Adolescent behaviour problems: Role of interpersonal relationships and coping

Pages: 27-33
Damanjit Sandhu and Kirandeep Kaur (Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab )

The present study analyzes the role of interpersonal relationships and coping in adolescent behaviour problems. The sample for this study comprised of 250 male participants (age range 14-15 years), randomly selected from various schools of Patiala city. Revised Behavior Problem Checklist was used for studying behaviour disorders in adolescents (conduct disorder and socialized aggression). Clinical Assessment of Interpersonal Relationships was used to measure the perceptions of adolescents regarding the quality of their relationships with mother, father, male peers, female peers and teachers. Adolescent Coping Scale was used to measure the coping abilities of adolescents in terms of 18 coping strategies within three styles of coping; problem-focused coping, coping with reference to others and non-productive coping. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation analysis revealed that conduct disorder is inversely correlated with functional relationship with mother, male peers and teachers and socialized aggression is inversely correlated with functional relationship with mother and teachers. Out of the coping dimensions, ‘focus on the positive’ has significant negative correlation with socialized aggression. ‘Invest in close friends’, ‘not coping’, tension reduction’, ‘self blame’ and ‘keep to self’ have significant positive correlation with conduct disorder. It has also been found that ‘tension reduction’ and ‘self blame’ have significant positive correlation with socialized aggression. The Step-Wise Multiple Regression Analysis results revealed that relationship with mother and male peer contribute negatively towards conduct disorder. Relationship with mother and teacher contribute negatively towards socialized aggression. Further results showed that coping dimensions namely ‘not coping’ and ‘tension reduction’ contribute positively towards conduct disorder and ‘Tension reduction’ contribute positively towards socialized aggression. Hence, on the basis of the results of this study, it can be concluded that interpersonal relationships and coping are important correlates of adolescent behaviour problems.