Role of Social Intelligence in Shaping Self-Esteem: A Comparative Study of Adolescents with Internal and External Locus of Control

Abstract

The present study seeks to determine the influence of social intelligence on self-esteem in adolescents, while also taking into consideration the locus of control in individuals. Social Intelligence encompasses social competence, which is important in interacting with others and carries a great importance in achieving self-esteem. The present study investigates the interface of teenage social intelligence to work out and address these issues in respect of adolescent self-esteem and locus of control. This study was conducted on adolescents attending schools in Kerala. The analysis made use of a number of statistical techniques mean, median, standard deviation, correlation, and standard error in order to evaluate the interaction between social intelligence, locus of control and self-esteem. Three hypotheses were therefore formulated with regard to the relationships between these variables with the intention to find out how the level of social intelligence in different teenagers with different orientations of locus control influences their self-esteem. Among the social intelligence and the locus of control tested, the results showed that there was also an existing relationship for social intelligence and self-esteem variables. Higher social intelligence among adolescents was associated with higher self-esteem and this was related to the adolescents’ locus of control orientation. These results are so significant in regard to the need to promote the development of social intelligence in educational and developmental intervention strategies relative to self-esteem among adolescents.