The Psycho-Social Wellbeing of Adolescents in Rural Setting: An Analysis

Abstract

Psycho-social wellbeing of an adolescent brings a proper and positive direction to foster in life. But in present times due to a number of stressors in the environmental conditions, the adolescents are prone to depression, behavioural and emotional disturbances which affects their psycho-social wellbeing. According to National Mental Health Survey (2016) prevalence of mental disorder in the age group 13-17 years was 7.3% and it is nearly identical in both the genders. Further, approximately 9.8 million of children of 13-17 age group are in the need of active intervention.  The present study was carried out to explore the level of psychosocial wellbeing on the basis of gender and the relationship between psycho-social wellbeing and social conditions of the adolescents. In the present study, a sample consisting 142 (70 boys and 72 girls) were selected from 7 provincialized high schools (class X) of Hajo Block, Kamrup District of Assam. The age of the sample ranges from 14-15 years. The schools were selected using simple random sampling technique but the student sample was drawn on the basis of proportionate stratified random sampling technique. For the assessment of the psycho-social wellbeing, Well-Being Index developed by Prof. (Dr.) Vijayalaxmi Chouhan and Dr. Varsha sharma (2016) and Adjustment Inventory for School Students developed by A.K.P. Sinha and R.P.Singh (revised 2017) were adopted keeping in mind the rural conditions of the study area. The study revealed that majority of the students belongs to below average level of psycho-social wellbeing and above average level of social adjustment pattern. There is no difference between the boys and girls of high school in the level of psycho-social wellbeing and level of social adjustment pattern.   It is also revealed that there is no correlation between psycho-social wellbeing and social aspects of high school students. Therefore, in the rural areas there is the need of a stronger role of social organizations, parental support, teaching community in boost up the psycho-social wellbeing of adolescents to cope up with the changing social dynamics.