT analysis- Identify components of
toxic relationship quoting examples from
cinema or stories- Students’ presentation-
Group discussion.
 The teacher presents cases for the
identification of a lack of empathy and
discusses the need for social inclusion
(Eg. Reciprocal relationship between
parent and offspring, teacher and students
etc.- Need for empathy from both sides)
 Students can identify success stories of
social inclusion from their locality and
present them as a seminar.
 Develop code of conduct for college/
department- critically analyze based on
human right.
 Group discussion of POSH (Prohibition
of Sexual Harassment) Act at the
workplace- Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal- Equality and Equity-
Discussion On Sexual Exploitation and
the Need For Assertive Communication
 Conduct role plays related to gender
discrimination- students may extend it to
street play.

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  Develop a theme dance on inclusion.
 ‘One-day’ activity analysis of a male and
female teacher- to discuss in the class
based on Social Skills
 Students write project proposals to the
government based on efforts for gender
justice/ students can analyze school or
nursery textbooks in terms of gender.
Module 3
 Categorise types of conflicts using
examples or list conflicts into different
types.
 Analyse the difficulty in decision-making
according to the complexity of problems-
puzzles, social conflict, personal conflicts
etc.
 Make group discussions on social
problems like causes of population
explosion, increased drug abuse- based on
life skills, and life skills applications to
prevent substance abuse on college
campuses. Explore hypothetical scenarios
to prompt reflection on the importance of
values in decision-making.
 Case study analysis on domestic violence-
discuss what a UG Student can do as per
their competence.
 Students conducting awareness classes on
webaholism and internet addiction for
school students
 Presenting seminars on cases like
domestic violence, negotiation in
organizational setup, labour conflicts,
aptitude measurement in career selection
etc also may be encouraged.
 Students cite examples of intolerance
from stories or history to become aware
of their cultural biases and assumptions.
 Foster an inclusive environment that
values diversity and different
perspectives.
Module 4
 Seminar on the students’ stress, academic
stress, exam fear, study skills, social
anxiety, Emotional regulation, etc – along
with generating a discussion.
 Adolescents’ conflicts with parents and
teachers- list out causes.
 How do you manage stress- compare
between students- unique ways of

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 managing stress- discussion
 Lifestyle disorders- causes and
consequences- collage
 Gender differences in expression of
emotions- role play
 Case analysis of self-harming behaviour-
suicidal tendency
 Use case studies or simulations to allow
students to practice handling challenging
interpersonal situations.

Sections from References:

Books and References:
Life Skills Education Toolkit for Orphans & Vulnerable Children in India, India – (October
2007) ISBN 1-933702-19-2
Weiten, W., Dunn, D. S., & Hammer, E. Y. (2018). Psychology applied to modern life-
Adjustment in the 21st century, 12th Ed. USA: Cengage learning
Caproni, P. (2000). Practical coach: management skills for everyday life, the. Prentice Hall
Press.
Schab, L. M. (2022). The Self-esteem Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Build
Confidence and Achieve Your Goals. New Harbinger Publications.
Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R., & MKay, M. (2000). The Relaxation & Stress Reduction
Workbook. New Harbinger Publication, Inc.
Seaward, B.L. (2022). Managing Stress- Skills for Self- care, Personal Resiliency, and
Work life Balance in a rapidly changing world. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
American India Foundation (2018). Handbook of activities on life skills. Pealidezin.
https://aif.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lifeskills-2018a_MAST.pdf
Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Basic Life Skills
Course Facilitator’s Manual. https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/media/2776/file/Basic
%20Life%20Skills%20Course%20Facilitator%E2%80%99s%20Manual.pdf
Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Basic Life Skills
Course Student Workbook. https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/media/2796/file/BLS
%20Student%60s%20book%20.pdf
Life skills on adolescent reproductive health: package of lessons and curriculum materials.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000125112 De Azevedo Hanks, J. (2016). The
assertiveness guide for women: How to communicate your needs, set healthy boundaries,
and transform your relationships. New Harbinger Publications.
Williams, v., &Williams, R. (1996). Life Skills. New York: Three Rivers Press.
https://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/library/M0063.pdf
Websites:
UNESCO - http://www.unesco.org/
UNFPA - http://www.unfpa.org/
UNICEF - http://www.unicef.org/
United Nations - http://www.un.org/
WHO - http://www.who.int/en/
Additional Reading
Kelly-Plate, J.,& Eubanks,E. (2010). Applying life skills. USA: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
https://aif.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lifeskills-2018a_MAST.pdf

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Note: The course is divided into five modules, with four modules together having total 21
fixed units and one open-ended module with a variable number of units. There are a total of
36 instructional hours for the fixed modules and 9 hours for the open-ended one. Internal
assessments (25 marks) are split between the open-ended module (5 marks) and the fixed
modules (20 marks). The final exam, however, covers only the 21 units from the fixed
modules. The 50 marks shown in the last column, distributed over the first four modules, is
only for the external examination.

Mapping of COs with PSOs and POs :

PSO1 PSO2 PSO3 PSO4 PSO5 PSO6 PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6

CO 1 3 - - - - -

CO 2 - 2 - - 2 -

CO 3 - - - - 3 -

CO 4 - 3 - - - -

CO 5 1 - - - - -

CO 6 - 2 - - 2 -
CO7 2 - - - -

CO8 - - - - 2

Correlation Levels:

Leve Correlation
l
- Nil
1 Slightly / Low
2 Moderate / Medium
3 Substantial / High

Assessment Rubrics:

 Quiz / Assignment/ Quiz/ Discussion / Seminar

 Midterm Exam
 Programming Assignments (20%)
 Final Exam (70%)

Mapping of COs to Assessment Rubrics :

7
 Internal Exam Assignmen Project Evaluation End Semester Examinations
t

CO 1 ✓ ✓

CO 2 ✓

CO 3 ✓

CO 4 ✓ ✓

CO 5 ✓ ✓

CO 6
CO 7

CO 8

8
 Reading Material
Introduction to Life Skills 7
Life skills- Definition by WHO 2
10 Core Life Skills 2
Components of life skill 1
Significance of Life skills for adolescents and youth 2

Activities

 Analysis of skills in different life situations- to identify the usage of life skills and
lack of skills- The teacher or students can select suitable activities to identify and
internalize life skill
Eg. Compare short-term and long-term goals.(Identify life skills used and
apply life skills in analysis, and suggest decisions with self awareness-
Impulsive decision- habit formation etc. -generate discussion)
 Analyze a story- for example-the Story of Crocodile and Monkey- relationship
development- Effective Communication- emotional management- quick decision
making- terminating relationship- identified toxicity in relationship etc.- generate
discussion
 Other life events leading to decision-making can be analyzed in the classroom
 Students can find out similar socio-political events for analysis and discussion
Life skills- Definition by WHO
Life skills refers to a large group of psychosocial and interpersonal skills that
promotes mental wellbeing and that leads to a healthy and productive life.

Health is defined as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Life skills develop competencies and actual behaviors. They result in personal
actions, actions directed to others and actions to change the surrounding
environment in a healthy, safe way.

The World Health Organization (WHO, 1993) defines life skills as “the
abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enables individuals to deal
effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.” WHO (1994) has
also identified a core set of life skills for the promotion and well being of
children and adolescents.

10 Core Life Skills

Core Life Skills

1. Problem-solving
2. Decision-making (including goal setting)
3. Critical thinking
4. Creative thinking (including value clarification)

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 5. Communication skills
6. Interpersonal skills (including assertiveness)
7. Self-awareness
8. Empathy
9. Coping with stress
10. Coping with emotions

These are referred to as generic life skills; they help people deal effectively with the demands
and challenges of everyday life.

Decision making helps us to deal constructively with decisions about our lives.
Life is full of decisions. Some are easy to make; others are painfully difficult
and require considerable time, planning, and mental effort. Even carefully
considered decisions can lead to undesirable outcomes, though, because the
world is an uncertain place. Decisions made when the outcome is uncertain are
called risky decisions or decisions under uncertainty.
Decision making involves evaluating alternatives and making choices among
them. Decision-making is one of the life skills that we have to utilize before
solving problems and handling issues. Students have to take decisions on many
occasions. At some time or other, they have to decide the school or institution
they have to enroll or the course of studies they have to pursue. Similarly, they
have to decide whether to stay at home or in the hostel during their period of
study.
This can have consequences for health if young people actively make decisions
about their actions in relation to health by assessing the different options, and
what effects different decisions may have.
In case they are clear about how decisions are generally made, it would make
the task easier. They have to study each situation carefully before decision is
being made. Hence, it would be nice to know what decision making refers to
and how it is generally made.
The model of decision-making that is generally used in the technical area has
four steps. These steps are as follows:
(i) Problem finding: This step involves locating the problem and
analytically studying in detail.
(ii) Problem stating: This step looks into all the dimensions of the problem
and coming out with its definition.
(iii) Option finding: At this stage, the decision maker has to generate as
many alternatives as possible through which the problem in question
could be solved.
(iv) Decision-Making: It is at this stage, the decision maker critically studies
each option and arrives on the most appropriate option.

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 For example, most of the adolescents after completion of secondary
education will face difficulty in taking decisions on opting further
stream of courses. In that case, as teachers, you could help them find
their area of interest and give various career options. Decision-making,
as the above steps reveal, involves choosing a course of action from
among the several well defined and frequently competing alternatives
after due deliberations. Before arriving at the proper option you have to
weigh the cost and benefits of various outcomes.
Problem solving enables us to deal constructively with problems in our lives.
Significant problems that are left unresolved can cause mental stress and give rise to
accompanying physical strain.
Problem-solving, like decision-making, is a life skill that is as important as and
perhaps more important than decision making.
Problem solving refers to active efforts to discover what must be done to
achieve a goal that is not readily attainable.
Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing, and
solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome
obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.
Problems are situations that are not easy to surmount. Problems, be they big or
small, have to be faced and overcome. In case we fail, life would come to a
standstill, goals would remain unaccomplished, and the person concerned will
be filled with anxiety and worry. Problems can immobilize and render us
helpless. Unless we tackle them at the proper time, they will render us
handicapped. If we allow problems to get the better of us, they will slow down
our overall growth and development. Our happiness and prosperity would
show up a downward trend ultimately resulting in a degrading downfall. Hence
we are left with no choice but tackle them in time as they arise.
Problem-solving is a process and so it involves a number of steps:
Step 1: Find and Frame the problem: The first step in problem solving is to find
and frame the problem. The problem you select should be neither too broad nor
too narrow. If it is too broad, you will not be able to complete it within the
stipulated time. If it is too narrow, you will not be able to gather enough stuff to
support your point of view. Once you have identified the topic, you have to
look at it from all perspectives and define it in crystal clear terms.
Step 2: Develop a good problem solving strategy: Once you have identified and
defined the problem, the next step is to select a suitable strategy for solving it.
The common strategies that are used for solving problems are: (i) setting sub
goals, (ii) using algorithms, and (iii) relying on heuristics.

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 (i) Setting sub goals refers to breaking the overall goal into a number of sub
goals such as locating resources, gathering information, organizing
information, preparing the first draft, etc. In other words, it is concerned
with setting the time schedule notifying the time period allowed to each
stage.
(ii) Using algorithms is yet another strategy that can be used for solving
problems. Algorithms are strategies that guarantee a solution to a
problem. They come in different forms such as formulas, instructions,
tests, etc.
(iii) Heuristics refers to a rough and ready procedure for solving problems
without the application of an algorithm. Heuristics help us narrow down
the possibilities to find one that works.
The investigator who is trying to solve the problem can select the most
appropriate of these strategies for solving the problem.
Step 3: Evaluate the solution: Taking action in itself is not enough. We have to
see whether or not the results of the action stand in relation to the expected
outcome. We have to evaluate and find out the extent to which the plan is
working in practice.
Step 4: Rethink and Redefine problems and solutions over time. In case, the
action does not yield the expected result we have to bring about the needed
changes in the process.
For example, you might have come across with children who feel stressed
often. In this situation, you could help them find out the source of stress
whether it is generating from academic work or home problems. Spend time
with such children to express their pent-up feelings and suggest various
strategies to handle such situations. An individual who is trying to solve a
problem can select the most appropriate strategy for solving her/his problem.
Creative thinking contributes to both decision making and problem solving by
enabling us to explore the available alternatives and various consequences of our
actions or non-action. It helps us to look beyond our direct experience, and even if no
problem is identified, or no decision is to be made, creative thinking can help us to
respond adaptively and with flexibility to the situations of our daily lives.
Creativity is the ability to produce ideas that are both original and valuable
Or
The capacity to produce original solutions or novel compositions.
People demonstrate creativity by producing original, but useful, solutions to all
sorts of challenges.
Creative thinking refers to the ability to produce something novel, useful, and
unique. It involves the ability to think about something in novel and unusual
ways and come up with unique solutions to problems. Fluency, flexibility,

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 originality, and elaboration are the main characteristics of creativity. The
characteristic of fluency involves generation of many ideas. Flexibility involves
the ability to shift perspectives easily. While the characteristic of originality
stands for conceiving something new, elaboration refers to building of many
ideas. Creativity also refers to challenge accepted ideas and ways of doing
things in order to find new solutions or concepts. Similarly, using an equipment
originally meant for something, if used for another purpose, it is creativity. In
the same way, putting previously unconnected ideas together to come out with
something entirely new is also a creative act.
There are several ways in which creativity can be developed such as
brainstorming, lateral thinking, divergent thinking, etc. Brainstorming can do
either alone or in groups. It is a technique for generating ideas without
stopping to evaluate them. You can come up with creative ideas, play off each
other’s ideas and say practically whatever comes to mind that seems relevant to
a particular issue. At the end when no more ideas coming up, you can examine
the ideas jotted down, select the ones relevant and reject those irrelevant.
Divergent thinking is another technique that can be used for creating new ideas.
Unlike convergent thinking which produces one correct answer, divergent
thinking can produce many answers to the same question.
Lateral thinking is yet another technique for producing new ideas. In this
technique, the problem is reformulated or viewed from a fresh angle. This
method is contrasted with vertical thinking which involves finding methods for
overcoming obstacles in the chosen line of approach. Identifying creative
people and finding out what helped them to be creative, fostering flexible and
playful thinking and getting internally motivated are some other techniques for
fostering creativity.
Critical thinking is an ability to analyze information and experiences in an objective
manner.
Critical thinking is a skill that helps us look analytically at events, people,
objects, actions and even literary works with a view to gathering information
that is relevant and objective with the help of which we can assess and evaluate
them.
In our day-to-day life, we have to think critically before we speak or do
anything. If we spurt out something or do something without thinking, it would
often land us in trouble. In case you speak sarcastically and hurt the feelings of
your friends, you are likely to lose them as friends. If you join a course of study
without thinking about its utility, scope, and nature, you may have to drop out
of it in a short while. As a result, you will lose not only a lot of money, but also
your precious time and energy. Hence critical thinking is important and we

13
 need to learn it. We need to know what it is and practice a lot to be proficient in
it.
Critical thinking being so important, you need to do all what you can to
develop it. There are several ways for developing it. One of them is to focus on
“how?” and “why” in addition to what happened when you read reports on
events and incidents. Another way to develop it is to search for evidence before
you accept anything as you read or listen to others. The habit of comparing
various answers to a question and finding the best one is yet another way to
develop critical thinking. You can also develop critical thinking through asking
questions to yourself and speculating beyond what you already know to create
new ideas. Evaluating and possibly questioning what others say rather than
immediately accepting it as truth is yet another way to develop it.
In short, critical thinking will help you in your studies, in making decisions,
solving problems, passing judgments, and ensuring maximum utilization of
resources. It will also help you to be more inquisitive, insightful, and humane.
Critical thinking can contribute to health by helping us to recognize and assess
the factors that influence attitudes and behaviour, such as values, peer pressure,
and the media.
Effective communication means that we are able to express ourselves, both verbally
and non-verbally, in ways that are appropriate to our cultures and situations. This
means being able to express opinions and desires, but also needs and fears. And it may
mean being able to ask for advice and help in a time of need.
Nothing can make as much of a dramatic effect on our personal and school life
as speaking well. The impression you make on others mostly depends on the
way you speak-the pitch, expressiveness and clarity of your voice. From the
tone of your voice and your manner of saying things, your listeners can deduce
a lot about your feelings and personality. They will be able to tell you whether
you are confident or frightened, excited or depressed, and friendly or
aggressive. Depending on whether you articulate in a clear and confident way
or stumbling and hesitant manner, they will be able to tell you the extent of
your intelligence and expertise.
Any message that involves the face-to-face mode such as conversation consists
of a number of components such as tone, words and body language. Only when
all the components are appropriately integrated, effective communication is
possible. You should make your tone message in accordance with the situation
in question. When you are angry, for example, you have to make your tone of
voice harsh, volume loud, eye-contact direct, and posture rigid. Conversely,
when you speak to your friends, your tone of voice should be warm, volume
easy on the ears, eye contact direct yet unobtrusive, facial expression smiling
and posture relaxed. When you encounter a situation that demands sadness,

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 your tone of voice is soft, facial expression tearful, the corners of your mouth
curved downwards and posture slouched. In this way, only when you integrate
all the components of communication to suit the occasion in question, your
communication becomes effective. So you need to understand each situation
and use the right modality that suits it.
Above and over all these, if you can learn and practice a few habits, you will be
able to make your communication much better. If you are able to cultivate the
habit of thinking before you speak, believe the message you convey, keep your
talk at the audience perception level, avoid annoying mannerisms and gestures,
repeat major points, and use generalizations sparingly, and avoid expressions
that hurt, your communication would rise above the mediocre. If you are
willing to spend a bit of your energy and time on a regular basis to practice
these, you will not only boost your confidence but also deepen the impression
you make upon others. You can then easily persuade and convince your
listeners and get along with them smoothly. You will have a lot of peers as
your friends and collaborate with them in building better knowledge and skills.
Interpersonal relationship skills help us to relate in positive ways with the people
we interact with. This may mean being able to make and keep friendly relationships,
which can be of great importance to our mental and social well-being. It may mean
keeping good relations with family members, which are an important source of social
support. It may also mean being able to end relationships constructively.
Interpersonal relationship is another life-skill that helps us get along smoothly
with our peers. These skills are techniques that help us relate to others. They
tell you what you should and what you should not do in your dealing with your
friends. In short, they highlight the mutual give and take in any relationships.
The mutual give and take is an important feature of successful interpersonal
interaction. These skills are learned. Family, school, neighborhood are the main
places that give scope for learning these skills. You learned most of them
through observation and some from consequences.
Understanding human nature is one of the first steps in developing good
relationships. For this, you need to concentrate on others, pay close attention to
them, listen to them properly, and look for clues in their body language. Body
language is a language of signals. When we interact with others, we generally
express our feelings through our gestures, facial expressions, and body
postures. The body continues to transmit signals unconsciously throughout any
interaction. These signals will give us clues to their state of mind. They will tell
us whether they are listening to us as we talk and whether they are interested in
what we talk. Most people fail to give attention to such social signals. If you
are alert, social signals are not difficult to catch. If you find the listener
fidgeting, distracted, unfocused, glancing at the watch or looking towards the
door, casting eyes upwards and appearing angry, these are indications that your

15
 listener is bored. Your success in life depends, to a great extent, on your
ability to understand your friends and act wisely. Your peers crave for
appreciation, affiliation, and importance. If you remember their names, praise
and encourage them, offer them constructive criticism, handle disagreements
with tact, make them feel important, read their body language and interpret
their voice messages with care, you will be favorably poised for harmony and
understanding. Those who are poor at these are prone to problems in their
relationships with others, feeling uncomfortable in their company. So to be
successful in life, you ought to pick up interpersonal skills.
Empathy is the ability to imagine what life is like for another person, even in a
situation that we may not be familiar with. Empathy can help us to understand and
accept others who may be very different from ourselves, which can improve social
interactions, for example, in situations of ethnic or cultural diversity. Empathy can
also help to encourage nurturing behaviour towards people in need of care and
assistance, or tolerance, as is the case with AIDS sufferers, or people with mental
disorders, who may be stigmatized and ostracized by the very people they depend
upon for support.
Empathy is a life skill that helps us understand others. It refers to the feeling of
emotional understanding and unity with another, such that an emotion felt by
one person is experienced to some degree by another who is empathic to them.
In other words, empathy involves the ability to mimic externally the feelings of
another person. The essence of empathy is being able to see reality from the
other person’s perspective. As others talk to us, they reveal their feeling
through their tone of voice, facial expressions or other non-verbal ways. A
successful human relationship involves understanding others and their nature.
Through empathic listening we will be able to find what the other person is,
and not what we think he or she is. This understanding will help you respond
appropriately to their moods, temperaments, motivations and desires and act
wisely in your interactions and dealings. As you continue to capture the
feelings and act wisely, they feel that they are important. They begin to feel
inclined towards you. In this state of mind, they and you feel comfortable to be
in each other’s company. This state of the mind is called rapport.
When you attain proficiency in empathic listening, you stand to benefit in
several ways. Through it, you can build good study relationships. As there is
good understanding between you and the other persons, you can engage in
collaborative learning and cooperative management of study tasks. You can
build trust and closeness to your peers easily. You can improve your study
habits, bring about better learning performance, and make your learning more
pleasurable. In short, your ability to empathize will lead you to a stage wherein
harmony, collaboration and synergy are possible. You will also be able to help
your friends when they are in the grip of stress and strain.

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Self-awareness includes our recognition of ourselves, of our character, of our
strengths and weaknesses, desires and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us
to recognize when we are stressed or feel under pressure. It is also often a prerequisite
for effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing
empathy for others.
Self-awareness is knowledge about our self. It has to do with paying ongoing
attention to your internal state such as your moods and feelings, your beliefs
and values, your behaviour and attitudes, etc. and having an impartial
assessment of them. It is a neutral awareness of what is happening in you. It
involves awareness about your own emotions, your behaviour, your locus of
control, and your strengths and weaknesses. Individuals with a strong sense of
self-awareness can know where they are strong and where they are weak. As
we develop awareness about our self-worth, we become more self-confident.
As a result, with the passage of time, we will be more decisive, make sound
judgments using the emotional and cognitive information available within us.
In case we lack self-awareness, there are quite a number of ways to build it up.
Introspection and feedback from others are just two of these ways. You may
begin your introspection with a single thought related to some period in the
past. Then you allow your mind to gradually work backward recalling specific
incidents, people, places and events associated with that particular period. This
type of reflection about the past, your role in various occasions will give you
the required insight about yourself. In spite of introspection, you may not get to
know all what you need about yourself. In that case, asking one of your close
relatives or friends for feedback would be a fine way of knowing more. This
will enable you to have another’s opinion about your strengths and weaknesses,
to get assurance whether or not what you are doing is right, to verify whether
you see yourself the same way as others see you. Feedback, be it positive or
negative, is important. It gives another’s opinion on how you behave. It is a
way of learning more about yourself and the effects of your behaviour has on
others. Unless you seek feedback, you may never come to know about those
aspects. In the absence of feedback, no change can be worked out. You stand to
lose the opportunity to learn and develop.
Coping with emotions involves recognising emotions in ourselves and others, being
aware of how emotions influence behaviour, and being able to respond to emotions
appropriately. Intense emotions, like anger or sorrow can have negative effects on our
health if we do not react appropriately. (emotion: A state characterized by
physiological arousal, changes in facial expression, gestures,
posture, and subjective feelings).
Emotions are powerful feelings that are directed at something or someone.
Emotions and impulses propel people to action. Emotions can be positive or
negative. Anger, fear, anxiety, worry etc. are examples of negative emotions
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 while hope, optimism, love, etc. are examples of positive ones. Emotions, be
they positive or negative, would keep on crossing the mind. We cannot stop
them. But whether we entertain them is something that is within our power. In
case we entertain them they can run riot and land us in trouble. We have to
intervene in time and put a check on them before they assume the shape of a
monster. Emotional management, however, doesn’t mean total suppression. In
fact, emotions are an important element in our lives. What is required is
emotional restraint, some sort of tempered balance and wisdom. Total absence
of emotions can make our life dull and isolate us from the richness of life. So
when emotions are muted, it can create dullness and distance. When left
unchecked, they become pathological and lead us to depression, over whelming
anxiety and raging anger. Unless we keep distressed emotions under check, we
will not experience emotional well- being.
Hence, we have to find ways to cope with our emotions. Controlling emotions
is easier said than done. This doesn’t mean that we should allow our emotions
to go on unchecked. So when we are under the grip of strong feelings, we
should strive to know precisely what feelings we are presently expressing,
name those feelings and trace the sources from which they spring up. Once we
are able to identify our inner feelings and sources from which they arise, we are
in a better position to bring our discretion and rationalization to bear upon
them. In the process, we will be able to assess the pros and cons if we allow our
feelings to go unchecked. This will give us a fair idea as to whether or not to
continue with the expression of our feelings or to bring some sort of constraint
on them so that they are expressed appropriately and effectively. Symptoms of
deficiency in emotional management manifest themselves in incidents of
violence, juvenile arrest rate for violent crimes, suicide rate of teenagers, rapes
and mental illnesses.
Life skills, such as self-esteem, self-awareness, assertiveness, coping with
stress, and coping with emotions can provide you with the much needed
understanding about yourself and ability to manage yourself so that you can go
steadily along the path of growth and development without any sort of
disturbances. So these skills are inevitable for you. The understanding and
insight you gained from picking up these skills will enable you to focus on your
studies and come out with glory.
Coping with stress is about recognising the sources of stress in our lives, recognising
how this affects us, and acting in ways that help to control our levels of stress. This
may mean that we take action to reduce the sources of stress, for example, by making
changes to our physical environment or lifestyle. Or it may mean learning how to
relax, so that tensions created by unavoidable stress do not give rise to health
problems.

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 Stress generally refers to the reaction that people show when they encounter
excessive pressure. Depending upon our attitude and our level of tolerance, the
pressure we experience may keep varying. Stress lays much more of a demand
on the person’s ability than it can meet. This tension which is beyond one’s
capacity to cope with lead to stress. People tend to experience stress when the
pressure becomes excessive.
Causes of stress are many. Every day we are confronted with several situations
that produce stress. As a student, you may feel stressful if you have the habit of
postponing your task of learning. What you are supposed to learn today, you
put off for tomorrow. This postponement goes on and on till the exam date
approaches. Then you have a lot of things to study in a little time. It is quite
natural to feel tense. Apart from this, your ways of thinking, feeling and acting,
can lead to stress. Similarly, when you are involved in dull and uninteresting
tasks, conflict with peers whom you love, physical ailment, threat to your
security, personal loss through death, etc. stress can occur.
Even though stress when it is excessive is harmful, a slight amount of stress is a
great source of assistance. It is essential for spurring motivation providing the
stimulation for taking up challenging tasks. To get the most out of life, we
require a certain amount of stress. It would act as an impetus to complete tasks
that are important. Thus a mild stress can be a useful source for creative
energy. However, if it is severe, it can turn out to not only damaging but also
fatal. Stress is the root cause of many illnesses. If stress responses are not
managed in time, they can lead to fatal consequences such as hypertension,
ulcers, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, etc. If we do not learn to cope with stress,
our immune system would decline and signs of hypertension, neurosis, apathy,
and depression, etc. would begin to show up rather early in life.
There are several ways to cope with stress. One of them is to challenge our way
of thinking. We need to avoid preoccupation with debilitating negative
thoughts and focus only on our strengths and victories. Similarly we have to
avoid the habit of worrying and projecting the worst that can happen. We also
need to assess whether or not worry is worth the price we pay. Similarly, by
getting organized, avoiding procrastination, developing a good sense of
humour, striking a balance between study and leisure, we can keep stress at bay
to a great extent.

Components of life skill

(ref: LIFE SKILLS ON ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: PACKAGE OF LESSONS AND CURRICULUM MATERIALS )

WHO categorizes a core set of life skills into the following three components:

A) Thinking skills - include self-awareness, social awareness, goal-setting, problem solving

and decision-making. To be able to think critically, information should be provided in order

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to make informed decisions and choices. The skills to think critically can also be developed if
the teenagers are given the opportunity to look at different perspectives of an issue, the pros
and the cons of making one decision over the other and making them realize the negative
consequences of making hasty, unplanned decisions.

B) Social skills - include appreciating/validating others’; working with others and

understanding their roles; building positive relationships with friends and family; listening
and communicating effectively; taking responsibility and coping with stress. Social skills
enable the adolescents to be accepted in society and to accept social norms which provide
foundation for adult social behaviour

C) Negotiation skills- means not only negotiating with others but with oneself as well. For
effectively negotiating with others, one needs to know what one wants in life, is firm on one’s
values and beliefs and can therefore say “no” to harmful behaviour and risky temptations.

UNICEF presents the following components of life skills:

A) the Skills - this involves a group of psycho-social and interpersonal skills (described
above) which are interlinked with each other; e.g., decision making is likely to involve
creative and critical thinking components and values analysis.

B) Content - to effectively influence behaviour, skills must be utilized in a particular content

area or topic. “What are we making decisions about?” Learning about decision making will
be more meaningful if the content is relevant and remains constant. Such content areas as
described above could be drug use, HIV/AIDS/STD prevention, suicide prevention, sexual
abuse, etc. Whatever the content area, a balance of three elements needs to be considered:
knowledge, attitudes and skills.

C) Methods - skills-based education cannot occur when there is no interaction among

participants; it relies on groups of people to be effective (it is difficult to imagine analyzing
values and attitudes if only one individual’s ideas are present). Interpersonal and psycho-
social skills cannot be learned from sitting alone and reading a book. All three components,
life skills, content and method should all be in place if this approach is to be successful.

Significance of Life skills for adolescents and

youth
Life skills are a vast group of psycho-social and interpersonal skills that is needed for every
individual to lead a healthy and productive life. These are the skills that help in promoting
mental wellbeing and competence in young people.

Adolescence: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an adolescent as any person
between ages 10 and 19. This age range falls within WHO’s definition of young people,
which refers to individuals between ages 10 and 24. “youth” as those in 15-24 years age
group and the two age groups is labeled “young people” covering the age group of 10-24
years.

Adolescence is a transitional period of human life when various physical and psychological
changes are occurs. Adolescents who are also known as teenagers, youth, young people, form
a distinct population group in society because of their unique biological, psychological and

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social characteristics. During this period adolescents try to adjust their behavior, attitude
according to the need of the society. The youth in this stage start to think differently. They
like to being independent of the family members, establish friendships with their peers and
develop their own believe and attitude. To cope up with these changes and to adjust and
perform effectively in the society life skills education is very much important for every
teenager during their adolescence period.

Adolescence is considered as a period of stress and storm in which teenagers go through

different physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes. Their body begins to grow
rapidly in shape and size. They also experience hormone change and sexual maturation. Girls
experience menarche and boys, spermarche. All these changes make them uncomfortable.
They leave them confused and vulnerable. Also it is a period when the intellectual, physical,
social, emotional and all the capabilities are very high, but, unfortunately, most of the
adolescents are unable to utilize their potential to maximum due to various reasons.

The pubertal changes affect their self-esteem and they develop poor body image. They
become more concerned about how they look rather than what they want to accomplish in
their life. If adolescents are equipped with life skills, they will be able to cope with all such
situations successfully.

They face many emerging issues such as global warming, famines, poverty, suicide,
population explosion as well as other issues like alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual abuse,
smoking, juvenile delinquency, anti-social acts, etc. that have an adverse effect on them and
others too, to a large extent. The cut-throat competition, unemployment, lack of job security,
etc. are some of the major concerns for the educated and as a result, they are caught in the
mad race. This new challenge requires immediate and effective responses from a socially
responsible system of education.

Adolescents are prone to risky behaviours. Adolescence is a period of excitement,

experimentation, and change. Adolescents are curious and want to experiment several things.
They may easily divert their attention into activities such as smoking, using drugs, fighting,
and taking laws into their hands. They are also prone to sexual relationships owing either to
coercion or peer pressure. Many are pushed into action without giving any thought to
consequences. Such individuals can possibly become subject to sexually transmitted
infections. They need to learn the importance of saying “no” especially at times to negative
peer pressure. They need to learn to take control of their emotions and make informed
decisions. In all such situations, life skills surely guide them and place them on the high way
to development.

‘Education’ is important, but education to support and live life better is more important. It has
been felt that life skills education bridges the gap between basic functioning and capabilities.
It strengthens the ability of an individual to meet the needs and demands of the present
society and helps in dealing with the above issues in a manner to get desired behavior
practical. Imparting life skill training through inculcating life skill education will help youth
to overcome such difficulties in life.

In this period teaching life skills (Life skills, as we have already noted, are abilities that
enable adolescents to deal effectively with demands and challenges of everyday life) is very
much important for the adolescents which assist to effectively communicate, think critically

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and creatively, taking rational decisions in their life. Life skills education help in empowering
the youths to act responsibly in the society. These life skills are important because these will
help teenagers in coping with problems they faced in their everyday life. Life skills education
can be imparted through different strategies like brain storming, role play, group discussions
etc. Life skills education should be provided to every young people so that they can live a
happy and successful life.

Thus, life skills supply adolescents with capacity to deal with effectively with the demands
and challenges of everyday life. Life skills like critical thinking, creative thinking, etc. are
higher order skills. If the students manage to equip themselves with these skills, they will be
able to make predictions, make inferences, formulate hypotheses, draw conclusions, make
decisions, solve problems, identify assumptions, recognize logical inconsistencies, etc. Self-
awareness, for example, is a life skill that can throw ample light on oneself. It can shed light
on our emotions, our behaviours, our social competence, our preferences, our goals, etc.
Developing interpersonal relations is yet another important life skill. It is a competence that
helps us relate to others effectively. In this way each life skill has much to contribute towards
making us more effective and efficient. Life skill education, therefore, is something that is
unavoidable as far as adolescents are concerned. It will unquestionably place them on the
highway to growth and development.

Life skill education is a program of teaching the core life skills in an effective teaching-
learning environment. The major objective of the life skills education program is to help
students with the strategies to take right decisions that contribute to a meaningful life. Life
skills education enable individuals to understand themselves as well as evaluate their
strengths, weakness and development level. It also assists youth to behave effectively in the
society and to adjust with the changing environment and enables them to make responsible
decisions. Life skills help adolescents improve their lives. In life skills education program
basic skills building activities are taught through group discussion, brain storming, role play
etc. These life skills help an adolescent to overcome problems they face in their life. By
acquiring these skills young people learn to interact with others in the society. It helps them
to control their feelings and take right decisions whenever needed. The need and importance
of life skills education for adolescents are discussed below-

• Life skills are important for adolescents because they help them in developing social and
emotional skills which is needed for adolescents in successful transition from childhood to
adulthood.

• It assists teenagers to develop social skills as well as problem solving ability which
ultimately help them to shape their own particular personality.

• It promotes positive social attitude and behavior among the adolescents.

• It is necessary for promotion of self-esteem, peace and self confidence among the
adolescents.

• It is important to prevent anti-social activities and behavior of adolescents.

• It helps adolescent to stay away from using tobacco, alcohol etc.

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• Life skills are needed for the adolescents for being able to explore the alternatives.

• It is also necessary for adolescents to make rational decisions in their life.

• It is important to develop critical thinking, creative thinking etc.

• It is necessary to maintain good social or interpersonal relationships in the society.

Life skills are vital for adolescents and youth as they provide the tools necessary to navigate
life’s challenges and make responsible, healthy decisions. The development of these skills
has broad benefits across various areas of young people's lives, as outlined below:

1. Foundational Areas of Competence: Life skills encompass five main areas—

decision-making, creative thinking, communication, self-awareness, and problem-
solving. When youth are taught these skills, they gain a foundation for psychosocial
competence, empowering them to think critically, communicate effectively, and act
responsibly. This helps them to make better choices, cope with challenges, and
interact in healthy ways with others.

2. Preventative Health Benefits: Life skills education has been proven effective in
various programs that address issues like substance abuse, adolescent pregnancy, and
bullying. By teaching youth skills like assertive communication, problem-solving, and
empathy, these programs help prevent harmful behaviors before they start. Such
primary prevention is key to promoting health and well-being and reducing the
likelihood of risky behaviors.

3. Mental Health and Self-esteem: Life skills education fosters self-confidence, self-
efficacy, and a positive self-image. Skills such as self-awareness and coping with
emotions enable young people to handle stress and build resilience. This boosts their
mental well-being and helps prevent mental health issues. A positive sense of self not
only promotes a healthier mental state but also strengthens motivation to care for
themselves and others.

4. Building Healthy Relationships: Through life skills, adolescents learn essential

interpersonal abilities like empathy and effective communication. These skills
improve their ability to form healthy relationships, resolve conflicts, and cooperate
with others. Developing these social competencies is critical to reducing bullying and
fostering supportive, understanding communities.

5. Linking Knowledge, Values, and Behavior: Life skills serve as a bridge between
what young people know and what they do. They help translate knowledge and values
into actual abilities and actions, guiding youth to make choices that reflect their goals
and values. For example, knowing about the risks of substance abuse is valuable, but
having the skills to resist peer pressure and handle social situations assertively is what
enables them to act on this knowledge.

6. Adaptability to Life’s Challenges: Adolescence is a time of change, and life skills

enhance young people's ability to adapt to these changes, from social dynamics to
academic and career pressures. Skills like critical thinking, coping with stress, and
problem-solving prepare youth to tackle life's uncertainties confidently and
effectively.

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 7. Broad Application Across Life Domains: The universal value of life skills means
that they can be applied in various contexts—from health and academic settings to
personal and social environments. Teaching life skills as generic skills related to
everyday life creates a comprehensive foundation on which more specific problem-
solving skills (such as managing peer pressure or avoiding risky behaviors) can be
built.

In summary, life skills are fundamental for adolescents and youth as they support mental
well-being, prevent health and social issues, and empower young people to act in ways that
are beneficial for themselves and society. Developing these skills equips youth to face life’s
challenges and opportunities with resilience, confidence, and a commitment to making
positive choices.

End

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