Parental education and life skills among tribal (Siddi) and rural adolescents

Abstract

Life skills are psycho-social skills that strengthen individuals themselves to deal with the demands of life. Lifeskills are psycho-social competencies and interpersonal skills that help the individual to make informed decisions, solveproblems, think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, andcope with and manage their lives in a healthy and comfortable life. Siddi isone of the primitive tribal groups of Karnatakawhich is lagging behind the demographic, social and economic indicators. The present study was conducted on 800(375- Siddi and 425-rural) adolescents from 15 high schools of Haliyal, Mundgod and Yallapurtaluks of Uttar Kannadadistrict, Karnataka. Personal information was elicited using a structured interview schedule and life skills were assessed,using Life Skills Assessment Scale by Nair et al. (2010). Results highlighted thatnearly half (48.00%) of Siddi adolescentspossessed low levels of life skills followed by average (39.20%) and very low (12.80%) levels of life skills. None of theSiddiadolescents possessed high and very high levels of life skills. But in the case of rural adolescents, the opposite trendwas evidenced where more than half (59.52%) of them attained average levels of life skills followed by low (35.29%) andvery low (4.80%). There was a significant difference found between Siddi and rural adolescents where ruraladolescentsattained higher levels of life skills compared to Siddi tribal adolescents. Education of parents positively contributed and aidsin the enhancement of life skills among adolescents, higher the educational level of the parents, better the attainment of lifeskills among Siddi and rural adolescents.