Child's Early Behaviour and Mother's Response as Factors in the Development of Needs for Intimacy and Affiliation among Indian Adolescent Boys

The key objective of this research study was to explore the background variables associated with the development of the intimacy motive and the need for affiliation (n Aff or n Affiliation). The participants were 100 urban adolescent boys with in the agerange l3-15 years and their in others with in the age range 33-45 years. The following tools were used: The Adapted TAT (after McClelland et al., 1953) The Mother Interview Schedule (MIS, after Winter bottom, 1958) The data obtained were subjected to Step wise Moderated Multiple Regression Analysis with child's early behaviour (m terms of frequency of the act) and mother's response to it (m terms of approval or disapproval) as predictor variables and the two aspects of affihative motivation as predicted variables. The moderator effect of the interaction between child's behaviour and mother's response on the development of the said needs was also seen. The obtained findings are discussed m terms of the link between affihative tendencies and subjective well-being. The paper is of particular relevance to the fields of Health and Positive Psychology.