Life Skills among Boys and Girls Secondary School Students: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Life skills are essential competencies that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. They help students develop positive attitudes, sound decision-making abilities, emotional stability, interpersonal relationships, communication skills, and problem-solving competencies. During adolescence, particularly at the secondary school level, students undergo rapid physical, emotional, social, and psychological changes that require well-developed life skills for healthy adjustment and overall personality development. The present study aimed to compare the life skills of boys and girls studying at the secondary school level. A descriptive survey method with a quantitative research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 100 secondary school students, comprising 50 boys and 50 girls, was selected using the simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through a standardized Life Skills Scale and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, and independent sample t-test. The findings revealed significant differences between boys and girls in various dimensions of life skills. Girls demonstrated comparatively higher levels of empathy, interpersonal relationships, and emotional coping, whereas boys scored higher in decision-making and problem-solving skills. The study emphasizes the importance of life skills education, guidance and counselling, and learner-centred instructional practices in promoting students' holistic development. The findings provide useful implications for teachers, school administrators, parents, and educational policymakers in strengthening life skills education at the secondary school level.