• Dr.Raakhee A.S

The present study attempted to investigate gender and age differences in emotional competence among adolescents. Emotional competence has been defined as the potentials of an individual to understand, express, and modulate emotions effectively that will enable him/her to function adaptively in personal and social contexts. In the framework elaborated by Coleman, 1970, five sub-components of emotional competence were identified, namely: Adequate Depth of Feeling (ADF), Adequate Expression and Control of Emotions (AEC), Ability to Function with Emotions (AFE), Ability to Cope with Problem Emotions (ACPE), and Encouragement of Positive Emotions (EPE). A sample of 153 adolescents in the age group of 15–19 years was selected from Kerala by using stratified random sampling. Data were collected by administering the Emotional Competency Scale developed by Dr. Harish Sharma and Dr. Rajeev Lochan Bharadwaj, 1995. Independent sample t-test analyses were carried out for examining gender and age differences in emotional competence and its sub-components. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the overall emotional competence, with male adolescents scoring higher than females in total EC, ADF, AEC, and AFE. No significant differences were obtained for ACPE and EPE. In addition, no significant differences were obtained between the groups of adolescents aged 15–17 years and those aged 18–19 years on all the variables. These findings therefore indicate that gender influences emotional competence significantly, which could emanate from socialization, environmental, and rearing variables, while age variables within late adolescence seem to be minimal. This study, therefore, emphasizes the development of emotional competence through specific educational and developmental programs that could lead to an improvement in the emotional well-being and social conduct of the adolescents.

Emotional Competence,Adolescents

"EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AMONG MALE AND FEMALE ADOLESCENTS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 11, page no.b775-b788, November-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2511197.pdf

"EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AMONG MALE AND FEMALE ADOLESCENTS", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 11, page no. ppb775-b788, November-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2511197.pdf