Abstract

Drawing from a review of theoretical, methodological, and empirical literature on life skills from the fields of education, public health, psychology, economics, and international development, this presentation attempts to clarify basic definitional and conceptual issues that relate to life skills education. It addresses the questions: 1) What are life skills, and how should they conceptualized as a component of educational quality? And 2) What bodies of practice and research evidence converge in the rise of ‘life skills’ programming and increased interest in ‘life skills’ among thought leaders and donors in the field of international development education? The presentation identifies implications from this analysis to be considered in research and interventions that focus on life skills for adolescents, particularly in light of global efforts to improve the quality of education and empower girls and women.