Psycho-Social Morbidities among Adolescents:A Threat to Physical and Mental Well-Being

This study was conducted to assess the perceptions of adolescents regarding the prevalence of various Psycho-Social Morbidities, viz.. Depression, Attention and Thought Problems, Somatic Complaints, Aggression, Delinquent Behaviour, Social Problems and Withdrawn Behaviour in the present day society. The study was based upon the sample of 200 adolescents (100 boys and 100 girls) drawn equally from randomly selected Senior Secondary Schools of Ludhiana City. The Socio-economic Status Scale by Sharma (2010) was administered to ascertain the middle socio-economic status of the sample adolescents. Thereafter, a self- structured questionnaire in Punjabi vernacular adapted from Youth Self Report (YSR) Inventory by Achenbach (2001) was administered to the sampled adolescents to obtain the information pertaining to their perceptions regarding prevalent psycho-social morbidities. The results revealed that 'Social Problems' followed by 'Attention and Thought Problems' were the major threat to the psychological well-being of the youth in contemporary society whereas, 'Aggression and Delinquent Behaviour' were perceived as the least existent. Also, significant gender differences were observed in 'Aggression and Delinquent Behaviour' dimension of psycho-social morbidities with significantly more number of boys experiencing 'average' and 'high' level of'Aggression and Delinquent Behaviour' as compared to their female counterparts. These trends call for an urgent attention towards preserving the physical and psychological well-being of youth through the resolution of the sporadic struggle and mental conflicts which adolescents reportedly face in the present day society.