Evidence - SBC Impact
Compelling, credible, recent, direct impact data
Evidence - SBC Impact
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Psychosocial Resilience Curriculum - Improved Physical Health for Adolescent Girls

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Strategy researched

A comprehensive, scalable programme that combines evidence-based curricula that promote health [the Girls First Health Curriculum (HC)] as well as resilience/psychosocial wellbeing [the Girls First Resilience Curriculum (RC)] for marginalised girls in India

Impact achieved

Girls First (RC + HC) improves physical health outcomes versus the control, and the improvements made by Girls First girls were greater than those achieved by the individual programme components alone (RC or HC). The biggest detected effects were for RC + HC, including an increase in 5.11 units in the health knowledge scale used (0-14 scale) and a 4.62 increase in the score of the 0-32 gender equality score applied (0-32) when compared to schools without any intervention. In addition, RC + HC showed small scale but significant differences for all interventions compared to the control schools in secondary results of the study in indexes related to clean water behaviours, hand washing, menstrual hygiene, health communication, ability to get a doctor, substance use, safety, and vitality and functioning for the girls in the intervention schools.

 

Country of study

India

Research methodology

RCT

Journal

Social Science and Medicine; 2016

Journal paper title and link

A psychosocial resilience curriculum provides the "missing piece" to boost adolescent physical health: A randomized controlled trial of Girls First in India

Excerpt from Abstract

"Girls First significantly improved both primary and eight secondary outcomes (all except nutrition) versus controls. Additionally, Girls First demonstrated significantly greater effects, improving both primary and six secondary outcomes (clean water behaviors, hand washing, health communication, ability to get to a doctor, nutrition, safety) versus HC....[C]ombining these curricula amplified effects achieved by either curriculum alone. These findings suggest that psychosocial wellbeing should receive much broader attention, not only from those interested in improving psychosocial outcomes but also from those interested in improving physical health outcomes."

Summary at this link

 

Why the focus on direct impact data?

A common challenge from policy makers, funders, community members, people directly experiencing development issues, and governments is: Demonstrate your Impact. Prove that what you are doing works. The high quality, highly credible data presented on the cards below is designed to help you answer that question for your social change, behaviour change, community engagement, communication and media for development, strategy formulation, policy engagement and funding initiatives. At this link filter the research data to your specific interests and priorities

Why a playing cards design?

There is a physical pack of cards with this data (to get a copy please request through the comment form for any card). The card approach allows for easy identification and selection of relevant direct impact data in any context. For example if talking with a donor and you need to identify proof of impact say "take a look at the 7 of Hearts". Quick access can be provided to high-quality data for many areas of your work – funding, planning, policy, advocacy, community dialogue, training, partner engagement, and more. A card deck is also engaging, easy to use and share, a conversation starter, and a resource - and they are fun and different. So we kept that design for the online images as it can serve similar purposes. 

What are the criteria for inclusion?

The impact data presented meets the following high standard for inclusion criteria:

  • Positive change or trend in a priority development issue;
  • Social change or behaviour change strategy or process;
  • Randomized Control Trial or Systematic Review methodology;
  • High quality peer review journal published;
  • Numeric impact data point
  • Published since 2010.