Contribution of personality attributes in adolescent adjustment at orphanages, single parent families and intact families

Abstract

The present study explored the contribution of personality attributes in adolescent adjustment at orphanages, single parent families and intact families. The sample comprised of 300 respondents in the age group of 14-16 years, from the four selected cities of Punjab (Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and Hoshiarpur). Hundred school going adolescents were from the selected orphanages and 100 adolescents were selected under both single parent families and intact families from the government schools. The sample was equally distributed across both the genders (50 each). A self-designed Personal Information Sheet, Emotional Maturity Scale (Singh & Bhargava 2012), Social Maturity Scale (Rao 2011), Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith 1981), Perceived Loneliness Scale (Jha 2015) and Bell’s Adjustment Inventory (Ojha 2013) were used to collect the data. The results revealed that adolescents living with intact families were more emotionally mature, whereas, orphans were less socially mature and less adjusted. Girls of intact families were found more emotionally and socially mature than boys. Whereas, boys from intact families experienced significantly higher self esteem. However, boys living in intact families reported more adjustment problems. Overall emotional maturity of girls belonging to orphanages was positively correlated with the adjustment. Furthermore, total social maturity of boys from single parent families exhibited positive relationship with adjustment. Whereas, overall social maturity of girls living in orphanages and intact families projected a positive relationship with the adjustment. A significant positive correlation between overall self esteem and adjustment was reported only by the boys of single parent families. Emotional maturity, self esteem of girls and social maturity, self esteem of boys from single parent families contributed significantly towards adjustment. Whereas, social maturity of girls from both orphanages and intact families made significant contribution for their adjustment.