EFFECT OF SELF – CONCEPT IN WORKING AND NON-WORKING MOTHER ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of maternal employment status on self-concept among adolescents aged 13-18 from Western Uttar Pradesh, India, using a 2×2 factorial design (working vs. non-working mothers; male vs. female). A purposive sample of 120 adolescents (60 per group) completed the Saraswat Self-Concept Scale, assessing six dimensions: physical, social, intellectual, moral, educational, and temperamental. ANOVA results revealed a significant main effect for maternal employment (F(1,116)=2.51, with adolescents of working mothers showing higher mean self-concept scores (177.25) than those of non-working mothers (173.74). No significant gender differences (F=1.55, ns) or interaction effects (F=0.58, ns) emerged, indicating comparable self-concept across boys and girls irrespective of maternal work status. These findings align with research suggesting working mothers foster positive environments enhancing adolescent self-perception, though results vary by cultural context. Implications highlight the need for supportive family dynamics to bolster adolescent emotional development during identity formation.