Impact of Parenthood on the Mental Health of Secondary School Students

A Comparative Study of Orphan and Non Orphan Students of Kashmir Valley

Abstract

The death of a parent permeates into all aspects of a child’s life. He experiences a decline in health, nutrition, psychological wellbeing and educational performance (UNAIDS/UNICEF/USAID, 2004; UNICEF, 2003). Research in this area is important because the death of a parent is a risk factor for the development of psychosocial issues in children (Bauman & Germann, 2005). In fact, children who experience the death of a parent(s) are at twice the risk of suffering from a psychiatric disorder than children who have two live parents (Rutter, 1966). As is true for most of the Indian states, there is a general lack of mental health research in Kashmir (Hussain, 2007). Keeping these facts in view the investigator felt the need for carrying out the study of mental health status among orphan secondary school students in comparison with non orphan secondary school students of Kashmir valley. The sample of the present study consists of 210 secondary school students (131 Orphan) and (79 Non orphan) taken from different schools and orphanages. The age of the sample group ranges from 13 to 17 years with mean age of 15 years. Purposive sampling technique was used for research purpose. For measurement of mental health among orphan and non orphan adolescents, mental health scale developed by Alpana Sen Gupta and Arun Kumar singh (1983) was used. For studying the difference between the groups t-test was used. For assessing levels mental health among sample group quartiles were used. Result findings suggest significant differences in mental health status between the two groups. Orphans were found at the lower side of mental health status both facet wise and overall mental health status. Orphans scored comparatively lower numbers on Emotional stability, Adjustment, Self concept, Intelligence, Security and Autonomy.