The Impact of Life Skills Training on Distress Tolerance, Psychological Adaptation, and High-Risk Behaviors in Incarcerated Women

 The study aimed to evaluate the impact of life skills training on distress tolerance, psychological adaptation, and high-risk behaviors among incarcerated women.

 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.

 Results indicated that life skills training significantly impacted distress tolerance, psychological adaptation, and high-risk behaviors in incarcerated women (p < .01).

 Life skills training can be effectively utilized to enhance distress tolerance and psychological adaptation, and to reduce high-risk behaviors.