Comparative Analysis of Socio-personal, Socio-economic, Communication and Psychological Profiles of Self-help Group and Non-self-help Group Members: Evidence from a Cross-sectional Study

The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) stands as a prominent flagship initiative of the Government of India, with a core objective of poverty eradication through sustainable livelihood enhancement. The programme primarily targets the social mobilization of rural populations, bringing together members from disadvantaged households preferably women into Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Thus, a study was conducted across four districts in Andhra Pradesh, to examine and compare socio-personal, economic, communication, and socio-psychological attributes of SHG and non-SHG respondents. The findings reveal that SHG members display higher or moderate levels of social participation, risk orientation, economic motivation, credit and extension orientation, while non-members demonstrate lower to moderate levels in these aspects. Educational qualifications, several socio-economic variables (occupation, experience, landholding, consumption expenditure, and proximity to banking), along with all communication and socio-psychological variables, significantly differ between groups, with SHG members consistently performing better. The exception is bank distance, where SHG members report closer proximity. Although a positive relationship exists between SHG participation and educational attainment, causality cannot be determined. Overall, the results underscore the incremental advantages and distinctive socio-economic profiles of SHG members, illustrating the group's potential to foster empowerment and improve livelihoods in rural Andhra Pradesh.