Affluence Versus Poverty as Indicators of Vulnerability Reported in Select Cases

Adolescents exhibit peculiar developmental aspects, especially those living in peculiar and vulnerable circumstances owed by disturbances in family relationships. The objective of the study was to focus on six adolescent girls, three from urban well-to-do families, and the other three from the peripheral slum area in Chandigarh living in such families; three marginalized families with poor inter-parental relationship and two with similar poor relationships and one with absence (loss) of father . To understand the impact of such challenging dynamics of family including relationships dyads between parents, between siblings and parent child relationships were also observed. Four week observation was done in phase one, both at home and at the NGO set up in the cases of slum inhabitants. Phase two was conducted for two weeks again with one week space. Interviews were conducted with the significant others, usually mothers. Behavior observation was also a major tool employed. Cases belonging to the poverty stricken slum dwellings had issues like little to no education, meager parental supervision and exposure to erotic or unrestricted media that contributed to gullible dispositions. They were found resilient but had exposures to beetle eating, inhaling hookah; they were earning through menial domestic works. They disregarded alcoholic and indifferent fathers and seemed vulnerable to the drug and early sex practices among peers. Among the cases belonging to the affluent class, issues like family dynamics, exposure to media and falling prey to the wrong company of friends were the causes of vulnerability. They were found indifferent and repulsive to figures of authority including school and indulging in multiple relationships with the opposite sex. Early sexual experiments are of a concern in context of unprotected multiple sexual relationships and mental well being (guilt, rejection etc). The study indicates parenting challenges of the present adolescents and leaves a question on the worthiness of over engaged parents also.