Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Pages: 607-610
Reshma N. S. and Manjula M. Y. (Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Psychology, S.D.M.College (Autonomous), Ujire, Karnataka)

The current study aims at exploring life satisfaction across gender and socio-economic status among middle adults. The study consists of 150 middle adults (male=75, females=75) selected from 3 different socio-economic status groups (high=50, middle=50, low=50). The sample was drawn from Mangalore city. The age of the sample ranged between 40-55 yrs. Kuppuswamy's socio-economic status scale (R-2012) and Life satisfaction scale (Kumar, et.al 1988) was administered to the participants. The data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and post hoc test of Turkey's HSD. The results revealed that females have significantly higher job satisfaction than males. Findings revealed that adults belonging to high socio-economic status have significantly higher mental satisfaction, job satisfaction, family satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and overall life satisfaction compared to adults from lower socio-economic status groups. Adults belonging to middle socio-economic status groups have significantly higher mental satisfaction and job satisfaction when compared to adults from lower socio-economic status groups.

Pages: 615-618
Sandeep G. (Department of Demography, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala )

With favourable conditions for population ageing, the problem of morbidity burden due to chronic diseases may also be increasing in Kerala. Kerala has a dubious distinction as the 'diabetes capital' in the country. This paper examined the distribution of women and men aged 20-49 years according the diabetes status and also identified the major risk factors of diabetes in Kerala. The data were obtained from National Family Health Survey 2005-06 (NFHS 3). Bivariate and multivariate techniques are used in the analyses. Prevalence of Diabetes was 4688/ 100 000 among men and 2953/100 000 among women in Kerala. Weekly and daily fish intake contributed to a significantly higher risk of diabetes among both women and men. Risks of diabetes increased with increased BMI, age and wealth status of both women and men. Daily consumption of pulse/beans or fruits was associated with a significantly reduced risk of diabetes among women, whereas non-significant inverse associations were observed in the case of men. Health promotion campaigns that emphasize healthy eating and exercise are needed to encourage healthier lives.

Pages: 623-626
Yamuna Devi A and S. Sulaja (Department of Demography, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Trivandrum, Kerala)

This study examined the changes old age mortality in India through modal ages at death from 1977-2011. Death data from the Sample Registration System of India were used for the study. Changes in modal ages at death showed significant improvement for both males and females. However, the improvement was much greater for females. This study also observed shifts in the shape of distribution of age at death and the survival curve over time. Longevity extension alone cannot be measure the health of the population in any society, considerable reduction in morbidity also required. Rising prevalence morbidity among elderly and poor health care are the existing situation in India. Thus more efforts need to be exerted to maintain the improvement in the geriatric care in India.

Pages: 632-635
Farah Habib and Saba Khan (Department of Home Science, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh)

The objective of this study was to examine how attributional style is related to level of academic achievement, which is evidenced by students' performance in exam in an educational institution. The data were collected from 136 students randomly selected from senior secondary school of AMU (both boys and girls section). The high and low achieving students were identified on the basis of percentage of marks in senior secondary certificate part-I examination. The attributional style was measured by attributional style questionnaire (ASQ) developed by Peterson, Semmel, Von Baeyer, Abramson, Metalsky and Seligman (1982) and revised by Peterson and Seligman (1984). The data were analyzed by using t-test for finding out the significance of difference between various subgroups. Significant differences in attributional style were obtained between high and low achieving student.

Pages: 639-641
Manpreet Ola (Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied, Sciences, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana)

From over a decade, positive psychology has been interested in concepts associated with positive human functioning. In this study we will focus on another emerging concept of positive psychology. Eudaimonia which is identified as the greatest human good, it is the best or greatest activity of the soul or joy which permeates and fulfils a good life. It is often translated as happiness, joy or well-being, and it also has some connotations like success, so it is possible to understand that living well also includes doing well. It is essential and independent, achieved by nothing but itself, so that it may include everything else, and even comfort, however it extends beyond it (Broadie, 1991). This was introduced by Aristotle. It is a topic for scientific enquiry. The aim of the study was to see whether eudaimonic well-being will have any impact on depression, anxiety, stress and meaning at work in male and female doctors. Participants were 60 doctors (30 males and 30 females) from Rajasthan, India, in the age range of 30-60 years, with no history of any psychiatric illness. They gave their consent to participate in the study. Eudaimonic well being was assessed using the purpose in life scale of the Ryff measures of psychological well-being (Keyes et al., 2002; Ryff and Keyes, 1995; Smith et al., 2013), depression, anxiety, and stress levels through Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS by Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and meaningful work through work and meaning inventory (Steger, 2012). Sample was purposive and the data were collected in individual situations. There was difference between male and female doctors with regard to eudaimonic well-being, depression, anxiety, stress and meaning at work, however only on the dimension of depression the results were significant, where male doctors had significantly more depression than that of female doctors (t = 2.64, p = .01). With regard to correlation between eudaimonic well-being, depression, anxiety and stress there was significant inverse correlation (r = -.82; r = -.72; r = -.71) respectively (p = .01). However with meaning at work there was positive correlation with eudaimonic well-being (r = .52; p = .01). It can be concluded that positive eudaimonic well-being reduces mental health concerns and it has a positive influence on individuals who find their work meaningful. Also we can say that work is only one of many, and often not the most important of the influences on health and well-being. However due to the small sample size the result findings cannot be generalized.

Pages: 645-647
Bhupender Singh and B. R. Shejwal (Department of Psychology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra )

The present study has been carried out with the objective to explore the role of mental image and positive emotions on work motivation among security professionals. Tools like Mental Image among Security Professionals (MISP), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule extended (PANAS-X), Work Motivation Questionnaire (WMQ) and personal data sheet were administered on 120 male security professionals. After the initial screening of the data and stepwise multiple regression was applied on the obtained data. The results demonstrated that mental image especially, visual image and auditory image were significantly predicting the work motivation among the security professionals. This gives path for the application of various mental image enhancing methods in this field.

Pages: 651-661
K. Bhuvaneswari and Sibnath Deb (Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry)

Children need to be cared for and protected for the formation of a robust nation. The rampant increase in incidence of child sexual abuse becomes a major apprehension for all stakeholders in society. Child sexual abuse is viewed as Progressive Social Disorder as there are many hurdles which the child, family and community find difficulty to come out from, which is augmented by recurrence of abuse on the same victim and on different victim by same offender or by different offender. The consequences of sexual abuse on the child include short-term and long-term impact on the developmental aspects of the child throughout their lifespan. A model for combating the disorder has been developed. Prevention, Justice and Rehabilitation entailing equal significance by stakeholders, is required towards creation of healthy and safe haven for the future of the nation.

Pages: 668-670
Harmeen K. Basra (Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Panjab)

Children's peer relations are perhaps the most ubiquitous of all human relationships. Sociometric status is distinct from friendship or peer group membership and concerns overall peer acceptance. Sociometric status is unilateral in terms of measurement, in group evaluations of individual members , but it is not a unitary social construct. The present study studies the sociometric status and peer group behavior. Numerous studies have examined the types of behaviors that children ascribe to peers who vary in preference and popularity. The social context plays a major role in the line between social behavior and social status.

Pages: 674-677
Jasbirkaur Thadhani (Department of Psychological Counseling, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Gujrat)

Emotional Intelligence is linked with human emotions, expressions of our own and people around us. Do emotions have biased towards gender? It is widely believed and claimed by studies that women are more emotionally intelligent than man. Is it natural phenomena or another stereotype? Another question raised by this study is correlation between academic discipline of the study and emotional intelligence. Each subject or discipline has its own ways to enable learn and grow. Few subjects may help in better articulation while rest may facilitate better reasoning skills. This study is aimed to explore two questions about interaction of emotional intelligence with gender and academic discipline. The study was conducted on 160 male and female participants of Arts, Commerce, Science and Engineering discipline.

Pages: 683-686
D. Manikandan and Surendra Kumar Sia (Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry)

There have been many researches on the cognitive activity particularly about decision making. Researchers having varied backgrounds such as management, psychology, consumer behaviour, Education and Military science, to name a few are aiming to analyse the factors influencing the cognitive activities And also researchers attempt to investigate the impact or relevance of particular factor in the cognition process and such researches are increasing in the field of Behavioral Economics. This article analyses the interrelationship between cognition, economical status (Socio economic environment of family) and their influence in the study skills of the children.

Pages: 691-694
Sairaj M. Patki (Department of Psychology (post-graduate Section)
Modern College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra)

The amount, type, and quality of social support available to teenage students go a long way in determining their well-being. Optimism may however influence the perception of effectiveness of these supportive agencies when coping with the stressors. The present study thus aimed at investigating the relationship between the teenagers' optimism, perceived support, and psychological wellbeing, in the light of gender-differences. The sample comprised of 116 students (57 Boys and 59 girls) studying in grades 8th through 12th. Social support from friends was found to predict psychological well-being among boys (β = .353, p < .01), whereas in girls, social support from family predicted psychological wellbeing (β = .457, p < .01). Optimism, though a valid predictor of psychological well-being, failed to emerge as a moderator of the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well-being.

Pages: 699-702
Marikutty P. J. (Department of Psychology, U. C. College, Aluva, Kerala)
M. I. Joseph (Department of Psychology, Sree Sankaracharya, University of Sanakrit, Kalady, Kerala)

In view of the significance of emotional intelligence in the lives of human beings, the present study investigated the preventive, therapeutic, and moderating effects of emotional intelligence on adolescent stress. It also examined the impact of emotional intelligence on the academic achievement of adolescent students. The participants comprised of 2,060 adolescents belonging to the age range of 14 to 19 years, selected randomly from 31 educational institutions in Ernakulam district of Kerala. Emotional intelligence was found to be significantly related to adolescent stress (inverse relationship) and psychological well-being, thus supporting the preventive and therapeutic effects of emotional intelligence on adolescent stress. However, significant moderating effect was observed for only one of the ten stress dimensions. Adolescents who have high academic achievement were found to have higher levels of emotional intelligence.

Pages: 707-710
Anugraha Merin Rajan and J. Romate (Department of Psychology, Central University of Karnataka, Gulbarga)
G. Srikrishna (Department of Rehabilitation Psychology, National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad)

Resilience is an important phenomena explains the parental process of making quality adaptations involved in raising a child with intellectual disability. The present study examined the resilience of parents having children with intellectual disability and analysed it across the demographic variables related to parents (age, gender, education, years lived with the child after diagnosis) as well as children (age, gender, intelligence quotient).Sixty parents (30 fathers and 30 mothers; mean age: 38.93±8.06) having children with intellectual disability recruited through purposive sampling were assessed using Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (2003).Parents displayed qualities of resilience with half of them reporting high resilience. Among the demographic variables, t test revealed that education made a significant difference in their experience of resilience. However resilience was found to be functioning independent of parental age, gender, and years lived with the child after diagnosis; child's age, gender and IQ.The study highlighted the internal strengths possessed by the parents in the midst of hassles associated with raising a child with intellectual disability. Utilizing these strengths in the rehabilitation process can improve the quality of life of them as well as the child with intellectual disability.