Author: Amna Mujahid
Supervisor: Fatima Kamran, Ph.D
Degree: MSc
Year: 2012-2014
University: Institute of Applied Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the relationship of personality traits
with social competence of orphan adolescents. Effect of demographic
variables in social competence of orphan adolescents was also assessed.
Cross sectional research design was used to conduct the present study. The
sample of current study consisted of 50 orphans who were living in
orphanages. The sample consisted of both males (n = 24) and females (n
= 26) with the age range of 15-18 years. Their mean age was 16 years and
mean age at the admission in orphanage was 7 years. Ten Item
Personality Inventory by Gosling, Rentfrow and Swann (2003) was used
to assess Big Five Personality traits and Social Competence Questionnaire
by Sarason, Sarason, Hacker and Basham (1985) was used to assess social
competence. It was hypothesized that extraversion, agreeableness and
conscientiousness are positively and neuroticism is negatively related with
social competence. It was also hypothesized that socio demographic
variables might be significant predictors of social competence. Pearson
product moment correlation was used to see relationship among
personality traits, demographic variables and social competence and
results showed that only conscientiousness was significantly positively
related to social competence but other traits extraversion, agreeableness,
openness and neuroticism were not significantly related to social
competence. Multiple regression was used to see the influence of
personality traits and socio demographic factors on social competence and
results revealed that only conscientiousness predicted social competence
of orphan adolescents. Among demographic factors only gender was
significantly predicted effective social interaction Independent sample
t-test was used to evaluate the difference between gender and type of
orphan in social competence and results showed that boys were more
socially competent than girls which was opposite to previous researches it
may be because of cultural differences as in our society boys are more
dominant than girls and have more opportunities to go out of home and
make friends then girls.
Keywords: Personality Traits, Socio Demograpic, Social Competence.
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Corresponding Address: Department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: chairperson@appsy.pu.edu.pk, Phone: 92-42-9231245
