International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Bijaya Laxmi Sahu and Susmita Panda

abstract
Adolescent is the bridge between childhood and adulthood and it is totally based on social behavior. From an early age, humans show important physical growth. However, adolescence is the key period for mental, intellectual and emotional development. Growth and maturity always go together. The present study aimed to assess the level of social maturity among adolescent girls and examine its relationship with various sub factors. A total of 120 adolescent girls from both rural and urban areas of Kanpur district (Uttar Pradesh) were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The Rao’s Social Maturity Scale (RSMS) was employed to measure social maturity across nine key sub-dimensions: Work Orientation, Self-Direction, Ability to Take Stress, Communication, Enlightened Trust, Cooperation, Social Commitment, Social Tolerance, and Openness to Change. Results indicated that the majority of the respondents exhibited average (35%) to above-average (31.67%) levels of social maturity, with a smaller percentage displaying high (20%) and low (4.17%) maturity levels. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between rural and urban adolescence girls at all sub-dimensions of social maturity level. Comparative analysis between rural and urban girls showed no significant difference in their levels of social maturity. The findings suggest that strengthening core social-emotional competencies can positively influence the overall social development of adolescent girls, regardless of their socio-demographic background.