INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE QUALITY AND ITS ROLE IN SHAPING POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: GENDER-BASED EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTANI UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

This study explores how institutional service quality influences positive youth development (PYD) among university students in Pakistan, with a focus on gender-based differences. Grounded in the SERVQUAL model and Lerner’s PYD framework, the research employed a cross-sectional survey design involving 1,236 (476 male and 760 female) students from the first and final years of BS programs at six public sector universities in Punjab. A multistage sampling method was used to select participants. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed statistically significant and positive relationships between all five dimensions of service quality—tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy—and the five core components of PYD: competence, confidence, character, connection, and caring (p = .000 < .05). Further findings showed that institutional service quality significantly predicts PYD outcomes (p < .01). Gender-specific patterns also emerged: empathy and reliability were most influential for female students, while reliability and responsiveness played a stronger role for male students. These results underscore the importance of gender-responsive service strategies in higher education to better support student development. This study adds to the literature by integrating service quality and positive youth development through a gendered lens within the context of a developing country.