Impact of Life Skills Training to Improve Cognition on Risk of Sexual Behavior and Contraceptive Use among Vocational School Students in Shanghai,China

Objective To evaluate the impact of life skills training that uses participatory teaching method on improving reproductive health cognition of vocational school students of metropolitan, China.Methods Three vocational schools of an urban district in Shanghai were selected as the research sites, with two schools as the intervention groups（group A and group B） and the other as the control（group C）. Group A was provided life skills training with core of reproductive health plus peer education, while group B only provided life skills training. All the second grade students were recruited as the subjects. Baseline surveys were conducted in three schools before the implementation of the intervention, and similar surveys were conducted after two terms of the intervention to test the effectiveness of the intervention. In total, 1 612 subjects, including 810 males and 802 females, were recruited. The effects of the intervention on subjects＇ cognitions on sexual behavior and condom/contraceptive use were analyzed using mixed model with repeated measures.Results From pretest to posttest, there were significant increase of the proportions of perceiving risks in getting pregnant, infecting STDs and HIV, benefits by learning and using condom, and self-efficacy in contraceptive use, and decrease of the proportions of perceiving barriers for condom use in two intervention groups; while few similar changes in the control group. In mixed modeling analysis, interaction effects of group A × time and group B × time were found on the scores of perceived risks （P〈0.000 1）, perceived benefits （P〈0.000 1）, perceived barriers （P=0.001 2for group A and P=0.003 4 for group B）,and perceived self-efficacy （P〈0.000 1）. The significant difference of the effects between two interventions was only observed on perceived benefits （P 〈0.000 1）.Conclusion Life skills training using participatory approaches is effective in improving students＇ reproductive health cognition and could be used as an important method in educating young people about sex-related issues.

Efficacy of Williams LifeSkills Training in improving psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders:a randomized controlled study

This randomized controlled study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Williams Life Skills Training（WLST） as a means ofimproving the psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders.Sixty-six participants were assigned randomly to receive the usual intervention plus 8 weeks of WLST（study group,n = 33） or only the usual intervention（control group,n = 33）. We found that the study group exhibited significantly decreased State-Trait Anxiety Inventory（STAI X-1,X-2） STAX2 scores and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire（TCSQ） negative scores,and increased Interpersonal Support Evaluation List（ISEL） tangible scores from baseline to 9 weeks later（P 〈0.01）. In addition,a between-group difference in changes of TCSQ negative score was observed at the end of week 9（P 〈0.05）. These fi ndings suggest that WLST can improve trait anxiety,coping style,and interpersonal support in male Chinese juvenile violent offenders.

Vulnerability to HIV Infection and Related Health Risk Behaviors of the Out of School Adolescents Migrated with Their Parents to Beijing

Objective To explore the vulnerability to HIV infection and related risk behaviors of the out-of-school adolescents who migrated with their parents from rural areas to cities. Methods From September to October 2005, 260 out-of-school adolescents aged 14-20 years were interviewed through a questionnaire. Results Out-of-school adolescents lacked HIV/AIDS knowledge and related life skills, and their psychosocial competency was relatively low. The interviewed adolescents were open in their sexuality, showing a low rate of condom use. Their attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS prevention competency were positively correlated with family well-being, harmonious relations between their parents, a stable job, knowledge, life skill, and psychosocial competency for emotion control and empathy. Conclusion Out-of-school adolescents are highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection and transmission. Practical and feasible health and life skill education and psychosocial competency are the keys to effective HIV/AIDS prevention among out-of-school adolescent migrants.