The Psychological Adjustment of Neglected Juveniles:A Case Study

The present study primarily focuses on assessing the psychological adjustment of twenty-five (25) neglected school going juveniles selected from an observation home for orphans called “Basundhara” situated in the Cuttack city of Orissa. Primary data were collected from office records, and through interview schedules prepared on the issues related to their families, economic conditions, parental literacy, care and other social factors embedded in their community. The findings show that the unfavorable home environment, poor economic condition, parental illiteracy and the influence of urban life are the major causes of distractions, their lack of interest in studies and poor academic performance. They also exhibit poor memory skills, lack of concentration, and fear of punishment in schools. However, their psychosocial adjustment within the organization and among the inmates and peer groups was found to be satisfactory. Keeping in mind their future livelihood the authors have suggested for certain interventions such as proper rehabilitation, counseling and vocational education for generating future sources of income.