A Study of Life Skill Components in Clients Referred to Health and Counseling Centers

Background : Life skills include a set of abilities to increase the power of adaptability and positive behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of ten life skill components and their related factors among individuals referring to veterans' health and counseling centers in the city of Tehran. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted among participants over the age of 20. The sample size was estimated based on the Morgan table and Cochran sampling formula. The present study utilized the shortened life skills scale including 10 subscales.  Data were analyzed using statistical t-test, Pearson correlation, and one-way analysis of variance. Results : The total mean of life skills was significantly higher among women (P value=0.01). Age had a significant direct correlation with total life skills (r=0.19). There were significant differences between the three educational levels in 8 out of 10 components. The decision-making power had a significant correlation with "problem solving" and "creative thinking". "Critical thinking" had a high correlation with "effective communication", "coping with stress" and "attracting social support". "Coping with emotion" had a direct and high correlation with "coping with stress" and "self-awareness" but its correlation was reversed with "creative thinking". Conclusions : The mean score of life skills among clients of veteran`s health and counseling centers was slightly higher than the average population; while the rate of enjoyment of life skills was different in this subpopulation. The results implicate an urgent need to improve life skills, especially for highly educated people. Keywords :  Life skills, Veterans, Cross-sectional study, Iran.