EXAMINING THE LINK BETWEEN ADAPTIVE SKILLS AND ALTRUISM AMONG HIGHER SECONDARY STUDENTS: VARIATIONS ACROSS GENDER AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS

Abstract

The present study investigates the relationship between adaptive skills and altruism among higher secondary students in the context of developing social competencies influenced by adversity quotient. In contemporary educational settings, the ability of students to adapt to challenging circumstances and demonstrate prosocial behaviours such as altruism has gained increasing importance. Adaptive skills enable individuals to effectively cope with academic, social, and emotional challenges, while altruism reflects a willingness to help others and contribute positively to society. Understanding the association between these attributes is essential for promoting healthy social development among adolescents. The study adopted a descriptive survey method to examine the relationship between adaptive skills and altruism among higher secondary students. The sample consisted of higher secondary students representing different socio-demographic groups. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to analyze the relationship between the variables for the total sample and subsamples based on gender and socio-economic status.

The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between adaptive skills and altruism among higher secondary students in the total sample (r = 0.404, p < 0.01), indicating a moderate level of association between the two variables. Gender-wise analysis showed that male students exhibited a significant but weak positive correlation (r = 0.329, p < 0.01), whereas female students demonstrated a stronger moderate positive correlation (r = 0.494, p < 0.01). Further analysis based on socio-economic status indicated significant positive relationships across all groups. Students belonging to high socio-economic status showed a weak positive correlation (r = 0.371, p < 0.01), students with average socio-economic status exhibited a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.425, p < 0.01), and students from low socio-economic status demonstrated a weak positive correlation (r = 0.332, p < 0.01). Overall, the results indicate that higher levels of altruism are associated with increased adaptive skills among higher secondary students. The study highlights the importance of fostering altruistic values and adaptive competencies within educational environments to enhance students’ social skills and resilience in the face of adversity.