SOCIAL MATURITY AMONG HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN RELATION TO LIFE SKILLS

Abstract

Today adolescents are living in a more complex world, which has resulted in increased stress, a phenomenon that is directly related to their health. Adolescence is a time of emotional upheaval. Developing social maturity helps students understand and manage their emotions better, enabling them to cope with stress, anxiety, and conflicts more effectively. Life skills encompass a range of practical abilities necessary for daily living. These skills include time management, financial literacy, problem solving, critical thinking and organisational skills. They equip students to handle various challenges they may encounter in adulthood. Life skills contribute to overall well- being and social maturity. Stress management, resilience and coping strategies are essential tools for managing the pressures of academics and Social maturity and life skills complement academic knowledge, fostering well-rounded development in students. Students with strong social maturity and life skills are better equipped to succeed academically, professionally, and personally. Social maturity and life skills help students resist negative influences and make informed, responsible choices. Incorporating programs and activities that focus on developing social maturity and life skills among higher secondary school students is essential for their comprehensive growth and preparation for a successful future. Schools, parents, and communities are pivotal in providing opportunities for students to cultivate these skills and attitudes. The present study is a step in this direction of understanding the relationship between social maturity and life skills of higher secondary school students. Sample was selected through random sampling technique and accordingly 200 from government and private higher secondary school students of urban and rural areas. The date has been collected using a standarsised tool namely Rao’s Social Maturity Scale by Rao (2002) and Life Skills Scale by Chandra Kumari and Tripathi (2019) for collection of data. The data collected was analysed using percentage, correlation and t- test. The findings of the study revealed that the social majority of students studying in higher secondary schools have a below average level of social maturity. Only 41(20.5%) students has been found to have a very high level of maturity, 47(23.5%) students have high level maturity, 74(37.0%) students have under above average level of maturity, 31(15.5) have average level of maturity, 3(1.5%) students have below average level maturity and 3(1.5%) students have low level maturity, 1(0.5%) students have very low level of social maturity.It also revealed that the life skills of students studying in higher secondary schools have an above average level of life skills. xii Only 5(2.5%) student has been found to have a extremely high level of life skills, 47(23.5%) student have high level life skills,74(37%) students have above average level of life skills, 31(15.5%) student have under average level of life skills, 3(1.5%) have below average level of life skills, 3(1.5%) students have low level of life skills and 1(0.5%) student have extremely low level of life skills.No significant difference in social maturity of higher secondary school students with respect to gender. No significant difference in social maturity of higher secondary school students with respect to type of school. No significant differences in life skills of higher secondary school students with respect to gender. No significant differences in life skills of higher secondary school students with respect to type of school. No significant correlation found to exist between social maturity and life skills of higher secondary school students.