Emotional Maturity among Technical and Non-Technical College Students

Emotional Maturity among Technical and Non-Technical College Students

Dr. Neha R. Garva

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shri Govind Guru University, Godhra, Gujarat

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.120500132

Received: 22 May 2025; Accepted: 26 May 2025; Published: 16 June 2025

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine and compare the levels of emotional maturity between technical and non-technical college students in North Gujarat. Furthermore, it examined potential differences that could be influenced by gender, geographical background (urban vs. rural), and interaction effects among these variables. A sample of 400 college students (200 technical and 200 non-technical) was selected from institutions in North Gujarat. Emotional maturity was assessed using the Emotional Maturity Scale developed by Dr. Yashvir Singh and Dr. Mahesh Bhargava (2005). Data was analyzed using statistics F-test ANOVA to compare group differences and interaction effects after following the manual guidelines for scoring. The results show that a significant difference in overall emotional maturity was observed between technical and non-technical students, with technical students scoring higher than non-technical students. There were no significant differences in emotional maturity between urban and rural students.  The emotional maturity levels of male and female students were similar. No significant interactions were found between: Student type (technical/non-technical) and geographical background (urban/rural).  Geographical background and gender. Student type and gender.  The combined variables of student type, geographical background, and gender.

The findings reveal that technical and non-technical students have distinct emotional maturity levels, while indicating that gender, geographical background, and their interactions do not have a significant impact on emotional maturity in this cohort. Further investigation could uncover contextual or curricular factors that contribute to these differences.

Key Words: Emotional Maturity, Technical – Non-Technical, College Students

INTRODUCTION

Emotional Maturity

Emotional maturity refers to the stage of psychological growth achieved through inherent developmental processes, which is shaped more by genetic predispositions than learned experiences. It encompasses behavioural and physical changes that unfold naturally as individuals age, driven by hereditary factors rather than external influences.

According to Gesell’s (1961) maturational theory, development is primarily controlled by innate biological processes that are not influenced by practice or environmental input. This perspective aligns with later views suggesting that many behavioural patterns emerge through maturation rather than conditioning (Hurlock, 1968). Key principles underpinning this developmental framework include:

• Orderly Progression: Development follows a predictable, sequential trajectory.
• Stage-Based Growth: Distinct developmental stages characterise specific behavioural and structural milestones.
• Cumulative Foundations: Each stage builds upon prior development, setting the groundwork for subsequent phases.
• Complexity Through Differentiation: Maturation involves increasing specialisation (differentiation) and coordination (integration) of behaviours and cognitive structures.
• Individual Variability: While developmental patterns share universal similarities, individual differences arise due to unique genetic and environmental interactions.
• Normal vs. Atypical Development: Outcomes depend on the interplay of genetic potential and environmental quality, leading to either normative or divergent developmental pathways.

In essence, this framework emphasises maturity as a genetically guided process, with environmental factors modulating but not overriding its inherent trajectory.

Traits of an Emotionally Mature Individual

A person who is emotionally mature develops attitudes and behaviours that transcend immature thought patterns and reactions, promoting balanced interactions with themselves and their environment. Grace’s (2009) framework allows for the categorisation of emotional maturity into three levels: low, moderate, and high. The characteristics of emotionally mature individuals and those with low emotional maturity are listed below.

Characteristics of Emotionally Mature People

1. Clarity of purpose: Understands personal goals and actively works towards achieving them.
2. Thoughtful decision-making: Prioritise reflection over impulsiveness and maintain self-control.
3. Self-reliance and accountability: Takes responsibility for their life, choices, and consequences.
4. Patience: Demonstrates tolerance and composure in challenging circumstances.
5. Healthy relationships: Builds supportive, constructive connections with others.
6. Empathy and compassion: Genuinely cares for others and expresses concern through actions.
7. Integrity: Lives authentically, aligning actions with personal values and principles.
8. Resilience and balance: Maintains emotional stability while navigating adversity.

Traits of People with Low Emotional Maturity

1. Intense dependencies: Forms clingy or enmeshed relationships.
2. Limited self-awareness:Unconscious of emotional states (e.g., anxiety, detachment) or internal conflicts.
3. Disconnected from roots: Unable to reflect on or interpret family-of-origin emotional patterns.
4. Black-and-white thinking: Views relationships in extremes (idealisation or hostility).
5. Fragile identity: Derives self-worth from roles or superficial personas (large “pseudo-self”).
6. Emotional extremes: Reacts with irrational negativity (“antagonistic”) or blind loyalty (“positive”).
7. Projection tendencies: personalises external events or blames others.
8. Empathy deficit: Struggles to understand others’ perspectives or emotions.
9. Anxiety-driven behaviour: Acts out stress within family or social systems.
10. Relationship instability: Reacts impulsively to conflicts (e.g., anger, withdrawal).
11. Poor crisis management: Loses composure under pressure and struggles to self-regulate.
12. External validation: Relies on ideologies, groups, or people for self-worth or “salvation.”
13. Impulsive actions: Fails to reflect on behavioural consequences.
14. Ineffective communication: Misaligns words/actions, hindering authentic connection.
15. Absorbs systemic stress: Internalises anxiety, leading to guilt, blame, or psychosomatic symptoms.

LITERATURE REVIEW

In 2013, Jaisri. M., & Joseph investigated marital adjustment and emotional maturity in dual-career couples, defining marital adjustment as a state of mutual satisfaction and harmony between spouses. The authors emphasised that a stable family foundation relies on a well-adjusted marital relationship. Using a sample of 100 dual-career couples (*N* = 200) from Kerala’s Trichur and Ernakulam districts, the research revealed notable gender-based differences: wives exhibited higher marital adjustment and independence compared to husbands. Additionally, age, type of marriage (e.g., arranged vs. love), and number of children significantly influenced marital adjustment and emotional maturity. These findings underscore the role of sociodemographic factors in shaping relational dynamics among working couples.

Nehra’s (2014) study explored the correlation between adjustment and emotional maturity in adolescents at the secondary education level. Employing a descriptive survey method, the research sampled 100 Class IX students (50 boys, 50 girls) from four government schools. Emotional maturity and adjustment were assessed using Singh and Bhargav’s Emotional Maturity Scale and Sinha & Singh’s Adjustment Inventory, respectively. Participants completed questionnaires under timed conditions, with scoring based on standardised manuals. Statistical analyses (mean, SD, correlation, *t*-tests) yielded three key outcomes:

• No significant gender differences in adjustment levels.
• No significant gender differences in emotional maturity.
• No notable correlation between adjustment and emotional maturity.

The study highlights the uniformity of adolescent adjustment and emotional development across genders, offering insights for educators, parents, and policymakers to design inclusive educational strategies.

SUMMARY

Jaisri and Joseph (2013) concentrated on marital dynamics in adults, while Nehra (2014) investigated the psychosocial development of adolescents. Both studies emphasize the contextual nature of adjustment and emotional maturity, though their findings diverge regarding gender differences. Jaisri and Joseph identified distinct spousal disparities, whereas Nehra reported gender neutrality in adolescents. Together, they underscore the importance of tailored interventions across life stages to foster healthy emotional and relational outcomes.

Research Objectives:

• To assess and compare emotional maturity levels between technical and non-technical college students in North Gujarat.
• To evaluate and contrast emotional maturity among urban and rural college students in North Gujarat.
• To examine gender-based differences in emotional maturity between male and female college students in North Gujarat.
• To analyses the interaction effect of emotional maturity between technical/non-technical and urban/rural student groups in North Gujarat.
• To investigate the interaction effect of emotional maturity between technical/non-technical and male/female student groups in North Gujarat.
• To explore the interaction effect of emotional maturity between urban/rural and male/female student groups in North Gujarat.
• To determine the combined interaction effect of emotional maturity among technical/non-technical, urban/rural, and male/female student groups in North Gujarat.

Hypotheses:

All hypotheses are framed as null (H₀):

• H₀: No significant difference exists in emotional maturity between technical and non-technical college students in North Gujarat.
• H₀: No significant difference exists in emotional maturity between urban and rural college students in North Gujarat.
• H₀: No significant gender-based difference exists in emotional maturity between male and female college students in North Gujarat.
• H₀: No significant interaction effect exists between technical/non-technical and urban/rural student groups on emotional maturity.
• H₀: No significant interaction effect exists between technical/non-technical and male/female student groups on emotional maturity.
• H₀: No significant interaction effect exists between urban/rural and male/female student groups on emotional maturity.
• H₀: No significant combined interaction effect exists among technical/non-technical, urban/rural, and male/female student groups on emotional maturity.

METHOD

Participates:

The purposive sampling method was used to select 400 technical and non-technical college students from urban and rural areas in North Gujarat for this research. The selected students came from different areas of north Gujarat such as Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Baaskantha, Arvalli, and Gandhinagar.

Instruments:

In the present research, the following tool was used for data collection:

EMOTIONAL MATURITY SCALE (EMS):

To measure emotional maturity, the Emotional Maturity Scale developed by Dr. Yashvir Singh and Dr. Mahesh Bharagava (2005) was used. Emotional Maturity Scale measures a person’s Emotional Maturity. There was a total of 48 items on this scale. For the above items, participants were able to choose their answer from the following options: ‘Very much, much, Undecided, Probably, and Never’. The scoring for all items is 5,4,3,2 & 1. This test measures Emotional Maturity perfectly.

Research Design:

The study titled ‘Emotional Maturity Among Technical and Non-Technical College Students of North Gujarat’ employed a comparative research design. A purposive sampling method was used to select 400 college students (200 technical and 200 non-technical) from urban and rural regions across North Gujarat. The sample was made up of equal numbers of male and female participants to ensure a balanced demographic analysis.

Procedure:

• After establishing rapport with participants, the ‘Emotional Maturity Scale’ (EMS) developed by Dr. Yashvir Singh and Dr. Mahesh Bhargava (2005) was administered individually.
• Responses were scored according to the standardised guidelines provided in the EMS manual.

Statistical Analysis:

• A 2×2×2 factorial design was applied to analyse the effects of three independent variables:
• Student Type(Technical vs. Non-Technical)
• Geographic Area (Urban vs. Rural)
• Gender (Male vs. Female)
• Three-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to:
• Assess main effects of each independent variable on emotional maturity.
• Examine interaction effects between variables (e.g., Student Type × Area, Student Type × Gender, Area × Gender, and the three-way interaction).

Statistical Result:

Table Showing results of ‘F’ Value (ANOVA) of Types of Students, Area and Gender of Technical and Non-Technical College Students in relation to their Overall Emotional Maturity.

Source of Variance		Sum of Square	df (N-1)	MSS = SS / df	F Value	Level of Significant
SSA		4529.29	1	4529.29	7.19	0.01
SSB		345.96	1	345.96	0.55	NS
SSC		1866.24	1	1866.24	2.96	NS
SSAB		47.61	1	47.61	0.08	NS
SSBC		750.76	1	750.76	1.19	NS
SSAC		252.81	1	252.81	0.4	NS
SSABC		265.69	1	265.69	0.42	NS
SSError		246870.08	392	629.77
SST		254928.44	399
SSA	Type of Students (Technical Students & Non-Technical Students)
SSB	Area (Urban & Rural)
SSC	Gender (male and female)
SSAB	Type of Studentsx Area
SSBC	Area x Gender
SSAC	Type of Studentsx Gender
SSABC	Type of Studentsx Area x Gender
df – 1	Table Value 0.05 Level = 3.86
df – 1	Table Value 0.01 Level = 6.70
NS	Non-Significant

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

There is a significant difference between Types of Students (Technical Students & Non-Technical Students) of college in relation to their Overall Emotional Maturity. Technical college students show a high Overall Emotional Maturity score than Non-Technical College students.

The observed difference in emotional maturity between technical and non-technical college students may stem from several interrelated factors tied to curriculum structure, skill development, and environmental demands.

The disparity likely arises from a combination of curriculum design, skill prioritisation, and environmental demands. Technical programs structured, collaborative, and applied nature systematically cultivates emotional maturity, while non-technical programs may rely more on implicit learning. To bridge this gap, institutions could integrate emotional intelligence training across disciplines, as seen in successful nursing programs. Further research could explore how hybrid curricula (e.g., humanities courses for technical students) might enhance holistic development.

• There is no significant difference between Urban and Rural Students of college in relation to their Overall Emotional Maturity.
• There is no significant difference between male and female Students of college in relation to their Overall Emotional Maturity.
• There is no interaction effect between Technical – Non-Technical and Urban – Rural College Students of North Gujarat with regards to Overall Emotional Maturity.
• There is no interaction effect between Urban – Rural and male and female College Students of North Gujarat with regards to Overall Emotional Maturity.
• There is no interaction effect between Technical – Non-Technical and Boys-Girls College Students of North Gujarat with regards to Overall Emotional Maturity.
• There is no interaction effect between Technical – Non-Technical, Urban – Rural and male and female College Students of North Gujarat with regards to Overall Emotional Maturity.

Limitations of the Study:

The present investigation has certain limitations. The forthcoming researchers should try to avoid these limitations.

• The Technical and Non-Technical Students only are included. The conclusions are not applicable to the students.
• The present study was conducted regarding the Types of Students Area and Gender only.

• Present research was conducted with limited sources.
• Only Technical and Non-Technical Students are included in the present study. The conclusions are results are not applicable to any other Students.
• Only the Peoples from various area of North Gujarat State origin are included in this study.
• When the subjects were divided in the subgroup’s number of them further decreased, which may not have been as much amenable to statistical treatment as should have been with a large sample.
• Results of urban area students and the results of rural area’s students are not applicable to each other.

Suggestions of the Study:

The investigator at the present study is aware about the limitations of the tools used. It is suggested to the future researcher to adopt more appropriate procedure especially the separate procedure for various students and tools was that the total score of Emotional Maturity was taken and into consideration. It could be suggested that the future research could be undertaken by taking into consideration the positive and negative events separately secondly in the 4 questionnaire the total score of taken into consideration.

The study included only 2 Types of Students. It could also be conducted on other types of Students include too who are studding in Gujarat – India. The study could also be conducted on a larger group of various Types of Students.

REFERENCES

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