Life Skills Education and Adolescent Development: An Examination of School-Based Implementation and Stakeholder Perceptions in the Indian Educational Context

Abstract

In the context of increasing complexity of contemporary educational environments schooling must extend beyond academic achievement to support the holistic development of learners. Life Skills Education (LSE) has emerged as an important educational
approach to equip adolescents with psychosocial competencies necessary to navigate personal, social, and academic challenges. International frameworks proposed by organizations such as the World Health Organization emphasise core life skills including
self-awareness, empathy, decision-making, critical thinking, communication, and coping with stress. Despite growing policy attention toward life skills education, particularly within the context of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, empirical research examining its implementation and perceived impact within Indian school settings remains limited.
The present study investigates the role of life skills education in supporting adolescent development within school environments. Specifically, it examines the extent to which life skills are integrated into educational practices and explores stakeholder perceptions regarding their influence on adolescents’ psychosocial development. The study adopts an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to obtain a comprehensive understanding of life skills education implementation. The quantitative phase employed a cross-sectional survey administered to multiple stakeholder groups, including teachers, parents, and students. A total of 479 valid responses were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to examine patterns in the implementation and perceived outcomes of life skills education.
A supplementary qualitative phase involving semi-structured interviews was conducted with purposely selected participants to provide contextual explanation of the statistical findings. Qualitative insights were analysed thematically to clarify implementation challenges, stakeholder perspectives, and contextual factors influencing life skills education within school environments.
The findings indicate that life skills education is moderately implemented across participating schools, with stronger emphasis placed on competencies such as communication, leadership, and collaborative problem-solving. Domains related to emotional regulation and stress management appear to receive less attention. The results show a positive association between life skills education and several dimensions of adolescent development, including interpersonal competence, self-confidence, and the
ability to manage varied challenges. Qualitative insights further highlight structural and pedagogical factors that influence the effective integration of life skills within school settings.
The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the implementation and perceived effectiveness of life skills education within the Indian schooling context. By integrating quantitative analysis with explanatory qualitative insights, the researchIt offers a comprehensive understanding of how life skills are perceived, delivered, and experienced. The findings highlight the need for more structured curricular integration, enhanced teacher training, and stronger institutional support to ensure that life skills education becomes a meaningful component of holistic educational development.