Self-Concept: A Predictor of Mental Health

The present study is an attempt to understand mental health in the context of self-concept of the participants. A 2 x 2 factorial design, with gender (boys and girls) x level of self-concept (low and high) was used in the present study. The high self-concept and low self-concept groups of adolescent were categorized on the basis of the median score obtain on self-concept scale (SCS) (mdn = 40.5). SCS (Ahluwalia, 2002) and mental health inventory (Jagdish & Srivastva, 1996) tests were administrated on each of the groups. Results revealed the significant effects of level of self-concept. High self-concept group had better mental health than low self-concept group. Role of gender and gender x level of self-concept interaction were found insignificant. Regression results evinced that behavior, intellectual and school status, popularity, happiness and satisfaction and as a whole self-concept predicted positively whereas, anxiety has contributed negatively in mental health.