C. P. Khokhar
Department of Psychology, Gurukul Kangari University, India
Brijesh Kumar Upadhayay
Department of Psychology, Gurukul Kangari University, India
Present investigation is to compare the adjustment pattern of adolescents living in physically deprived environment. Children who have insufficient fresh air to breath, open ground to play and healthy environmental surrounding are quite unable to promote social and psychological interaction and develop ultimately inferiority complex and a feeling of inadequacy in them. Adolescent of Hardwar, India residing under such unhealthy environmental surroundings are the universe of the present investigation. A total of 40 subjects 20 (10 boys & 10 girls) qualitatively deprived from physically enriched environment and 20 (10 boys & 10 girls) non-deprived from qualitatively enriched physical environment having similar socio-economic and educational background were taken to measure their self and peer-group adjustment. Coefficient of correlation and “t” test is applied to find the relationship and significance of mean difference between the groups. The adolescents living in deprived physical environment were found to have poor self and peer-group adjustment in adjustment in comparison to noon deprived children. Gender difference also has shown adjustment pattern differences in the same physical environment.
A child deprived from qualitative physical environment suffers from physical privileges, such as good house under neat and clean surrounding, clean water and sufficient fresh air. These children differ in behavior due to neurosis and other psychological sufferings. Manifestation of maladjustment occurs in the form of physical disabilities in children and that is only due to the deprivation from physical disadvantage. They haven’t sufficient neat and clean air neither at their home nor at the playgrounds as the surroundings generally is polluted up to far distant territories. No healthy social and physical interaction occurs that ultimately leads them to inferiority complex and the feeling of inadequacy (Adler, 1961).
Deprived physical environment and uncomfortable living facilities adversely affect adolescents learning process and adjective behavior. It also hampers the physical and mental growth of adolescents. As a consequence children and adolescents develop poor muscular structure and nervous system links. Physical environment deprived adolescent lacks in energy and mental stability. They generally find themselves unfit in performing typical physical and mental tasks. They ever do work below their capacity and ability even if their physical environment is improved. Recent studies have shown that the attitude of people to children and adolescent living in deprived physical environment effect their self-respect, self-concept and self evolution (Jain, C.P. 2003). Another study by Sahanaz, P. 1995 on environmentally disadvantaged children shows that they have poor adjustment in social, emotional and educational area as compared to the environmentally advantaged children. Enrichment of physical environment in childhood leads to better health in old age is the general observation. Study by Holland et.al (2000) on disadvantage people exposed to hazardous environment during childhood for longer period found that exposure to health damaging environment during child hood may accumulate on top of health disadvantage during adult hood.
Method
The present investigation is an Ex-Post-Facto correlational study of adolescents of both genders living in qualitatively deteriorated physical environment. The study compares and correlates the groups living in qualitatively deprived and non-deprived from environmental facilities on peer group and self-adjustment.
Variables of the Study
1. Physically Deteriorated Environment: Deteriorated means a qualitatively and quantitatively worst man made living conditions for the fulfillment of basic requirements for healthy development of psychological constitution of human being. The physical environment deprived adolescents are lacking good houses, sufficient food and clothing, neat and clean surroundings, clean water, sufficient sunlight and fresh air. Two levels of physical environmental conditions for adolescents are (i) Enriched Physical Environment (ii) Poor Physical Environment
2. Gender: Gender of the adolescents (i) Male (ii) female
3. Adjustment: Self-adjustment and Peer group adjustment are taken as dependent measures under the influence of physical deprivation conditions and sex of the adolescence.
Tools
For the measurement of Environmental deprivation and adjustment of adolescents the following Psychological tools were used.
• Deprivation scale- Dr. Chander Prabha Jain (2003).
• Adolescents Adjustment Scale- Ragini Dubey (2003)
Sample
The present study focused on adjustment of adolescents living in physically deprived environment. The environmentally deprived elements lacking proper sanitary facilities in their houses and surroundings, play ground in the near by area, flooded with variety of loud noise of mechanical devices etc. were taken for the study from Hardwar District. Adolescent living in good environmental condition are taken as physically non-deprived adolescents. A total of 40 subjects – 20 deprived and 20 non-deprived subjects having similar socio-economic and educational background are taken finally. Among them 10 were boys and 10 were girls.
Result and Discussion
Table 1: Shows coefficient of correlation ‘r’ of self and peer group adjustment with physical environmental deprivation of adolescents.
Result shows that the correlation coefficient between deprivation of qualitative physical environment and self-adjustment of adolescents is –0.81 higher than the table value 0.393 at .01 ls. with a df. of 38. It verifies that the physical deprivation and self-adjustment are inversely related to each other. The deprived adolescents from enriched environmental stimulation have lower self-adjustment. Poor environmental surrounding such as lack of good houses, neat and clean water sunlight and fresh air deteriorate the self-adjustment of adolescents. Adolescents deprived from essential physical environmental advantages are unable to enjoy an inner harmony. They develop the lack of self-confidence in doing and taking decisions and suffer with the feeling of insecurity and unable to evaluate their realistic self. In addition to this the correlation between physical environment deprivation and peer-group adjustment of adolescents is -0.84 at df. 38 crosses the table value of r that is .39 at .01 ls with 38 df shows that adolescents living in physically enriched environment enjoy physical privileges that bring in them extroversion, courtesy, cooperation, unselfishness, truthfulness and frankness in their behavior and personality. Brought up under such physically enriched environment the adolescents are properly adjusted with their peer-group and stand popular that everyone like them and want to claim as friend. And contrary to this, adolescents brought up under the poor physical environmental conditions are found badly adjusted in their peer-group. They are unable to continue their relations for long with their peer mates.
Table 2: Means S.D. and t- values on self-adjustment of adolescents deprived and non-deprived from physical environmental privileges.
A result from Table-2 shows that the mean difference on self-adjustment between environmentally privileged and non-privileged (deprived) is significant and that is in favor of privileged (non-deprived) adolescents. Environmentally privileged adolescents procure good health physical as well as mental. They posses high social acceptance, personal attractiveness, vitality and endurance which predispose a person to be active in group affairs in comparison to those who are deprived of all such privileges and facilities of environment.
The second result of the Table-2 shows that mean difference on self adjustment between the boys and girls living in deprived environmental conditions is not significant that confirms that self adjustment is independent of sex effect in deprived environmental conditions whereas in (the third result reveals) privileged physical environment self adjustment is better in boys than girls.
Forth result shows that significance of mean difference between deprived and privilege girls, is significant on self adjustment that is in favor of environmentally privileged girls and the fifth result is also fall in favor of environmentally privileged adolescent boys. It indicates that privilege environment independent of sex effect enriches the self-adjustment in adolescent boys and girls.
Table 3: Means S.D. and t- values on Peer adjustment of adolescents deprived and non-deprived from physical environmental privileges.
Result 1 of Table 3 shows that mean difference between deprived and privileged adolescent on self-adjustment is significant. Privileged adolescents have better peer adjustment than non-privileged (deprived). The enriched physical environment provide fresh air to breathe, open grounds to play where as unhealthy and poor physical environment induces the unpleasant feelings, and develop lack of interest in social interaction. As a result of these adolescents faces social disapproval within the peer group where as adolescent brought up under healthy physical surroundings are found to have more social approval of their peer group. The social approval is the key of peer adjustment that is in favor of non-deprived adolescents from enriched physical environment. Non-deprived adolescents remain happy, cheerful and feel secure. They have better self-confidence. They use social skill that facilitates a good relation and high level of participation in social activities.
Results 2, 3, 4, & 5 are also in favor of non-deprived both boys and girls. It shows the independence of sex effect in relation to peer adjustment. Yet in Result-3 of the Table-3 shows that boys are more sensitive to environmental enrichment in relation to peer adjustment than the adolescent girls. It may be due to cultural bias that boys are more exposed to physical environment and surroundings than girls.
References
Adler Alfred (1928). Understanding Human Nature. pp. 33-35
Dubay, R. (2003). Adolescent Adjustment Scale, Arohi Manovigyan Kendra, Jabalpur.
Holland, P. J, Berney, L., Blane, D., Smith Dayey, G., et.al. (2000). Life course accumulation of disadvantage: childhood health and hazard exposure during adulthood. Social Science and medicine, 50 (9), 1285-1295.
Jain, C. P. (2003). Deprivation Scale, Arohi Manovigyan Kendra: Jabalpur.
Shahnaz, P. (1995). A study of adjustment among disadvantaged students. prespective in psychological research; 17 & 18 (1&2), 56-58.
Biographical Notes
Dr. C. P. Khokhar is presently Reader and Head of the Dep. of Psychology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar. Prior to join G.K. University. He rendered his services in the Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Meerut and Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy CSIR, Agra. India. He has published more than 50 papers in reputed journals, 3 books and 2 psychological tests. Under his guidance 18 students have received PhD degree and 7 students are currently enrolled for research under his guidance.
Dr. Brijesh Kumar Upadhayay has completed PhD in April2006 under the supervision of Dr. C.P. Khokhar from Gurukul Kangri University, India. Still he has research scholar in G.K. University, India. He has published 6 research papers. His research worked on unemployed youth of India.
Author contact: up_brijesh@rediffmail.com