The 5-5-5 Prosperity Intervention: A Pilot Study on Enhancing Financial Literacy, Emotional Intelligence, and Academic Self-Efficacy in Young Adults

Background: Young adults often face challenges in managing financial literacy, emotional intelligence, and academic self-efficacy, three essential domains for long-term personal and professional success. Deficiencies in these areas can lead to financial insecurity, academic underachievement, and psychological stress. Positive psychology-based interventions may offer an effective approach to addressing these needs. The 5-5-5 Prosperity Intervention is a 21-day structured pilot program designed to enhance financial habits, emotional intelligence, and lifelong learning motivation among young adults, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and 4 (Quality Education). Aim: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the 5-5-5 Prosperity Intervention in improving financial literacy, academic self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence. Methods: A one-group pre-test–post-test design was employed with 32 participants aged 20–25 years, selected through convenience sampling. The Financial Literacy Scale (Lone & Bhat, 2024), Academic Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (Sachitra & Bandara, 2017), and Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale (Davies et al., 2010) were administered before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests. Results: Post-intervention scores demonstrated significant improvements across all domains: Financial Literacy (t = -3.416, p < .01, Cohen’s d = 0.60), Academic Self-Efficacy (t = -3.127, p < .01, Cohen’s d = 0.55), and Emotional Intelligence (t = -3.665, p = .001, Cohen’s d = 0.65). These results indicate moderate to large effect sizes, suggesting that the 5-5-5 Prosperity Intervention effectively enhanced participants’ financial literacy, academic self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence. Conclusion: The 5-5-5 Prosperity Intervention was effective in enhancing financial literacy, academic self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence among young adults. As a brief, pilot intervention, it shows promise for integration into academic and community programs, supporting holistic development and SDG-aligned behavioural change. Keywords: Positive Psychology, Financial Literacy, Sustainable Development Goals, Quality Education, Behaviour Change