By: IRSHAD KHAN, QUDDISIYA FIRDOUS LODHIA
This study examines the impact of gendered socialization, personal control, and psychosocial competence on the subjective well-being (SWB) of educated women in the Baikunthpur Block of Korea District, Chhattisgarh, India. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods design was used to collect data from 120 women with at least a Higher Secondary School qualification through purposive sampling and structured interviews. SWB was measured using the SUBI questionnaire and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, capturing multiple dimensions of well-being. The mean score was 14.2 (SD = 5.1), slightly above the clinical cutoff of 13, indicating moderate well-being. Psychosocial competence was assessed using the Indian adaptation of the 39-item Behavioural Attributes of Psychosocial Competence (BAPC) scale. Correlation analysis showed that socialization pressures were negatively related to SWB (r = -0.38, p < 0.001), while personal control (r = 0.58, p < 0.001) and psychosocial competence (r = 0.55, p < 0.001) were positively associated with it. Multiple regression analysis indicated that personal control (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) was the strongest predictor, followed by psychosocial competence (β = 0.37, p < 0.001) and socialization pressures (β = -0.24, p < 0.001). Employment status was also a significant positive predictor (β = 0.15, p = 0.004). The model explained 47% of the variance in SWB (R² = 0.47). These findings show that while restrictive socialization norms negatively affect well-being, autonomy, resilience, and meaningful employment are crucial for improving the quality of life of educated women.
