A Study on Adolescents Emotional Adjustment in Perambalur District

Special Articles / T. Thangadurai, A. Praveenbabu / Scientific Writing and Publishing in Social Work

Abstract
Adolescence is a stressful developmental period filled with major changes in physical maturity and sexuality, cognitive processes, emotional feelings, and relationships with others. The emotional adjustment among the adolescents may be caused by environmental factors, medical factors, genetics, brain chemistry, substance abuse, or a combination of these. These are major threats to the adolescents because they are the pillars of the world. This might be neglected and ignored but it might affect the adolescents even when they grow old. Most of the adolescents are having emotional adjustment problems but there is lack of awareness about the disorder and the therapies. So, the researcher made an attempt to find out the emotional adjustments among the adolescents of Gandhi Nagar village in Perambalur.

The aim and objectives of the study is to assess the level of emotional adjustment among the school students (9th to 12th standard) and to study the sociodemographic details of respondents. The researcher has used descriptive research design for the study. The researcher has adopted census method for data collection and the population is 60. The major finding of the study revealed that the adolescents have high level of emotional adjustment. 
Key words: Adolescents, Emotional adjustment, adolescents

Introduction
Adolescence is a transition period between childhood and adulthood. It is a stressful developmental period filled with major changes in physical maturity and sexuality, cognitive processes (ways of thinking and thought content), emotional feelings, and relationships with others.Addressing the healthcare needs of this age group requires not only addressing identified health concerns, but also considering the complicated interactions of developmental changes on healthcare needs, the effectiveness of treatment, health education, and health promotion. As adolescents begin to take responsibility for their own health, education and promotion of preventive healthcare is very important. Teaching preventive healthcare (about topics such as pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted diseases, the effects of smoking, the need for immunizations, and substance use) and providing health education regarding specific healthcare needs to adolescents requires special consideration and effort to ensure understanding and encourage compliance.

What is Adolescence ?
The term adolescence is commonly used to describe the transition stage between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence is also equated to both the terms “teenage years” and “puberty.” However, adolescence is not exclusive to either of these terms. Puberty refers to the hormonal changes that occur in early youth; and the period of adolescence can extend well beyond the teenage years. In fact, there is no one scientific definition of adolescence or set age boundary. There are key development changes that nearly all adolescents experience during their transition from childhood to adulthood.

Adolescence is the period of psychological and social transition between childhood and adulthood. This transition involves biological (i.e. pubertal) and psychological changes. Adolescence is also a cultural and social phenomenon; therefore, its endpoints are not necessarily tied to physical milestones. The word derives from the Latin verb adore meaning “to grow up.” Adolescence is generally considered to begin somewhere between ages 12 and 14, and end at 19 or 20, with the period in between defined by dramatic changes in the body, developments in a person’s psychology, and transitions through one’s academic career. 

Define of Adolescence
Adolescence: From the point of view of biological development, a span of time starting with puberty and concluding with maturity. Chronologically, this is usually from about 12 or 13 to 18 or 19 years of age. Consequently, there are the informal terms teenage years and teenager. Some authorities suggest that adolescence ends for females at about the age of 21 and for males at about the age of 22. 

Characteristics of Adolescent Thinking
There are four important characteristics that distinguish adolescent thinking from more mature thinking:

1. Adolescent egocentrism (intense preoccupation with one’s own feelings and lack of connection to feelings of others),
2. Imaginary audience (the belief that one is the focus of others’ thinking and attention),
3. Personal fable (the belief that no one else can possibly understand one’s feelings and experiences because they are unique), and
4. Illusion of invulnerability (the belief that bad things only happen to other people),
5. We see these characteristics in many of our students, especially those who are having trouble making the transition from high school to CEGEP.

Intellectual Development

1. Display a wide range of intellectual development.
2. Are in transition from concrete to abstract thinking.
3. Are intensely curious and dabble in a wide range of pursuits, few of which are sustained.
4. Prefer active over passive learning activities. 
5. Prefer interaction with peers during learning activities.
6. Respond positively to opportunities to participate in real life situations.
7. Are often preoccupied with self. 
8. Have a strong need for approval and may be easily discouraged.
9. Develop an increased understanding of personal abilities. 
10. Are inquisitive about adults, often challenging their authority, and always observing them.
11. May show disinterest in conventional academic subjects but are intellectually curious about the world and themselves.
12. Are developing a capacity to understand high level or sophisticated humor.

Emotional and Psychological Development

• Experience mood swings often with peaks of intensity and unpredictability. 
• Need to release energy, often in sudden, apparently meaningless outbursts of activity.
• Seek to become increasingly independent, searching for adult identity and acceptance.
• Are increasingly concerned about peer acceptance.
• Tend to be self-conscious, lacking in self-esteem and highly sensitive to criticism.
• Exhibit intense concern about physical growth and maturity as profound physical changes occur.
• Increasingly behave in ways associated with their gender as gender role identification strengthens.
• Are concerned with many major societal issues as personal value systems develop.
• Believe that their personal problems, feelings, and experiences are unique to them.

Lamb’s (1983) research studies have found that pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers differ from their older counterparts on a number of demographic, health, obstetric, caregiving,psychological and social factors. These young women are more likely to have an inadequate social support network and be socially isolated (Elster, McAnarney& Lamb, 1983; Quinlivan, Peterson & Guerin, 1999), have a lack of adequate knowledge of child development and inappropriate child-rearing skills and attitudes (Elster et al., 1983; Leslie, 1996). Often their pregnancies are unplanned and the women are less likely to be in stable relationships (Quinlivan et al., 1999). Furthermore, it has been suggested that the developmental tasks of adolescence may conflict with the responsibility required for caring for a baby (Erickson, 1996).

Bushmaster and Furman, (1987)also introduces adolescence as a period of significant transition into family and social roleexpectations, coupled with increases in the range and intimacy of social relationships(Bushmaster & Furman, 1987; Selman, 1980). The cognitive and social transitions of the adolescent period offer opportunities to explore new personal and social roles and to negotiatenew and different complex relationships. A key challenge of adolescence is the integration of new, complex and sometimes conflicting information about the self within the social context (Collins, 1990). It is not surprising that this developmental period is characterized by intense self-preoccupation (Elkind, 1967; Elkind, 1985) as adolescents attempt to understand, integrateand solidify their identity and their position in relationships with those around them.

Nikapota’s (1991) recent evidence indicates that emotional and behavioural disorders frequently led to poor school performance and to dropping-out of school. This wastes educational resources and seriously impairs the economic and social potential of such children.

Research Methodology
Statement of the Problem:
This study looks at the emotional adjustment of adolescents. Children can have fears, fears of specific objects, discomfort and physical complaints or afraid of the dark etcetera. However, when children’s fears persist beyond the age where they are appropriate these fears can begin to interfere with their daily functioning. These emotional responses can also result in lower performance in studies and is hence the reason the researcher has selected the emotional related disorders among rural children for his study.

Scope of the Study:
Emotional adjustment may be caused by environmental factors, medical factors, genetics, brain chemistry, substance abuse, or a combination of these. This is a major threat to the child because they are the pillars of the world. This might be neglected and ignored but it might affect the children even when they grow old. Most of the adolescents are having emotional adjustment problems but there is lack of awareness about the disorder and the therapies. So, the researcher made an attempt to find out the facts and findings behind the problems faced by the children.

AIM
The aim of the study is to assess the level of emotional adjustment related to adolescent students of Gandhi Nagar village in Perambalur district.

Objectives of the Study

• To study the socio demographic details of the respondents.
• To study the existing emotional level of the adolescent.
• To study about the different emotions.
• To suggest measures to reduce emotions.

Hypothesis
Based on the extensive review of related literature and personal discussion with the experts in the field the following hypotheses were postulated for their empirical validations.

1. There is a significant relationship between sex and emotional adjustment.
2. There is a significant relationship between type of family and emotional adjustment.

Emotional
These terms are difficult to define and even more difficult to understand completely.  People have been attempting to understand this phenomenon for thousands of years, and will most likely debate for a thousand more.  This section will present the various theories related to the acquisition of emotion.

Research Design
The researcher has adopted a descriptive research design by conducting the study on emotional adjustment related among adolescents.

Universe of the Study
The universe of the study refers to the population where the researcher conducted the research. In this study, the researcher collected the data from the students of Gandhi Nagar village in Perambalur district and the total number of population in 9th to 12th standard was 60. The researcher collected the data from all respondents.

Sampling:
The researcher adopted a census method for data collection.

Selection of the Study Area
The researcher selected Gandhi Nagar village in Perambalur district, as the study area for the research.

Tools Used For Data Collection
The researcher used a questionnaire which had two parts. The 1st part of the questionnaire consisted of socio demographic details of the respondents. Then 2nd part of the questionnaire consisted of the rating scale:”psychometric properties of an emotional adjustment”.

Pre Test
In order to check the relevance of the questionnaire-standardized scale, it was pretested with 4 respondents. It was found that data with the scale was as intended as it related to objectives of the study. So it was used for data collection. 

Operational Definitions
In this study, the term children refer to the students who are studying in 9th   to 12th standard in Gandhi Nagar village in Perambalur district.

From table 1, it is inferred that the majority of the respondents (50.0%) are between 15 and 16 years of age. 26.7 per cent of the respondents are below 16 years and 23.3 per cent of them are above 14 years of age. 

The majority of the respondents (45.0%) are male and 55.0 per cent of the respondents are female.

Little more than half of the respondents (25.%) are pursuing same and 25. per cent of the respondents are studying and 20.8 per cent of them are in a professional course.

The majority of the respondents (45.0%) are male and 55.0 per cent of the respondents are female.

It is inferred fromtable 1 that (41.7%) of first child, 25 percent of the respondents are below fourth child and 10.0%above them.

The above table shows that 36.7 percent of the respondents have one person sibling, 

31 per cent of the respondents have 2 siblings, and 10 per cent of the respondents have 3 siblings. 
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The majority of the respondents (96.7%) are residing in urban areas and 3.3 per cent of them are from rural areas. The majority of the respondents (95%) are Hindus and 3.3 per cent come under Muslim religion and few per cent of them (1.7%) are from Christian religion.

From table 2, it is inferred that majority of the respondents (56.7%) are farmers and28.3 per cent of them are on a daily wage, 11.7 per cent of them are nil and 3.3per cent of them are in employee.

The majority of the respondents (40%) are farmer and36.7 per cent of them are in daily wage, 20 per cent of them are nil and 3.3per cent of them are in employee.

48.3 per cent of the respondent’s father’s education is sslc, 38.3 per cent of the respondents’ fathers’ education is illiterate, 11.7 per cent of the respondents’ fathers’ education is 11-12, and 1.7 per cent of the respondents are under graduation.

61.7 per cent of the respondent’s father’s education is sslc, 31.7 per cent of the respondents father’s education is illiterate, 5 per cent of the respondents father’s education is 11-12, and 1.7 per cent of the respondents are under graduation

The majority of the respondents (68.3%) income was upto Rs.3000 and 13.3per cent of the respondents earn Rs.3000 andRs.6000 and 18.3 per cent of them earn above Rs.6000.

The majority of the respondents (86.7%) live in nuclear families and 13.3 per cent of them are in joint families.  
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The majority of the respondents (43.3%) family sizeswere above 4 members and 40 per cent of them have said that their family size was 4 members. 13.3 per cent of them said that their family size was 3 members and3.3 per cent of them said that their family size was 2 members. 

This table shows thathalf of the respondents (58%) said yes tobecome nervous due to an unbearable sound and 47.7 %did not become nervous due to unbearable sound.

This table shows that 86% of the respondents consider themselves more nervous than other people and 13.3 % do not consider themselves more nervous than other people.

This table shows that the vast majority(91%) of the respondents said yes toalways physically shivering and 8.3% said no to always physically shivering.

This table shows that over half of the respondents (71.7%) did not consider their heart beat to be above normal and 13.3% considered their heart beat to be above normal.

This table shows that overhalf of the respondents (86%) answered yes to having a digestive disorderand 13.3% no to having a digestive disorder.
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This table shows that over half  of the respondents (56%) answered yes to being nervous while flashing about the works to do and 43.3% answered no to becoming nervous while flashing about the works to do.

Inference

• The above table no: 12 infers that there is no significant association between the respondents’ monthly income and emotional adjustment of adolescent and anxiety.
• There is no significant association between the respondents’ monthly income and emotional adjustment of adolescence and hostility.
• There is no significant association between the respondents’ monthly income and emotional adjustment of adolescence and depression.
• There is no significant association between the respondents’ monthly income and emotional adjustment of adolescence and low self-esteem.
• There is no significant association between the respondents’ monthly income and emotional adjustment of adolescence and emotion ability.
• There is no significant association between the respondents’ monthly income and emotional adjustment of adolescence and overall.

Inference

• The above table no: 22 inferences that there is no significant association between the respondents the fathers’ educational qualification with regard and emotional adjustment of adolescent and overall.

Major Findings

• A vast majority of the respondents (30) 15to16years of age.
• A vast majority of the respondents (33) are female.
• A vast majority of the respondents were of 9to12 standard. 
• A vast majority of the respondents (25) of 1st child.
• A vast majority of the respondents (22) of the one person.
• Majority of the respondents (58) domicile of urban.
• Majority of the respondents(57) associated with Hindu religion.
• Majority of the respondents (32) identified their father’s occupation as farmer.
• Majority of the respondents (24) identified their mother’s occupation as farmer.
• Majority of the respondents’ father education sslc in 29.
• Majority of the respondents’ mother education sslc in 37.
• Majority of the respondents’ family income (41)of Rs3000.
• Majority of the respondents were from a nuclear family (52).
• Majority of the respondents were from a family of above more than four persons (26). 
• Majority of the respondents (35)nervous due to unbearable sound.
• Majority of the respondents (52) considered themselves more nervous than other people.
• Majority of the respondents (55) always physically shivering.
• Majority of the respondents(43) considered their heart beat as above normal.
• Majority of the respondents(52)considered themselves to have digestive disorders.
• Majority of the respondents (34)considered themselves nervous while flashing about the works.

Suggestions
Suggestions for Children:

• ADOLESCENTS have to play together with friends in order to develop their sociability.
• ADOLESCENTS have to be acting in accordance with the moral story said by their teachers.
• ADOLESCENTS should understand their siblings and friends and they have to take initiative to avoid the clash among them.

Suggestions to Medical Social Workers:

• Medical social workers can provide psychological rehabilitation for the children in need.
• Certain relaxation techniques can be taught to them.
• An anxiety awareness programme can be conducted to the children community especially school students.
• Psychological support can be given to parents.

Suggestions to Parents

• The parents can engage the children in playing activities.
• The parents have to develop the skills possessed by the children and they have to motivate them for their development.
• Parents should not discourage their children    

Conclusion
This study has said its main focus on was on emotional adjustment among adolescents. 

The emotional adjustment among the adolescent is prevailing to a great extent. If this problem that exists is not noticed it may lead to serious problem. During this period the children have anxiety and they have physiological effects such as trouble sleeping, nausea and tension. During this period it is found that children suffer physical and psychological problems to an extent. The anxiety should be found and given psychological support or treatment.

The researcher found out the various psychological problems through this research. Certain suggestions were put forth in order to bringing down their emotional level and also it should be used for the better future.

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