Impact of Life Skills Training on the Hope for the Future and Emotional-behavioral Problems of Afghan Migrant Child Laborers in Isfahan

Introduction and purpose: Due to being away from or being neglected by their families, child laborers spend their childhoods far from happiness and peace. This situation affects their sensitive childhood and adulthood years and leads to emotional and behavioral problems, such as aggression and anxiety. The present study aimed to assess the effect of life skills training on emotional behavioral problems and hope for the future of Afghan migrant child laborers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with the research population consisting of Afghan migrant child laborers in Isfahan in 2023. A total of 50 cases were selected using the convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two groups: intervention and control. The intervention group received 10 sessions of life skills training, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Participants answered the Kazdin Children's Hopelessness and Goodman Strengths and Weaknesses Questionnaires before and after the study. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 18) using descriptive (frequency, mean, and percentage) and inferential (independent and paired t-tests) tests. Results: The mean scores for emotional-behavioral problems and hope for the future were not significantly different between the two groups before the study (P<0.05). After the intervention, the mean score of emotional-behavioral problems was 46.31±0.49, with a significant decrease in all its components except the hyperactivity component (P=0.001). Nonetheless, the mean score of hope for the future was 16.03±6.18, which was not significant. In the control group, the mean scores of the variables remained unchanged and were not statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, life skills training improves the emotional-behavioral problems of Afghan migrant child laborers; however, a longer process may be needed to impact their future aspirations.