Benefits of residential immersive life skills programs: a prospective study of autonomy and self-efficacy gains and sex differences in youth with disability

Abstract

Purpose

To determine whether Residential Immersive Life Skills programs (RILS) result in reliable change in autonomy and self-efficacy of youth with disabilities and whether gains persist over time. Sex differences and program response patterns were also examined.

Materials and methods

Autonomy from the ARC’s Self-Determination Scale and self-efficacy from the General Self-Efficacy Scale were completed by participants at baseline, post-intervention, 3-month, and at 12-month follow-ups. Reliable change index was calculated and examined over time.

Results

Autonomy improved significantly following the completion of RILS program and gains persisted and increased at 12-month follow-up. Participants who reliably improved in autonomy (program-responders) also improved in self-efficacy. The program-responders began the program with significantly lower autonomy and self-efficacy scores at baseline and differed in personal factor relative to those who did not experience increased autonomy post-program (non-responders). There were sex differences in program response with more male participants responding to the program.

Conclusions

RILS programs can result in sustained improvements in autonomy and self-efficacy. Urgency for change and personal needs/priorities may contribute to growth experiences. We recommend including a social connectedness module that formally facilitates friendships and social development to better meet the social needs of all youth, especially females with disabilities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Youth’s autonomy improves following participation in Residential Immersive Life Skills programs.

• Over time, improvements in youth autonomy may lead to improvements in self-efficacy.

• It is important to measure gains over time as beneficial change increase over time.

• More male participants may experience outcome change in autonomy than female participants.

• Urgency for change and personal needs/priorities may contribute to growth experiences.

Keywords:

• Autonomy
• youth
• self-efficacy
• life skills
• disability
• sex differences

Acknowledgements

We extend our appreciations to team members involved with data collection, including Jesiqua Rapley, Alanna Rudzik, and Madhu Pinto. We also acknowledge the contributions of other members of the Ontario Independence Program Research (OIPR) team, and our sincere gratitude to Madhu Pinto for her assistance.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

We are unable to provide open access to the data due to confidentiality and consent issues. Queries about the results can be directed to [email protected]

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada. Gillian King holds the Canada Research Chair in Optimal Care for Children with Disabilities funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This chair is supported by matching funds from the Kimel Family Opportunities Fund through the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. These funding bodies played no role in the design of the study; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; or in writing the manuscript.