Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Prerona Ghosh ¹, Deepshikha Ray ¹, Sudeshna Das ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

The development of successful friendship is one of the important developmental milestones and is crucial for healthy adaptation. In the context of increasing social alienation in today's globalized world there is an emergent need to construct a reliable tool for assessing Quality of Friendship. Same-sex friendship is highly prevalent in the Indian society and is a significant contributor to an enhanced quality of life. Since, there is a dearth of a reliable tool for exploring friendship, the present study purported to construct a scale for assessing the Quality of Friendship. 370 healthy adult participants, of either sex, aged between 18-25 years were included in the study. The total sample was split into 3 sections - sample A(N=100), on which the Quality of Friendship Questionnaire (QFQ) was constructed; sample B (N=200), the data of which was utilized for reliability assessment and factor analysts; sample C (N=70) on which The Relationship Profile Test (Bornstein and Languirand, 2001) and The UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell, 1996) was administered for the computation of convergent validity. Preliminary norms were developed based on the scores of Sample B and Sample C. Five factors emerged from Factor Analysts, namely -'Intimacy', 'Distress reaction', 'Negative behavior', 'Doubt' and 'Telling a He' and the final scale comprised of 87 items with a high reliability (Cronbach α=0.96). Further, a significant negative correlation between 'Quality of Friendship' and loneliness was obtained, along with a significant positive correlation between 'Quality of Friendship' and healthy dependence. Continued evaluation is needed to assess the utility of the QFQ for exploring 'Friendship' in the paradigm of positive psychology.

Keywords

Quality of Friendship, Relationship Profile, Same-Sex Friendship, Loneliness.

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Sonia Agnes Mitra ¹, Deepshikha Ray ², Sudeshna Das ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, Calcutta University Kolkata, IN
2 Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, IN
3 Department of Psychology, Practising Clinical Psychologist, AMRI Hospital, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

The aim of the present research was to examine the self perception with regard to body image of urban young adult females with a mean age of 21.99 years belonging to the upper-middle and middle-middle socio-economic status as measured by Kuppuswamy's socio economic status scale (2013). The participants did not have any history of any eating disorder or medical condition that poses any dietary restriction. The participants were assessed o socio Cultural Attitude towards Appperance Questionnaire (SATAQ-3; Thompson et al., 1995), The Body Satisfaction Scale (BSS) prepared by Slade et al. (1990), The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ; Cooper et al., 1987) and the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (1965). The findings of the present study revealed that the participants did not endorse western stereotypes of body image and there was no significant association between their body image concerns and self perceptions.

Keywords

Body Image Satisfaction, Media Influence, Females.

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Sarah Hussain ¹, Deepshikha Ray ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

The study aimed to explore certain psychosocial variables, namely, self esteem, body image, obedience and piety in Indian Muslim male youths who underwent circumcision between the ages of 1 month to 3 years (early circumcision) and those between the ages of 8 to10 years (late circumcision). A sample of 90 participants (Early circumcised=50 and Late circumcised=40) belonging to the age range of 20 to 28 years with minimum qualification of pursuing under graduation were investigated on the above mentioned variables. The participants completed the following inventories for assessment- Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965); Body Image Concern Inventory (Littletona, Axsom, & Pury, 2005); The Religiosity and Spirituality Scale for Youth (Hernandez, 2011); Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale (Altemeyer, 1981). The obtained data revealed that there is no significant difference between the two groups, that is, early circumcised and late circumcised Muslim males with regard to self esteem, body image concern, obedience and piety. The results were interpreted in terms of psychosocial and cultural constructs. The present study contributes by shading light upon the psychological impact of a traditional religious practice involving as sensitive an area as one's genitals. Along with the physiological impact of circumcision, a considerable deepening influence of it on the mental disposition is thought to exist. The results of the study are in stark contradiction to Western literature which highlights the detrimental psychological effects of circumcision. The results have been interpreted in terms of psycho-social and socio-cultural constructs.

Keywords

Circumcision, Self-Esteem, Body Image, Obedience, Piety, Muslims.

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Pramita Sengupta ¹, Jayati Bhattacharyya ², Deepshikha Ray ², Sudeshna Das ³, Reshmi Ghosh Palit ⁴

Affiliations
1 Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, IN
2 Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, IN
3 Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Tata Motors Hospital, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, IN
4 Department of Psychology, Maharani Kasiswari College, Kolkata, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the cognitive basis of self-deception on the basis of the participants' performance on a deception task and its relation to other cognitive variables. A total of 130 healthy participants (58 males & 72 females) of the age range of 18-25 years having a minimum educational qualification of 'passed grade XII' were screened and selected for the study using General Health Questionnaire 28. By using an interview format, the researcher collected personally significant information from the participants to be used later in the deception task. An android based mobile application was prepared to generate and administer the deception task. The participants were also assessed on Stroop Task (www.onlinestrooptest.com), Eyesenck Personality Questionnaire (1975); Rotter's Locus of Control Scale (1954); Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (1965); Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995). Statistical analysis revealed self-deception is related to personality and cognitive inhibition. The results were discussed in light of recent literature.

Keywords

Cognitive Inhibition, Deception, Stroop Task, Self-Deception.

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Saranya Banerjee ¹, Deepshikha Ray ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

Twin studies have mostly focused on the pattern of maladaptive behaviour manifested by the twins and their biological basis but the findings have remained controversial till date. The present case study explores the psychopathology in 14 year old twins of Indian origin. They were referred for psychometric assessment and psychotherapy for their conduct problems. The tools administered on them during psychometric assessment are Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC-IV), Rorschach Inkblot Test (RIBT) and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Findings are discussed in terms of the personality processes and relationship quality of the twins.

Keywords

Twins, Psychopathology, Personality Processes, Relationship Quality.

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Soumi Dey ¹, Arpita Mondal ¹, Abhradeep Sarkar ², Mouli Biswas ¹, Deepshikha Ray ³

Affiliations
1 Postgraduate Student, Department of Psychology University of Calcutta, Kolkata, IN
2 Postgraduate Student, Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, IN
3 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

The current study tries to explore the effect of severity and duration of recovery from COVID-19 infection on visual memory scanning ability in 55 male and 65 female individuals with a mean age of 28.3 years (SD = 7.61). An android-based application (Psych Lab 101 version 2.1.2) was used to administer the Sternberg scanning test and visual memory scanning ability was indexed on the basis of accuracy and reaction time. The severity of the COVID- 19 infection was measured on the basis of a self-report measure “scale for subjective severity of COVID-19”. There were four groups of participants who were categorized on the basis of duration of recovery from COVID-19 infection, viz., “3 months”, “6 months” and “9 months” and one group “with no history of COVID-19 infection”. There was a significant statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the groups of subjects in terms of their reaction time (RT) in the memory task; the maximum response latency being shown by subjects who had most recently recovered from COVID-19. There was no significant difference between the four groups in terms of accuracy. The findings of the present study imply that COVID-19 infection creates mild deficits in cognitive functioning in recovered patients evidenced in terms of increased processing speed and the deficit is more in recently recovered patients.

Keywords

COVID-19, visual memory, cognitive deficits

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Soumi Dey ¹, Deepshikha Ray ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, IN
2 Department of Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, IN

Abstract

The current research tries to explore the association between “sibling compatibility,” “recalled parental bonding in adulthood” and “adult attachment styles” in 60 male and 60 female individuals with a mean age of 37.45 years (SD =5.07) categorised into two groups in terms of the sex of their siblings, i.e., same sex opposite sex siblings. The constructs were measured using “Lifespan Relationship Scale “(Riggio, 2000). “The Parental Bonding Instrument” (Parker, Tupling, & Brown, 1979) and “Revised Adult Attachment Scale Close Relationship Version” (Collins, 1996) respectively. The findings of the present study highlight that compatibility in sibling relationships enhances the quality of recalled bonding with parents and attachment with close acquaintances and such a facilitatory process occurs independent of the sex of the participants. Also, female participants were found to report better sibling compatibility and there was an increased prevalence of “fearful style of attachment” among participants with opposite sex siblings.

Keywords

recalled parental bonding, sibling compatibility, adult attachment style, same sex siblings.

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