Pearson, D., Kennedy, F.C., Talreja, V., Bhat, S., & Newman-Taylor, K. (2021). Thriving in adversity: Do life skills programs work for developing world children? A pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

The severe adversity experienced by millions of children in the

developing world leads to failure to thrive associated with cognitive

deficits, emotional management problems, and social impairment. In

this pragmatic randomized controlled trial, 909 children (aged 8–15

years) in India with disadvantaged backgrounds took part in a

semistructured program involving sports or creative arts activities. The

Life Skills Assessment Scale was used to assess the children’s life skills

before and after taking part in the program. Children who took part in

the program showed significant increases in life skills following

participation, compared to a control group. This study demonstrates

the impact of simple, low-budget programs on cognitive, emotional,

and social life skills that are typically delayed by severe adversity. The

findings have clear implications for children in other adverse

environments, such as conflict zones and settlements for displaced

children resulting from war, natural disasters, and emergency events.