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Residential Immersive Life Skills (RILS) programs are unique programs for youth with disabilities. Situated, experiential, psychoeducational and strengths-based learning approaches expose youth to opportunities and experiences that can facilitate the development of adaptive behaviours. This study examined the pedagogy of RILS programs to facilitate life skills development in youth. This study draws on 25 qualitative interviews that were conducted with nine youth who attended one of three separate RILS programs. Interviews were conducted at three different time points: pre-program, 3 months post-program and 12 months post-program. Data were analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. The analysis provided evidence of the intended learning approaches that are mobilised in the RILS pedagogy (applied mechanisms): situated and experiential learning and psychoeducational and strengths-based learning approaches. The transcripts also uncovered three behavioural and emotional elements in the RILS pedagogy (implicit mechanisms): the power of (1) interpersonal connections; (2) culture of collective understanding; and (3) emotional contagion. Findings validated evidence of applied mechanisms and uncovered the hidden behavioural and emotional mechanisms in the RILS pedagogy. This in-depth insight is central to further developing not only independence-oriented life skills programs, but also broader education programs for youth with disabilities.

Residential Immersive life skills (RILS) programs are unique programs for youth with disabilities. These programs enable youth to develop adaptive behaviors required to navigate adulthood. This study explored the emergence of emotional literacy development for youth who attended RILS programs. This study draws on twenty-five qualitative interviews that were conducted with nine youth who attended RILS programs. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, aligned to a phenomenological approach. The themes reflecting emotional literacy development in youth were: (1) Enhanced intrapersonal development; (2) Shifts in emotional regulation and emotional responses; (3) Realized potential and self-actualization. The opportunities and experiences offered in the RILS programs have the potential to facilitate emotional literacy development in youth with disabilities. The findings contribute towards the research evidence on the importance of emotional literacy development in young people with disabilities and the development and mobilization of evidence-based life skills programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]