Impact of Gender on Self-Esteem among Junior College Students

This study examines the impact of gender on self-esteem among junior college students, focusing on dimensions such as positivity, openness, competence, humility, self-worth, and learning orientation. The sample consisted of 100 students (50 males and 50 females) aged 15 to 18 from Aurangabad City, Maharashtra, selected through purposive non-probability sampling. The Self-Esteem Scale (SES) by Dr. Santosh Dhar and Dr. Upinder Dhar was used for data collection, featuring 23 items rated on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis utilized the t-test to compare self-esteem dimensions between male and female students. Results revealed significant gender differences in several dimensions: male students reported higher levels of positivity, openness, competence, self-worth, and learning orientation than female students. However, no significant difference was observed in humility between the two groups. These findings suggest that gender plays a notable role in shaping self-esteem characteristics among junior college students, highlighting areas where gender-specific support may be beneficial.