Investigating the Life Skills and Self-Esteem in Teenage Girls in Birjand, Iran

Background Life skills are the strategies that enable people to live a successful life in different environments. Life skills training promotes self-esteem. Self-esteem, as one of the most fundamental factors in the optimal growth of personality in teenagers, is a crucial factor. Considering the role of life skills in gaining self-esteem, we aimed to study the status of life skills and self-esteem as well as the association between life skills and self-esteem among Iranian teenage girls. Materials and Methods This correlational cross-sectional study was conducted on 364 teenage girls in the age range of 12-14 years in Birjand city, 2018. The data were collected using a three-part questionnaire; baseline characteristics, Life Skills questionnaire, and Rosenberg Self-esteem Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22.0. Results The highest mean score of life skills was related to the "interpersonal relationships" dimension (15.07 ± 2.99); whereas, the lowest mean score was related to the "problem-solving" dimension (12.09 ± 3.53). The total mean score of life skills was 138.23 ± 26.80 and the mean score of self-esteem was 4.98 ± 4.41. There was a significant association between life skills and self-esteem (p<0.05). Conclusion According to the significant association between life skills and self-esteem, we can improve adolescents' self-esteem by conducting appropriate educational courses about life skills.