Indian Journal of Positive Psychology

Pages:118-121
Deepika Vig and Sumandeep Kaur (Department of Human Development, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana)

The present research study investigated the impact of an intervention programme designed to enhance the knowledge levels of parents regarding management of learning difficulties among elementary school children. The study was carried out in 15 urban Private schools of Ludhiana City. From each school, 3rd and 4th class children facing problems in reading, writing and mathematics were randomly selected. The total sample consisted of 258 parents of these selected children .The parents were given intervention on various aspects of learning difficulties among children. Pre and post-intervention knowledge scores were assessed. The results indicated that intervention significantly improved the overall knowledge scores of the parents from poor to good level. After getting intervention, parents were found to have significantly better knowledge and comprehension skills and were able to utilize the gained knowledge for solving day to day problems related to reading, writing and mathematics among their children.

Pages:127-129
Richa Shukla (ICMR-JRF Scholar, Faculty of Psychology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, M.P.)

A new global wellness paradigm is gradually emerging, the spiritual well-being of an individual. The article takes a close and meticulous look at real happiness and spiritual well being. It conceptualizes that people can obtain real happiness by being more compassionate and caring instead of always comparing and competing themselves with others. One can have comparison and competition with one's true self as one will always find that one's true self is always more caring and compassionate and thus in the process one can achieve congruence with one's true self i.e., the state of 'sachchidananda'.The lessons of wellness can be seen and learnt from Indian Epics too. Our epics are full of evidences and shlokas which give us direction for spiritual wellness. The article is concluded by saying that aiming for spiritual well-being not only makes a better human being but also a better society.

Pages:133-136
Sandeep Panchal (Defence Institute of Psychology Research, Delhi) H. L. Joshi (Department of Psychology, K.U. Kurukshetra, Haryana)

The purpose of the study was to explore relationships between happiness, social skills and self-esteem in youths. The sample consists of 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students (Male 76 and Female 124) within age ranged from 18 to 24 years. Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI) by Argyle, Martin and Crossland (1989), Social Skills Inventory (SSI) by Riggio (1986), and Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) by Coopersmith (1975) were administered to all the respondents. The data were analyzed by using Descriptive statistics i.e. mean and SD, t test, Pearson product moment correlation and regression analysis. The result revealed that High happiness and low happiness group youth differ significantly on the measure of self-esteem, emotional sensitivity, Social expressivity and social control variable. The correlational analysis revealed that happiness variable found to be positively significant with self- esteem, emotional sensitivity, social expressivity and social control. The step wise Multiple regression analysis found two predictors of Happiness i.e. self-esteem Social expressivity. These predictors account only 48% of total variance in happiness.

Pages:140-143
K. Suneetha (Department of Psychology & Parapsychology, Andhra University, A.P.)

The edifice of humanity is based on positive values. The advent of science and technology no doubt tired to shake this very edifice. However the repercussions were readily felt and now attempts are being made in most of the countries all over the world to re-introduce the basic human values in the society. It is found that the core values are same in all religions, races and regions. In this article attempt is made to present some the successful efforts at implementing positive values in organizations and education.

Pages:148-152
Sarvdeep Kohli and Anjali Malik (Department of Psychology, M. D. University, Rohtak, Haryana) Mamta (St. Paul College of Education, Rohtak, Haryana)

Adolescence is one of the most important periods of life. Major physiological, cognitive and behavioral changes take place during this period. The marked physical and emotional growths of adolescents result in strains that frequently precipitate stress and anxiety as reflected in physiological, psychological and social behavior. This is the time when they need maximum attention, care and proper guidance of their parents. One's personality is substantially shaped by the environment to which one is exposed. So, the present investigation was aimed to explore the academic anxiety and general well being amongst adolescents belonging to rural and urban areas. A two group design was adopted in the present study. Each group consisted of 50 subjects (25 males and 25 females) with an age range of 14-16 years. Academic anxiety scale and general well being scale were administered on the 100 adolescent students. Data was analyzed by using t- test. The results of the study showed that adolescents of urban area had significantly higher academic anxiety than the adolescents of rural area. No significant difference was found between two groups on general well being and its dimensions. Further, male adolescents belonging to rural area had significantly higher level of well being as compared to females of rural area. The study infers that adolescents in the urban milieu have to cope with heightened academic anxiety but, interestingly it does not affect their well being. The present study implies that there is a need to identify environmental influences contributing to academic anxiety and needs to be addressed.

Pages:156-158
Dhanalakshmi S R and Subramanian S (Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore) Kanagasabapathy, V. (GLRA India, Chennai) T. Santhanam (Vocational Rehabilitation Centre for Handicapped, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, Puducherry)

Although medical advances over the past decade have ensured better treatment for people living with HIV, significant challenges remain in coping with the disease. The ability to cope successfully against HIV diagnosis is influenced by a number of psychological factors. The purpose of this study is to assess the patterns of coping among the recently diagnosed HIV infected people in Tamil Nadu. Our sample examined 70 HIV infected people (69% women), attending a Community Care Centre in rural Tamil Nadu. Respondents were interviewed using Coping with HIV Scale tool that examined five theoretically-unique coping mechanisms. Analysis revealed the mean scores for different coping strategies - distraction 58.03 (SD 10.69); blame 43.59 (SD 14.22); positive growth 55.33 (SD 15.67); expression is 50.17 (SD 10.73); wishful thinking is 62.8 (SD 16.7). Age, literacy, marital status, income had an influence on usage of specific coping strategy. However, usage of such specific coping strategy was not statistically different between men and women, type of family or number of children. The results of this study allowed us to examine the five theoretically-unique coping mechanisms and an in-depth knowledge of such strategies would allow planning of appropriate psychological interventions to enhance adaptive coping among the recently diagnosed HIV- population.

Pages:163-168
A. Velayudhan (Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore ) Nicolas J Benedict (ICMR Project Fellow, Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore)

Studies by DIPR focused on the major operational stressors, like fear of torture, uncertain environment and domestic stresses are responsible for most of psychological problems in various groups of Armed Forces. Middle rank officers were found to be more vulnerable and stressed out.Mental disorders in the form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have been observed in traumatized troops. Need for immediate therapeutic intervention during PTSD jointly by unit leaders and professional psychologist. This qualitative analysis focuses to cultivate mental well being which helps to reduce mental disturbances of the armed forces by suggesting Mindfulness Training for military personnel. More the time spent engaging in daily mindfulness exercises the better the mood, working memory, cognitive term for complex thought, problem solving, and cognitive control of emotions and may protect against functional impairments related high-stress challenges that need a large amount of cognitive control, self-awareness, situational awareness and emotional regulation.

Pages:172-174
Kiran Sahu (Department of Psychology, G.D.H.G. College, Moradabad, U.P.)

Emotional intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge and to promote emotional and intellectual growth. It is presumed that family structure plays very important role in developing high emotional intelligence and positive self esteem among young adults. Thus the aim of the present study is to find out the difference between young adults from single parent family and both parent family regarding their emotional intelligence and self esteem. In addition to find out how emotional intelligence helps in developing positive self esteem among these young adults. A sample of 100 young adults (50 from single parent family and 50 from both parent family) was taken from Moradabad district of U.P. Mangal emotional intelligence inventory (2009) and self esteem inventory by Prasaad and Thakur (1977) were used for measuring emotional intelligence and self esteem, respectively. The result elucidated that there is a significant difference between single parent and both parent young adult's emotional intelligence and self esteem. Further, adults from both parent families have high level of emotional intelligence and better self esteem in comparison to adults belonging to single parent family.

Pages:179-181
Ashna Gupta (Department of Psychology, Delhi University, New Delhi)

The growth of positive psychology has changed the focus of Psychology from a science which was preoccupied only with repairing the worst things in life to one which also focuses on building positive qualities. People pursue all kinds of objects money, relationships, power, social status, knowledge, skills to gain happiness. Ultimately they do so because they believe, consciously or unconsciously, that obtaining the object of their desire will lead to greater happiness. And their experiences lead them to the inescapable fact that this is simply not true. Human experiences therefore lead to the search for the answers to two questions: The Vedas tell us that happiness is not an object or a place or a time. The Upanishads define the nature of happiness and explain away this nature in a rigorous, logical manner by the methodology of the analysis of one's own life experiences. The meaning of life constitutes a question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general. It is deeply mixed with the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, social ties, consciousness, and happiness, and touches many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil and free will. And inevitably, questions of God, the soul, and the afterlife. We can therefore conclude that the human mind is constituted to make the best of any situation in which it finds itself. In this context, Positivism and Positive Psychology, along with the vision of Indian Philosophy as depicted in the Vedas is identical to the very nature of a human being.

Pages:185-186
Nalini Totuka (Human Development, ICG, The IIS University, Jaipur)

Life satisfaction refers to a person's general happiness, freedom from tension, interest in life etc. The present study aimed to study the life satisfaction among working and non- working women with two or more children (30-45 yrs). The sample consisted of 60 women , out of which 30 are non-working and 30 are working. The research tool used was life satisfaction scale by Singh and Joseph. The data was analysed by mean, SD and t test.