Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Pages: 345-349
Jyoti Singh and Vijysen Pandey (AIPS, Amity University, Noida, UP)
J. S. Tripathi (Department of Kayachikitsa, IMS, BHU, Varanasi)

This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of Supportive Psychotherapy in the alleviation of mental ill health and adjustment problems of recently diagnosed HIV/AIDS positive people. For this purpose, a total of 40 patients were selected, Supportive Psychotherapy was provided to the participants after baseline assessment and two follow-ups at 15 days interval each were taken. The tools which were used in present study were Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) by Srivastava and Bhatt and an Adjustment Inventory by Tripathi. Apaired sample t-test was conducted and, there was a statistically significant decrease in mental ill health scores from baseline assessment to first follow-up and from first follow-up to second follow-up 26.63, and the same trend was found in the case of adjustment problems which compared with baseline assessment to first fallow-up and from first follow-up to second follow-up. We can say on the basis of the results that Supportive Psychotherapy is quite helpful for the HIV/AIDS positive people to cope with their mental ill health and adjustment related problems after the diagnosis of the disease and to improve their quality of life.

Pages: 353-357
Sandeep Singh and Soamya (Department of Applied Psychology, GJU S&T, Hisar, Haryana)

Stress is the term used to describe the physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral responses to events that are appraised as threatening or challenging. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in more integrative stress-reduction techniques that attempt to address not only a person's mental and physical ailments, but also his or her interpersonal, emotional and spiritual needs (Eisenberg et al., 1990-97, 1998). Complementary and alternative medicine interventions such as yoga, rhythmic breathing exercises, meditation, relaxation, and chanting techniques have significantly reduced stress-induced psychological disorders (Gupta et al., 2006; Michalsen et al., 2005; Smith et al., 2007). The present study examines the effect of three months mindfulness training versus breathing exercises o1n physio-cognitive aspects of stress. The study was conducted on a sample of 30 participants (10 participants in each group) having high stress level with average age of 22 years. Intensity of stress was assessed with the Cohen's (1988) 14 items perceived stress scale and PGI Health Questionnaire by Verma (1985) was used to assess the physical as well as psychological wellbeing. Physiological Correlates of the stress were measured by Finger Pulse Feedback, EMG, Respiration, and Electro sleep feedback. Participants were randomly assigned to Mindfulness, Breathing Exercise group. Applying the pre post test design the intervention continued for the period of three months. The findings revealed that the mindfulness training, breathing exercises have threshold impact in reducing the stress and improving the well being among participants. Study also revealed the restoration of normal levels of EMG, respiration and pulse feedback in experimental groups.

Pages: 362-364
Naorem Binita Devi (Department of Psychology, Mizoram University, Mizoram)

Male differences among the normal and HIV-infected on the sub-scales of somatic complaints, anxiety, and anxiety related disorders were assesses in the randomly selected from the Manipur Population. Sample includes fifty for normal and fifty from HIV-infected patients. HIV-infected sample are those of drug abuse (heroin no. IV) and syringe sharing. Data are collected with the help of NGOs people working for the HIV-infected patients. For normal sample, data are collected from the Kakching area, Manipur. All the sub-scales i.e., conversion, somatization, health concerns, cognitive, affective, physiological, obsessive-compulsive, phobias and traumatic concerns are measured by Morey's (1991) Personality Assessment Inventory. Each sub-scales consist of eight items each (total items are seventy two). Results of the present study indicates significant differences on the conversion, somatization, health concerns, cognitive, affective, physiological, phobias, and traumatic stress. It further suggests that obsessive- compulsive has non-significant differences among the Normal and HIV-infected patients.

Pages: 369-373
Ashima Soni (Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh)
The present study examined gender differences in self esteem, parent adolescent relationship and sibling relationship in secondary school students. The sample for the present study comprised of 600 (300 males and 300 females) secondary school students of the private and public schools from Chandigarh and Mohali studying in tenth, eleventh and twelveth class. The sample was drawn using the random sampling technique. The private and public schools were chosen randomly by selecting schools in different sectors of Chandigarh and Mohali in order to have full representation of the students of tenth, eleventh and twelveth class across Chandigarh and Mohali. The inclusion criteria used for sample selection was that age of the students ranged from 15-19 years and students coming only from intact families and having at least one sibling were considered for the study. The tools comprised of Self Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1979), Parent Adolescent Relationship Questionnaire (Prinz , 1979) and Sibling relationship questionnaire (Furman & Buhrmester, 1985). Results indicate no significant gender differences in self esteem and parent adolescent relationship. However, significant differences were found on dimensions of status and warmth dimension of sibling relationship but no significant differences were found on conflict and rivalry dimension of sibling relationship.

Pages: 378-382
Jaishree Jain (Department of Psychology, S.S.Jain Subodh P.G. Girls College, Jaipur)
Arvind Jinger and Pradeep Sharma (Department of Psychiatry SMS Medical College, Jaipur)

The epidemic of violence directed at women and girls constitutes a major human rights issue and a public health crisis. Around the world women are regularly beaten and sexually abused by intimate partners, family members, neighbors, and by people not known to them. Besides the physical suffering to women, such violence has a profound impact on women's psychological well-being, on their reproductive health and security of their families and communities. The study was aimed to evaluate the role of family environment in relation to violence against women. The present study was carried out on a sample population of 35 women consecutively attending Mahila Salah Suraksha Kendra, Violence against women counseling Centre Jaipur and same number of control group vertical taken from relative of these women with suitable inclusion and exclusion criteria. The two groups were compared for their following measures of Sociodemographic Proforma and Identification Data Sheet, moos family environment scale (Indian cultural norms as per end Hindi adoption by Joshi and Vyas, (1987).The results revealed that The case group woman have demonstrated significant less mean scores on all the ten measures of family environment scale (viz. cohesion, expressiveness, conflict, independence, achievement orientation, intellectual orientation, active recreational orientation, moral religious emphasis).It's suggest that case group women have come from poor family environment.

Pages: 385-387
Mahe Naz and Saeeduzzafar (Department of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh)

The present study was conducted to compare quality of life of blind and normal students in different domains namely, physical health, psychological functioning, social relationships and environmental functioning, in addition overall quality of life and general health. Hence, a sample of 60 students was used, in which 30 were blinds and 30 were normal students. To measure the quality of life WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire developed by World Health Organization (1997) was used. Data were analyzed by t-test. The findings revealed that the blind and normal subjects did not differ significantly on physical health, social relationships and general health, while these two groups differ significantly on the domain of psychological functioning, environmental functioning and overall quality of life. The results were exhaustively discussed in the light of existing findings and other possible explanations of the findings were also offered.

Pages: 391-393
Sudhir Padghan (Department of Psychology, Dnyanopasak College, Parbhani, Maharashtra)

The concern of present research was to investigate the effect of religious and socio economic status on college girls students' personality criteria namely locus of control. The sample was confined to the colleges of Parbhani District of Maharashtra. The stratified randomize sample taken into consideration for the study was consisted of 120 college going girls belonging to the age group of 17 to 23 years, out of which 60 belongs to Hindu community and 60 belongs to Muslim community as per objective. Both the groups were equally subdivided into two group's i.e. low and high SES students. The data were collected by using test namely; Rotter's Locus of Control Scale. To analyze the data the present investigation deals with 2 x 2 factorial design and data was analyzed using 2 Way ANOVA. Results revealed that both religious and socio economic status were significant on locus of control of college going girls.

Pages: 396-398
Sisira C. and B.Rangaiah (Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry)

There is a belief regarding HIV/AIDS that it affects only the immune system but the underlying truth is that decline in mental processes is another complication of HIV/AIDS infection. The present study aimed to assess the reaction time and attention of individuals with HIV positive and to compare it with Normal individuals. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference between HIV positive and Normal individuals on the measures of attention and reaction time. The neuropsychological tools Trail making test and reaction time test were administered to 30 HIV positive patients and were contrasted with those of 30 control subjects. Results of this study revealed that there was a significant difference between HIV positive and Normal individuals on the measure of attention (P<0.01). In reaction time the difference is more significant in simple reaction time (P<0.02) than in the choice reaction time (P<0.05). Reaction time and attention were significantly weakened in HIV-positive subjects compared to Normal individuals. Hence, the present study enlightens the importance of considering the cognitive aspects while rehabilitating the patients. The paper also discussed the further implications of the study.

Pages: 403-405
Narke H. J. (Department of Psychology, Dr Baba Shaheb Ambedkar Marthawara University, Aurangabad)
Sharma, D. and Kumar, M. (TEPSE & HEPSN Centre, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur)

The aim of present investigation was to find out the attitude towards the sexual behaviour among HIV cases in a sample of 60 HIV Positive persons. The result reveled that Attitude towards sexual behavior of HIV infected cases reported the significance difference with their counterparts. While enjoying the sexual activities they put aside family and social norms, like extra and premarital relations / heterosexuality. On the other hand normal individual enjoys sex in the frames of restrictions prescribed down by the society. It confirms the hypothesis that HIV positive cases will have permissiveness in their attitude towards sex as compared to normal. Sexual Behaviour Attitude is measure with the help of sex behaviour Inventory by Singh (1977). Findings confirm the hypotheses.

Pages: 409-412
Nagorao Palwade (Department of Psychology, B. Raghunath College, Parbhani, Maharashtra)

The present paper was aimed to assess mental health and life satisfaction among bank employees. A sample of 400 employees of nationalized and co-operative banks were selected purposively from Marathwada, Out of which 200 employees, (100 male and 100 female) were taken from nationalized banks and similarly 200 employees were chosen from the co-operative banks. The age of sample varied between 30 to 40 years having 12th Standard to Graduate level education. The Life Satisfaction scale and Employees Mental Health Inventory were used to measure life satisfaction and mental health among employees. Obtained data was analyzed by applying mean, standard deviation and two-way ANOVA. Results indicated that Cooperative and nationalized bank employees do not differ on their mental health criteria. Employees working in nationalized bank were found to be higher on their life satisfaction criteria as compared to employees working in cooperative bank.

Pages: 415-418
Nayanika Singh (Reiki Grandmaster, Mohali, Punjab)

Practicing and educating oneself about Art and Aesthetic pursuits not only contributes in creating innovative products and performances but, aids in expanding our horizon and shaping our disposition, satisfying our thirst for knowledge and establishing cross- cultural exchange, justifying our quest for a worthwhile human existence. Arts Education nurtures the holistic development of individuals allowing them to value their unique identity and realize their potential to the fullest through participation in varied forms of Arts. Current research and valuable contribution of Art's education programs across the globe indicate that from an early age children are known to benefit from a wide array of Art experiences fostering brain development, physical wellness, language acquisition, literacy and unique cultural identity. This eventually aids in instilling a spirit of connectivity and gregariousness, appreciation and value orientation, aesthetic sensibility and expression for hidden talent equipping them with the needed competencies to enhance their human potentialities to the fullest. Taking the above framework into consideration, the aim of my paper is to: Firstly, to highlight and discuss the objectives, role and importance of Arts Education in developing human potential among children. Secondly, to provide a comparative testimony of the extent to which countries across the globe have made an attempt to incorporate Art activities in their school curriculum (highlighting analysis of a few countries). Lastly, an attempt has been made to develop a proposal /guidelines for developing an Arts Education Program for the children of today.

Pages: 423-425
Meenakshi Chauhan (Department of Psychology, Dr. H. S. G. University, Sagar, M.P.)
Akhil Jain (Bundelkhand Medical College. Sagar, M.P.)

This paper focuses on the socio-economic and living conditions of the Bidi Rolling women of Tili village in district Sagar. This study is mere observation in a health camp during Field Exposure Visit for a task from Saksham Project, GFATM 7, counseling component, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai .This includes information on the basis of interviews and case studies of women participated in the camp. Population of the village is below poverty line and 99% of the women population is working as a Bidi labour including young girls. Today, no doubt, the condition of the Bidi Rolling women is full of risk and worry. Though they are earning their livelihood by this profession, yet are fail to fulfill their needs. They are exploited by the contractors .As a result, they remain deprived and marginalized and are forced to become sex workers. They are involved in this profession from generation to generation but they are quite far from a social status. These women are mostly illiterate and looked down upon in the society. These women are victims of domestic violence and health problems. They are suffering from respiratory problems and STD's. Although the government has made some effort to improve the conditions by introducing legislation it is not strictly enforced. The key to improving these conditions lies in educating and training the women.