Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Pages: 1481-1485
Bhoomika Sachacher, Jaisal Jacob, Roshan Khanande, Deyashini Lahri (Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand )

The sexual nature of human beings is unique and display complex sexual behaviors. We create ideas, laws, customs, fantasies, and art around the sexual act. There are challenges to sexual functioning includes anxiety, sexual dysfunctions, illness, disease and disability. It is important to learn to adapt these challenges and this will maintain a positive view of sexuality. Sex therapy techniques help the clients to cope up with these issues.Although sex therapy has assumed the status of an independent psychotherapeutic specialty, practitioners of many disciplines and theoretical persuasions have been treating sexual problems for centuries. Despite active efforts to limit research and clinical practice in the area, interest in human sexual functioning and concern with sexual dysfunction refuses to go away. Both the efforts to maintain certain myths concerning sex and the efforts to change these myths attest to the importance of sex in our lives.

Pages: 1490-1491
Karuna Anand (Department of Psychology, G.D.H.G. College, Moradabad, U.P.)

The use of the word “health” to describe human “well being” is relative. The word health is originated from the old English word “health”, which means a state of bier and was generally used to infer a “soundness of body' (Dolfman, 1973). Health is defined in terms of an absence of objective sign indicating that body is not functioning properly, such as indices of high blood pressure and subjective symptoms of disease or injury such as pain or nausea (Birren & Jarit, 1985; Thoresen, 1984). A healthy person is one who is able to live at relative peace with himself and with his neighbours who, when these basic functions are accomplished still has energy left over to make further contribution to the society in which he lives. Mental health is an important but elusive concept that still has no single definition acceptable to everyone. Psychiatrist and psychologist, have been dissatisfied with this way of looking at mental health. It is now recognized by World Health Organisation (WHO) that health is positive term. On the basis of preliminary reports of White House Conference Bernard (1970) has defined mental health as “the adjustment of individual to themselves and the world at large with the maximum of effectiveness, satisfaction, cheerfulness and socially considerable behaviour and ability of facing and accepting the realities of life”.

Pages: 1497-1501
Meenakshi Chauhan and P. K. Rai (Department of Psychology, Dr. H. S. G. University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh)

This paper aims at to study the impact of self-talk, and different traits of personality on empathy. Self-talk is a way of describing all the things we say to ourselves all day long as we confront obstacles, make decisions, and resolve problems. Self-talk of a person determines his self-esteem in a positive or negative way which in turn effects his behaviour. A trait is a temporally stable, cross-situational individual difference. According to Stein and Brook (2000), empathy is the ability to be aware of, to understand and to appreciate the feelings and thoughts of others and to be sensitive to what, how and why people feel and think the way that they do. To measure self-talk, Self-Talk Inventory, for the traits of personality, Big-five Personality test, and for empathy, Multidimensional Emotional Empathy Scale were used. This study was conducted on the students of post graduate classes of different faculties of Dr. H.S. Gour University. Multiple regression was done by using SPSS 17. In the correlation matrix positive self-talk, neuroticism and agreeableness are significantly correlated with empathy. All the predictor variables together are responsible for the 8.8% of variance in empathy. Negative self-talk, positive self-talk conscientiousness, and agreeableness are the strongest predictors among all.

Pages: 1506-1511
Sarayu. L. Chandrashekar and Malavi Madhusudan (Marriage & Family Therapy Program, Department of Behavioral Sciences Purdue University Calumet, United States of America )

Research has shown that mate selection preferences of individuals are influenced by their culture, family-of-origin and other systems they belong to. However, there is a gap in the literature examining how these preferences might have been socially constructed by the culture an individual belongs to or whether these social constructions differ from one culture to another. In this paper, the authors propose an assessment model, The Model for Assessment of Indian Mate Expectation (MAIME), based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which will help clinicians work with Indian clients to deconstruct their mate preferences and identify unique aspects of Indian culture that have created their dominant stories of each other. The authors believe that individuals' mate selection preferences will have a significant impact on their marital satisfaction if they believe their partner has not met their expectations.

Pages: 1517-1520
Roghieh Noori Pour and Mina Amini Zadeh (Family Counseling, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran)
Natália Ribeiro, Alexandre Schier, Flávia Paes, (Adriana Cardoso Silva and Antonio Egidio Nardi Panic and Respiration Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Sergio Machado (Panic and Respiration Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (IPUB/UFRJ), Brazil)
Joshua J. Matacotta (California School of Professional Psychology California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA)

This study investigated relationship between religious orientation, perfectionism and self-efficacy with stress in university students. The study sample included 250 students (117 female and 133 male) in Shahid Beheshti University who were selected by using stratified sampling. To collect data, Religious Orientation Scale (ROS), The Multidimensional Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (MCPI-E), New General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (NGSE) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) were used. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis showed that religious orientation has significant and negative impact on stress, self-efficacy has significant and negative effect on stress and finally, subscales of perfectionism have significant and positive effect on stress. As results showed, among variables of religious orientation, perfectionism and self-efficacy, self-efficacy is the best stress predictor.

Pages: 07-09
Ishhita Gupta, Shefali Thaman and S. P. K. Jena (Department of Applied Psychology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi)

This study is designed to formulate behavioural coding for child behaviours in various observational settings. In order to conduct these studies, an initial behavioural definition was obtained through audiovisual demonstration of child behaviour to a group of potential observers trained in behavioural assessment. Subsequently, a set of index behaviours was identified for the sake of coding. At the next stage of the experiment, these coded behaviours were subjected to recording through time sampling by the above observers. Consequently, an inter-rater reliability assessment was conducted to examine the reliability of their observations across behaviours.

Pages: 16-20
Happy Paul and Pooja Garg (Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee)

With the increased role of psychology in last two decades, research on subjective well-being has gained much attention and as an outcome its role at workplace has been explored well in applied research. However, how this significant positive aspect of life functions in everyday life at work remains unknown. The paper bridges this gap and explores the potential role of SWB to augment the tendency of employees to display extra-role behaviours at workplace. It was proposed that the subjective experience of well-being would enjoy a positive relationship with the demonstration of organizational citizenship behaviours. In this venture, authors after briefly defining the constructs and looking into the literature, summarize the findings from a sample of executives working in Indian manufacturing industry (N=240). The participants were assessed for subjective well-being (Life Satisfaction, Positive Affect and Negative Affect), and organizational citizenship behaviours (Altruism, Conscientiousness, Sportsmanship, Courtesy and Civic Virtue). The results of regression analysis revealed that the two-component configuration of SWB constituting cognitive and affective dimensions relate positively to the dimensions of OCB. It is argued that since the citizenship behaviours demonstrate the state of everyday life of an employee at workplace, it is pertinent for organizations to achieve optimal human experience and well-being. Practical implications are discussed along with the future directions for research.

Pages: 01-06
B. Jayabharathi (Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, SRM College of Nursing, SRM University, Chennai)
Jayamohanraj (Department of Community Health Nursing, SRM College of Nursing, SRM University, Chennai)

Menopause is a normal occurrence in the life of every woman. The term is derived from the Greek, which actually means 'cessation of periods'. Menopause occurs due to cessation of ovarian function.The word menopause and climacteric are used interchangeably. It also indicates a 'change of life' from one of reproduction, which is coming to an end. The age of menopause varies from 45 to 50 years .In some woman, the age of menopause may be 51 or 52 years. This community based study tested the effect of yoga on climacteric symptoms of menopausal women. This was a prospective randomized interventional study. The study was conducted in selected villages at Kattankulathur Block, Chennai,Tamilnadu, India. Multistage sampling technique was used for the identification of menopausal women for the study. The total sample size was 260 menopausal women and they were randomly allotted to two groups: 130 of them to yoga group and 130 of them to control group. The yoga group has undergone yoga training programme which consists of Yogasanas, Pranayama (Breathing exercise) and Meditation. The yoga group has practiced yoga for 5 days in a week for 1 hr /day for 12 weeks by trained instructor. The assessments were made by five point Rating scale ( to assess the physical and psychological symptoms ) which is based on Standardized Menopause Rating scale(MRS)andPerceived Stress Scale ( for level of stress of menopausal women). After 12 weeks of yoga practice , the physical symptoms of menopausal women were reduced to greater extent in yoga group than in control group at p< 0.001 level of significance. There was significantly better improvement in the psychological symptoms of menopausal women in yoga group (p<0.001) than in control group. In the yoga group, there was a marked reduction of stress level after 12 weeks of intensive yoga practice (p<0.001) than in control group. The present study concluded that, yoga is an effective intervention in reducing the physical, psychological symptoms and level of stress of menopausal women. Yoga's approach to holistic health is powerful tool for helping the women experience the passage into menopause as a positive event, both physically and spiritually.

Pages: 1521-1524
Sapana Singh (Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)
Binayak Shankar (Personnel Management & Industrial Relations, Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)

The socio economic factors are important determinants of human development. Research shows that socioeconomic status of family isassociated with a wide array of health, cognitive, and socio-emotional outcomes in children and its effects continuing into adulthood. Many empirical evidences have been found that better socioeconomic condition of family facilitate better emotion regulation abilities, cognitive functioning and well-being in children. The present studyanalyzes the role of socioeconomic status in emotion regulation and well-being of adults. The Socioeconomic Scale, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Life Satisfaction Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire have been used in the study for measuring these constructs. The scales are administered on 150 respondents including both male and female, from various courses of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The correlational analysis of data revealed interesting findings.The high socioeconomic status has been found strongly and positively related to use of functional ER strategies and well-being and negatively related to use of dysfunctional ER strategies. The socioeconomic status revealed as a major predictorof emotion regulation and well-being.

Pages: 1533-1536
Sikandra (Department of Foods and Nutrition, CCS Haryana agricultural University, Hisar)
Ruby Siwach Sangwan (Research Scholar, NDRI, Karnal, Haryana)
Kavita (Department of HDFS, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar)

The present investigation was conducted on school going children (9-15 years) from Hisar and Gurgaon city, Haryana state India. A total of 400 obese children were selected randomly (200 each from both cities). Hundred healthy school going children having no history of obesity and matching the same age as those of obese children were taken as control (50 each from both cities). The information on socio-economic status, food habits and dietary pattern of the children was gathered using self-developed questionnaire. The study revealed that prevalence of obesity was higher (7.41%) among school going children from Gurgaon city as compared to Hisar city (5.79%). It was observed that mean values for most of the anthropometric parameters for obese respondents were significantly higher than non-obese group respondents.The study revealed that a higher percentage (57.5%) of obese children were from 12-15yr age group. Majorities of non-obese group (76%) as well as obese children were from nuclear families having up to five members in the family. Total monthly income of the family of obese respondents was above Rs. 15,000. Ten percent of non-obese children's fathers were above graduate whereas 30 to 36% of obese children's fathers were above graduate in Gurgaon and Hisar city,respectively. Income of the family of obese respondents was found positively associated with weight of obese respondents.

Pages: 1541-1543
Anurag Upadhaya (Government Inter College, Uttar Pradesh)
Richa Singh (Department of Psychology, Vasanta Collage for Women Varanasi, U.P.)

The topic of vigilance behavior in today's work setting such as air traffics control (ATC), industrial quality control, sonar and radar operations etc. is gaining much importance among cognitive neuroscientists, academicians, researches as well as psychologists. Like other cognitive capacities, the capacity to sustain attention i.e. vigilance, has been considered to represent a limited resource. This is regarded as the most important determinant of the vigilance decrement. The majority of investigators report large individual differences in susceptibility to decrement. Thus, personality has been found to affect vigilance performance across time periods, besides other individual difference factors. Extraversion and introversion is the central dimension of human personality which differs from each other in terms of cortical arousal level. Researches demonstrated that introverts, who had high level of arousal, showed less decrement function than extraverts, having low activation. But in several experimental studies hypothesized of greater decrement for extraverts was not supported. Moreover, the pattern of vigilance decrement changed with the time of day. Thus, as the technical development is growing rapidly, it has become increasingly necessary to examine how vigil function changes with personality type and task demand and to understand the extent to which these changes can affect their functioning. The researches on the personality aspect, until recently, have been limited in scope while it plays important role in predicting decline reactions during vigil. The present study examined the relationship of personality and sustained task performance. The experiment was conducted on 30 students of Banaras Hindu University (M±SD=22.35year±2.55). Participants were classified as introverts (N = 15) and extraverts (N = 15) based on their EPQ-R score. Performances in terms of correct and incorrect detection were collected. The experimental task comprised of two squares one of 3.5 cm. (target) and another of 3.3 cm (non-target). The task continued for 40 min. Target and non-target ratio was 1:4. The target probability was 20 percent. Participants were required to detect infrequently occurring critical signals. The task was designed on Super Lab (Cedrus, 2007 Version 4.0) and displayed on a 15” SVGA colour monitor of a Pentium IV computer. The overall mean correct detection performance (hits) indicated that introvert participants detected more targets (signals) (M = 88.74%, SD = 14.25%) than extravert participants (M = 75.48%, SD = 19.92%) on vigilance task. Results of personality components revealed that introverts were significantly related to performance efficiency during the task compare to extraverts. Present finding explains the importance of the individual difference factor in reducing the variability in performance which protects declination in vigil. Further the results support an arousal theory perspective in regards to the vigilance decrement.

Pages: 1548-1550
Vibha Chaudhary and Sanjay Kumar (Department of Psychology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, U.P.)

The study was an attempt to explore the effect of 'Late Marriage' on marital adjustment, depression and stress among in married working women. Sample was consisted of 45 married working women, who were randomly selected from various professions. The selected subjects were randomly assigned to three groups according to their age at the time of marriage, i.e., early married; middle aged married and late married working women. A between groups experimental design was employed in the research. Obtained Results indicated that the late married working women (married after 32 years of age) were found to be showing significantly higher depression and poor marital adjustment as compared to other two groups.

Pages: 1554-1557
Tejbeer Kaur (Department of Psychology, Khalsa College, Patiala)
Inderpartap Singh (Department of Psychology, IGNOU, New Delhi)

Over the past years, there has been a burgeoning interest in gaining better understanding of violent behavior of women. Theories on marital violence stresses the importance of processes both internal and external to the individual in understanding women's acts of aggression. Research suggests that situational characteristics influence attributions for violent events. Models specific to domestic violence interpret women's use of violence within the context of their own victimization histories, their experiences of childhood trauma, and the depressive and posttraumatic symptoms that ensue. Women's status in a gendered society has been also found to play a prominent role in their violent behaviour, with low socioeconomic status, unemployment, poverty, and a lack of educational and vocational opportunities, all heightens women's risk for behaving violently. The role of women regarding marital violence is economically motivated, undertaken for survival purposes, and as a way of releasing accumulated tension. The present investigation attempted to examine the attributional styles of women. Total Sample comprised 80 women (40 each violent and non-violent), randomly drawn from Patiala city in the age range of 25- 55 years, working professionally. Psychological measure was used to assess attributional styles. Significant t-values indicated differences on various dimensions of attributional styles.