EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY FORMATION AMONG SLUM YOUTH: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i1s.2026.7174Keywords:
Educational Aspiration, Artistic Engagement, Identity Formation, Slum Youth, Mixed-Methods Research, Community Arts, Social Mobility, Inclusive EducationAbstract [English]
Educational inequality within urban slum environments constrains adolescents’ access to stable schooling, future opportunity, and psychosocial development. Creative engagement has emerged as a potential developmental resource capable of strengthening motivation and identity in contexts of structural deprivation; however, empirical integration between artistic participation, identity formation, and educational aspiration remains limited. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed with a sample of 150 slum-dwelling adolescents aged 12–19 years. Quantitative survey measures assessed artistic engagement, psychosocial identity attributes, mentorship support, structural barriers, and educational aspiration, while qualitative interviews, focus groups, and artwork narratives provided contextual interpretation. Statistical analysis revealed significant positive relationships between artistic engagement and identity formation (β = 0.52, p < 0.001) and between identity formation and educational aspiration (β = 0.54, p < 0.001). Mediation testing confirmed identity formation as a partial mediator linking artistic engagement to aspiration, whereas structural barriers showed negative effects and mentorship support demonstrated reinforcing influence. Scenario-based qualitative evidence corroborated these findings by illustrating how sustained creative participation and community recognition align with higher confidence, belonging, and schooling motivation. Integrated interpretation positions artistic identity development as a measurable psychosocial pathway that can partially counteract educational marginalization in urban slum contexts. Implications highlight the importance of community arts integration, mentorship networks, and inclusive educational policy for strengthening youth aspiration and long-term social mobility.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anil Kumar, Dr. Gopal Singh, Neelesh Kumar, Pradeep Kumar Tiwari, Avinash Kumar
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