Demographic Differences in Perceived Acceptance, Emotional Intelligence, and Social Anxiety among Adolescents in Islamabad, Pakistan
Contributors
- Maryam Fayyaz MS Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Riphah International University, Gulberg Green, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Dr. Fayyaz Ahmed Anjum Associate Professor & Head of Department, Department of Psychology, Muslim Youth University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Uroosa Jamil M.Phil. Psychology, Muslim Youth University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Muhammad Umar Fayyaz PhD Scholar, Department of Psychology, Government College University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of heightened social evaluation, and the levels of perceived acceptance, emotional intelligence (EI), and social anxiety that young people report may differ across demographic groups. This cross-sectional study examined gender, age, grade-level, and institution-type differences in these three constructs among 300 adolescents (150 boys, 150 girls; age 10–19 years, M = 14.16, SD = 2.46) recruited by convenience sampling from private, semi-government, and government institutions in Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants completed the Perceived Acceptance Scale, the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (fear and avoidance subscales). Boys scored higher than girls on EI, t(298) = 3.32, p = .001, d = 0.38, and on social anxiety avoidance, d = 0.66, whereas girls scored higher on fear of negative evaluation, d = 0.83; perceived acceptance did not differ by gender. Perceived acceptance was higher in mid-adolescents (14–16 years) than in early adolescents, F(2, 297) = 3.87, p = .022. Students in Grades 11–12 reported more fear and avoidance than younger students, and government-school students reported more fear and avoidance than semi-government-school students, whereas EI was highest in private schools. EI was negatively related to avoidance (r = −.15, p = .009), but perceived acceptance was unrelated to the other variables. The findings show that adolescents’ emotional and social functioning varies systematically by demographic group and point to gender-sensitive, grade-targeted, school-based prevention.
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Corresponding Author
Maryam Fayyaz
MS Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Riphah International University, Gulberg Green, Islamabad, Pakistan
Corresponding Author: [email protected]
