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CHAPTER - I

INTRODUCTION

The origin of the word “adolescence” is from the Latin verb 'adolescence', which

means, "to grow up." It can be defined as the transitional stage of development between

childhood and adulthood, representing the period of time during which a person is

biologically adult but emotionally not at full maturity.

As "Adolescence" is a cultural and social phenomenon, its endpoints are not

easily tied to physical milestones. It varies by culture. In the United States, it is generally

considered to begin around age 13, and end around 24. But the World Health

Organization (WHO) defines it as the period of life between 10 and 19 years of age.

In India, adolescents comprise a sizeable population – there are 225 million

adolescents comprising nearly one-fifth of the total population, 21.8 percent (Census

2001). Of the total population, 12.1 percent belong to 10-14 age group and 9.7 percent

are in the 15-19 age group. Female adolescents comprise 46.9 percent and male

adolescents 53.1 percent of the total population (Census 2001).

The lives of children and adolescents are characterized by continual changes, both

internal (e.g., physiological, anatomical, and psychological changes) and external (e.g.,

changes in school, peers, and parenting practices). Each child is constantly trying to find

his or her own equilibrium in the fluctuating circumstances of nature and nurture.
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1.1. NORMAL PHYSICAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The beginning of biological growth and development during adolescence is

signified by the onset of puberty, which is often defined as the physical transformation of

a child into an adult. Adolescence experience rapid physical development at a speed

unparalleled since infancy. Physical development includes; rapid increase in height and

weight (seen earlier in girls than in boys), the development of secondary sexual

characteristics (prominent among which is the onset of menstruation in girls and the

growth of pubic hair) growth of facial hair for boys and beginning of menstruation for

girls, take place from age nine to 14 for boys and age eight to 13 for girls.

A myriad of biological changes occur during puberty including sexual maturation,

increase in height and weight, completion of skeletal growth accompanied by a marked

increase in skeletal mass, and changes in body composition. The succession of these

events during puberty is consistent among adolescents; however, there may be a great

deal of deviation in the age of onset, duration of these events between and within

individuals. For this reason, adolescents of the same chronological age can vary greatly in

physical appearance.

Pubertal development starts 1-2 years earlier in girls as compared to boys. There

is a wide variation in age and velocity with which growth and development proceeds. In a

group of adolescents who are growing together, this wide variation leads to development

of anxiety – "Am I normal?" and needs a lot of reassurance. Appearance of secondary

sexual characters before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys, and non-
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appearance of secondary sexual characters by the age of 13 years in girls and 14 years in

boys is considered abnormal.

Stang, J., & Story, M. (2005). explained that, Sexual Maturation Rating (SMR),

also known as Tanner Staging, is based upon a scale of secondary sexual characteristics

that permits health professionals to gauge the degree of pubertal maturation that has

occurred among adolescents, regardless of chronological age. SMR is based on the

appearance of pubic hair, the development of breasts, and the occurrence of menarche

among females; and on the degree of testicular and penile development and the

appearance of pubic hair among males. SMR stage 1 corresponds with pre pubertal

growth and development, while stages 2-5 indicate the progression of puberty. By SMR

stage 5, sexual maturation has been completed. Sexual maturation correlates remarkably

well with linear growth, changes in weight and body composition, and hormonal changes

1.2. CHANGES IN WEIGHT AND BODY COMPOSITION

Stang, J., & Story, M. (2005) adds that approximately half of adult ideal body

weight is gained during adolescence. Peak weight gain follows the linear growth spurt by

3 to 6 months in females and by approximately 3 months in males. Girls gain

approximately 18.3 lbs (8.3 kg) per year during peak rates of weight gain, (12.5 years of

age on average). Average weight gain during puberty among females is between 15-55

lbs (7-25 kg), with a mean gain of 38.5 lbs (17.5 kg). Weight gain slows around the

time of menarche, but will continue into late adolescence. Adolescent females may gain

as much as 14 lbs (6.3 kg) during the latter half of adolescence. Adolescent males gain

an average of 20 lbs (9 kg) per year during puberty. Overall, male teens gain 15-65 lbs

(7-30 kg) during puberty, with a mean gain of 52.2 lbs (23.7 kg). Body fat levels decrease
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among males during adolescence, dropping to an average of 12% body fat by the end of

puberty. Body composition changes more significantly among females during puberty.

The average lean body mass of teen females falls from 80%-74% while average body fat

levels increase from 16%-27% by the end of adolescence. Females experience a 120%

increase in body fat during puberty. On average, teen females acquire approximately

2.5 lbs (1.14 kg) of body fat mass each year during puberty. While the accretion of body

fat mass is a normal, physiologically essential process, adolescent females often view it

with negativity. Weight dissatisfaction is widespread among teenage females, leading to

an increased risk of health-compromising behaviors such as excessive caloric restriction,

frequent dieting, use of diet pills or laxatives, severe body image distortions and eating

disorders.

1.3. NORMAL PSYCHOSOCIAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

According to Stang, J., & Story, M., (2005) during adolescence teens develop a

stronger recognition of their own personal identity, including recognition of a set of

personal moral and ethical values, and greater perception of feelings of self esteem or self

worth. Psychosocial and cognitive development is best understood when divided into

three periods: early adolescence (11-14 years), middle adolescence (15-17 years), and

late adolescence (18-21 years). Each of these distinct periods of development is marked

by the mastery of new emotional, cognitive and social skills which can be a cause of

conflict on one hand and positive personality development on the other. Cognitive

development of adolescents usually possesses greater thinking skills. Developing

advanced reasoning skills includes the ability to think about multiple options and

possibilities. It includes a more logical thought process and the ability to think about
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things hypothetically. It involves asking and answering the question, “what if…?”, and

also developing abstract thinking skills which means thinking about things that cannot be

seen, heard, or touched. Examples include things like faith, trust, beliefs and spirituality.

1.4. EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES IN ADOLESCENTS

Stang, J., & Story, M., (2005) explained that, the emotional and social changes in

adolescents include being preoccupied with body image, want to establish own identity,

fantasy / daydreaming, rapid mood changes, emotional instability, attention seeking

behaviour, sexual attraction, curious or inquisitive nature, full of energy, restless,

concrete thinking, self exploration and evaluation. Conflicts with family over control,

seek affiliation to counter instability, peer group defines behavioural code, formation of

new relationships

1.5. PROBLEMS DURING ADOLESCENCE

Stang, J., & Story, M. (2005) highlighted that, adolescents today are more

vulnerable to health implications due to their nature of experimenting and exposure to

limited information regarding issues affecting their health and development. Problems in

this age are related to their physical and emotional development and search for identity

and risky behaviour. WHO estimate shows that up to 20% of adolescents have one or

more mental/ behavioural problems.

Pathak Rambha et al (2011) conducted studies in different parts of the world

showed that prevalence of behavioural and emotional problems in adolescents’ ranges

from 16.5% to 40.8%. In India, it is in the range of 13.7% to 50%.

Singh I et al (2006) explored the health status and health–related problems of

adolescent girls in slums of Lucknow city. It was a cross-sectional descriptive type

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carried on adolescents in 10-19 yrs age group comprising 400 girls from four randomly

selected slums of Lucknow. They were interviewed using a pretest, a thorough

anthropometric and clinical examination including hemoglobin were carried out. The

mean height and weight of adolescent girls in all age groups were less than ICMR

standards. Growth spurt was noted to occur between the age of 13-15 years with

increment of 11.1cm in height and 8.8kg in weight .The mean hemoglobin level was

10gm (SD=2.3), 56% girls were anemic while 45.5% were mildly anemic. Deficiency

signs of micronutrients were found in 28.7% girls. 22.2% showed iron deficiency and 3%

girls had signs of vitamin A deficiency. Various morbid conditions were studied during

the survey.

Thakor Hitendra G. et al (2000) conducted a study in 12 schools selected by

stratified random sampling technique. Selected schools were covered entirely and all the

2,250 children (1,092 boys and 1,158 girls) above 10 years of age were included for the

study with the objectives to record anthropometric data to calculate BMI and to correlate

weight with age, height, BMI and outdoor playing activities. The result revealed that

30.81% were in the age of 11 and 12 years, 8.9%in 14 years, 3.5% in 15 years of age.

The height correlated positively with age in boys, the mean height ranged from a

minimum of 133.7 ±6.3cm to 153±11.1cm at 15yrs of age. In girls, the mean height

increase from 132.8±10.9cm to 150±20.6cm in 15yrs of age, body weight also increased

in boys as well as in girls with the mean increase from 25.0±4.3kg to 36.2±7.4kg at 15

years. Height and BMI showed maximum influence on weight.

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Stanley Hall denoted this period as one of "Storm and Stress" and, according to

him, conflict at this developmental stage is normal and not unusual. Margaret Mead, on

the other hand, attributed the behaviour of adolescents to their culture and upbringing.

There are many reasons for teens to underperform at school, including a lack of

motivation to do well, problems at home or with peers, poor work habits or study skills,

emotional and behavioural problems, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, attention

deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation or below average intelligence and other

medical problems, including anxiety and depression. Children with sleep problems, such

as obstructive sleep apnoea, or inadequate sleep, can have problems in school, usually

secondary to attention problems and daytime sleepiness.

Kalamka H.S (2001) conducted a study to identify various health problems of the

adolescents and the factors influencing them, cross-sectional study was carried in Sadar

Nagpur. The samples were 700 adolescents between the age group of 10-20 years. Every

adolescent was subjected to through clinical examination and anthropometric

measurement including haemoglobin. Data collected were analyzed using chi-square test.

Out of 700, 401 (57.28%) were anaemic with 117 (16.71%) moderate level and 284

(40.57%) having mild anaemia. Higher prevalence of anaemia was seen in female than in

male adolescents. There was statistically significant association between age and habit of

chewing tobacco, and gutka in adolescents and higher in nuclear families as compared to

joint families. The percentage of morbid condition was higher in joint families (82.4%)

than in nuclear families due overcrowding and poor sanitation.

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Jagpreetkaur, Rana J.S and Rupinder Kaur (2009) conducted a study to identify

the relationship of self-concept among adolescents with academic achievement and home

environment. A descriptive method of research was applied in the sample of 300

adolescents in 9th class selected on the basis of randomized technique of sampling at

Patiala district, Punjab. The tools used were self-concept list (old personality word list),

home environment inventory and academic achievement taken as the percentage of marks

obtained during board examinations. The results revealed that the coefficient correlation

of self-concept with academic achievement was 0.01 which indicated that there was no

significant relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement among

adolescents, but there was a significant relationship between self concept and home

environment (like protectiveness, reward conformity nurturance) at p<0 .05 level.

Shericoats Broussard (2002) conducted a study on relationship between classroom

motivation and academic achievement in first and third grade students. The subjects were

122 first grade children and 129 third grade children from mid-sized southern city. The

total sample was 251. The results revealed higher levels of motivation in the first grade

students compared to the third grade students.

The school is the major socialization institution for any child. It is the child’s first

contact with the world outside the house. For nearly 12 years a child spends 5 to 7 hours

a day in the school. School is one of the most important foundation pillars on which the

child’s personality develops. Children learn proficiencies in various abilities like,

learning process and home work, social communications, handling emotion, and the

management of day to day interactions at home and school. In reality, the growing child

is dependent on the immediate environment i.e. the house and the school to meet his
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growth needs. The concern, therefore “extends to how the school facilities can be

enhanced and improved to meet the growth needs of the children. Several studies have

been reported in the area of social, educational, health and emotional adjustment of

school students of both sexes. Some studies try to relate adjustment with variables like

intelligence, achievement, age, sex, socio-economic status, needs, anxiety, and security.

Student’s reaction to frustration has also been studied. A few studies focused on the

nature, causes, and extent of indiscipline among students. The relation between

indiscipline and variables like achievement, participation in co-curricular activities etc.,

were also examined.

Academic achievement is considered as a key criterion to judge one’s total

potentialities and capabilities. Therefore it is more pressing for the individuals/ students

to have high academic achievement. The term achievement refers to the degree or the

level of success attainted in some specific school tasks especially scholastic performance,

in this sense academic achievement means the attained ability to perform school tasks,

which can be general or specific to a given subject matter. Academic achievement could

be defined as self-perception and self-evaluation of one’s objective academic success.

Academic achievement generally indicates the learning outcomes of pupil. Achievement

of those learning outcomes requires a series of planned and organized experiences.

Good (1973) has defined, academic achievement as knowledge attitude or skill

developed in the school subject usually designed by test scores or by marks assigned by

teacher or by both. Consequently, academic achievement could be defined as self

perception and self evaluation of one’s objective success.

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The term adjustment is often used as a synonym for accommodation and

adaptation. Strictly speaking, the term denotes the results of equilibrium, which may be

affected by either of these processes (Monroe, 1990). It is used to emphasize the

individual’s struggle to along or survive in his or her social and physical environment.

Good (1959) states that adjustment is the process of finding and adopting modes of

behaviour suitable to the environment or the changes in the environment. Shafer (1961)

emphasized that adjustment is the process by which a living organism maintains a

balance between its needs and the circumstances that influence the satisfaction of these

needs.

Scharf, Miri., Wiseman, Hadas., & Farah, Faten. (2011) conducted a study to

examine the parent–adolescent relationships with regard to adolescent loneliness,

interpersonal difficulties and school adjustment among Israeli Arabs. Two hundred and

thirty-one 11th graders (103 boys and 128 girls) and their hostel teachers participated in

the study. Four groups of adolescents were identified according to parenting practice

profiles: Adolescents in the harsh parenting group reported the highest levels of

loneliness, those in the distant and mixed groups reported midway levels of loneliness,

and those in the warm group showed the lowest degree of loneliness and the lowest levels

of interpersonal problems. Overall, boys reported higher levels of peer-related loneliness

and lower levels of affinity for aloneness than girls. Gender interacted significantly with

parenting group, with girls in the harsh parenting group exhibiting greater parent-related

loneliness and affinity for loneliness, while boys exhibited more peer-related loneliness.

The study concluded that parents play an important role in their children's social

adjustment.
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Gehlawat, Manju. (2011) conducted a study to compare the emotional, social and

educational adjustment among high school students with respect to their gender.

Descriptive survey method was adapted for the study. A random sample of 100 students

(boys=50 and girls=50), aged between 14 &15 years from class X of secondary schools

of Rohtak were selected for the study. The tool used for the study was Adjustment

Inventory for School Students (AISS) by A.K.P Sinha and R.P.Singh. The obtained data

were analyzed in terms of t-test. The t-value (0.304) for the mean scores of boys and girls

with respect to their emotional adjustment was not significant at both 0.05 &0.01 levels.

However, in the context of the mean scores it was found that the mean score of emotional

adjustment of boys was higher than that of the girls which revealed that the emotional

adjustment of the boys was less than the girls as high scores indicated low level of

emotional adjustment. The results showed that, there was no significant differences were

found in the emotional, social, educational and the total adjustment of students with

respect to their gender.

Xiaoming Li., Susan Feigelman. & Bonita Stanton. (2000) conducted a study to

examine the gender and age differences among urban, low-income, African-American

children and adolescents aged 9–17 years in perceived monitoring by their parents. Three

cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 1992 (n=455), 1994 (n=355), and 1996

(n=349). Respondents were recruited from low-income urban areas including public

housing communities and associated recreation centers. Both multivariate analysis of

variance and correlation analysis were performed. The results showed that low levels of

perceived parental monitoring were associated with participation in several health risk

behaviors, including sexual behavior, substance/drug use, drug trafficking, school

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truancy, and violent behaviors. Females perceived themselves to be more monitored than

did males. In general, the perceived parental monitoring tended to decrease with

advancing age of the youth. The study concluded that strong inverse correlation between

perceived parental monitoring and adolescent risk behavior suggests that parental

monitoring initiatives may be an effective intervention tool.

Aunola, Kaisa., Stattin, Håkan., & Nurmi, Jari-Erik. (2000) conducted a study to

investigate the relationships between the achievement strategies adolescents deploy in a

school context, and their self-esteem, school adjustment, and internalizing and

externalizing problem behaviors. A total of 1185 adolescents of 14 to 15 year age filled in

the Strategy and Attribution Questionnaire (SAQ), Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, and

scales measuring school adjustment, depression and externalizing problem behavior. The

adolescents' parents were also asked to evaluate their children's achievement strategies,

school adjustment and externalizing problem behavior. The results revealed that low self

esteem was associated with adolescents' use of maladaptive achievement strategies which

in turn was associated with their maladjustment at school and internalizing and

externalizing problem behaviors. Moreover, the association between adolescents'

maladaptive strategies and their externalizing problem behavior was partly mediated via

their school adjustment.

Kulshrestha (1979) explained that the adjustment process is a way in which the

individual attempts to deal with stress, tensions, conflicts etc., and meet his or her needs.

In this process, the individual also makes efforts to maintain harmonious relationships

with the environment. In adjustment, the two crucial factors are the individual and the
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environment. In the study of the individual, the considerations are the heredity and

biological factors, the psychological factors, and the quality of socialization given to him

or her. Whereas, the environment includes the entire social factors .Every individual from

the time he or she steps out of the family and goes to school makes a long series of

adjustments between the whole unique personality and the environment. The ardent

desire of each boy and girl to become an individual person having a healthy physique, a

growing intellectual ability, a greater degree of emotional poise and increased

participation in social groups, such characteristics enhance one’s personality. Even

parents, teachers and other significant members of the society to which a person belong

to, will encourage this desire.

Self-esteem can be defined as an individual’s attitude about him or herself,

involving self- evaluation along a positive negative dimension (Baron & Byrne, 1991).

Most generally self-esteem refers to an individual’s overall positive evaluation to the self

(Rosenberg, 1990; Rosenberg, Carmi, & Carrie, 1995). It is composed of two distinct

dimensions, competence and worth. The competence dimension (efficacy based self-

esteem) refers to the degree to which people see themselves as capable and efficacious.

The worth dimensions (worth based self-esteems) refer to the degree to which individuals

feel they are the persons to be valued. In the words of Nathaniel Branden, (1992) self-

esteem is the disposition to experience oneself as competent to cope with the basic

challenges of life and as worthy of happiness.

There is a general agreement that there is a close relationship between self-esteem

and academic achievement. It has been argued that students have to do well in school in
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order to have positive self-esteem or self-concept; another position is that a positive self-

esteem is a necessary prerequisite for doing well in school.

The beginning of the study of self-esteem is traced back to the Hindu scriptures, and

became an official discipline with James in 1860. He defines self- esteem as follows

• Self-esteem as a basic human need, i.e., "it makes an essential contribution to the

life process", "...is indispensable to normal and healthy self-development, and has

a value for survival."

• Self-esteem as an automatic and inevitable consequence of the sum of individuals'

choices in using their consciousness.

• Something experienced as a part of, or background to, all of the individuals

thoughts, feelings and actions.

Don Wells, Mark Miller, Jerome Tobacyk, and Robert Clanton et al (2002)

conducted the study using psycho educational approach to increase the self-esteem of

adolescents at high risk for dropping out. The participants were 80 adolescents who were

at high risk for dropping out from the age group of 14-16 years. There were 32 females

and 48 males. An eight week programme was designed and implemented to prevent high-

risk adolescents from dropping out of school. Participants were provided with academic

and vocational instructions as well as personal counseling services. The Coopersmith

self-esteem inventory school form was administered to measure the participant’s self-

esteem. A pretest was administered to participants upon entry into the programme and a

posttest administration was completed eight weeks later prior to leaving the programme.

The results revealed that significant difference were found between pretest and posttest
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self-esteem total score i.e., total self t=3.24, p<.003, as well as, between home-parents

subscale scores t=4.22, p<0.001. A follow-up study of participants' school retention rates

was conducted over the two years directly after participation in the dropout prevention

program. The first year after intervention yielded a dropout rate of zero. Following the

second year, the dropout rate of participants was 6%. For the control group of similar

individuals not receiving intervention, the dropout rate was 21.2% for the same time

period.

Abraham Maslow, in his hierarchy of human needs, describes the need for esteem,

which is divided into two aspects, the esteem for oneself (self-love, self-confidence, skill,

aptitude, etc.), and, respect and esteem one receives from other people (recognition,

success, etc.)

POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM
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Self-esteem is the sum of attitudes which depend on perceptions, thoughts,

evaluations, feelings and behavioural tendencies aimed toward ourselves, the way we are

and behave, and our body's and character's features. In short, it's one self's evaluative

perception.

Jennifer Edmondson, Lori Grote, Lisa Haskell, Andra Matthews et al (2008)

conducted a study on the relationship between maternal and adolescent self-esteem. A

descriptive, correlation study design was carried out. The study sample consisted of forty

mothers, and their adolescent (eighth grade) children, from six different middle schools in

the Metro - Atlanta area. The school version of the Coopersmith self-esteem inventory

was administered to each eight grade student who participated in the study; the adult

version of the Coopersmith self-esteem inventory was administered to each mother who

participated in the study. A high score on the Coopersmith self-esteem inventory

corresponds with high self-esteem. Findings from this study showed that there is a

positive correlation between maternal self-esteem and self-esteem of their adolescent

children. 25 mothers scores were in the high self-esteem range, so also, 17 (68%) of their

adolescents had high self-esteem scores, 6(24%) of their adolescents had medium self-

esteem scores, and only 2 (8%) of their adolescents had low self-esteem range, 4 (44%)

of their adolescents had high self-esteem scores, 3(33%) of their adolescents had medium

self-esteem scores, and 2 (23%) of their adolescents had low self-esteem scores. Of the 6

mothers whose scores were in the low self-esteem range, only one (17%) of their

adolescents had a high self-esteem score, 2(33%) of their adolescents had a medium self-

esteem score, and 3 (50%) of the adolescents had a low self-esteem score.
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Todd Koenig (2008) explains that self esteem is the one important factor required by

anybody to succeed in life. It is well proven concept that if one can build self-esteem at

adolescent period, it will last all through life. Adolescence is a period in which boys and

girls face with many problems and issues. It is necessary that adolescent self esteem to be

at top to face the problems faced with adolescent period. Many teenagers will have low

self esteem and find out ways and means to combat low self esteem. It is highly advisable

to make dedicated efforts to bring up the self-esteem. If proper care is not given, low self

esteem gradually will lead to many physical and mental ailments. So also the impact

could lead to poor academic performance.

There are various methods or therapies such as dance, music, cognitive behavior

therapy, art and yoga to enhance self-esteem among adolescents. Yoga can be seen as a

perfect choice to improve self-esteem. Yoga focuses on improving mental, behavioral

and emotional aspects of a person’s life and body, and can help to improve all these areas

in conjunction with one another.

There is a general agreement that the term self-esteem includes cognitive,

affective, and behavioural elements.” Similarly, Yoga focuses on improving mental,

behavioural and emotional aspects of a person’s life and body, and can help to improve

all these areas in conjunction with one another. In this way, Yoga can be seen as a perfect

choice to help improve self-esteem.

Yoga is derived from the sanskrit word “yuj” that mean to unite, join or to connect, in a

broad sense, Yoga refers to a union. It is a union of mind and body, a coming together of

mind and soul, that of individual self with the universal self. Yoga is a practice of
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physical and mental activities that originated in India thousands of years ago. It provides

an opportunity to work on the mind and body together.

Various yogic asanas help a practitioner to stress upon the purity of the body and lay a

foundation for concentration and mental toughness, an ability to remain composed under

all sorts of circumstances and focus on the issues that need concentration.

1.6. NEED FOR THE STUDY

Adolescents oscillate between being children and being adults. They are adjusting to

the physiological changes that their body is undergoing and working to establish a

sexual identification and to use these changes for their personal benefit and for the

benefit of society. They are searching for personal identity and wanting freedom and

independence of thought and action, but they continue to have a strong dependence on

their parents and suffer feelings of loss in separating from them. In reaction to this they

identify with their peers and tend to yield to peer pressure and conform to peer group

values, behavior, and tastes in such things as clothing, food, and entertainment.

1.7. DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

During the period of time between childhood and adulthood, as for other life

stages, there are certain developmental tasks to be accomplished before one can move

on to the next stage of maturity. The developmental tasks of adolescents include

(1) becoming comfortable with their own body, (2) working toward independence from

parents and other adult authority figures, (3) building new and meaningful relationships
 39

with others of the same and opposite sexes, (4) seeking economic and social stability,

(5) developing a personal value system, and (6) learning to verbalize conceptually.

The period of adolescence is filled with intellectual and emotional changes in

addition to other major biological and physical changes. It is a time of discovery of self

and one’s relationship to the world around him or her.

As adolescents are much more independent and mobile than they were as

children, they are often out of the direct physical control of adults. In these

circumstances, adolescents’ behaviour is determined by their own moral and behavioural

code. The parent’s guide rather than directly control the adolescents’ actions. Adolescents

who feel warmth and support from their parents are less likely to engage in risky

behaviours. Also, parents who convey clear expectations regarding their adolescents’

behaviour and who demonstrate consistent limit setting and monitoring are less likely to

have adolescents who engage in risky behaviours. Emotional development is at maximum

and unstable. Self respect and personal pride make the individual emotionally bad. They

expect the things to be done as they aspire.

They experience mood swings often with peaks of intensity and unpredictability,

need to release energy, often resulting in sudden, apparently meaningless outbursts of

activity. They seek to become increasingly independent, searching for adult identity and

acceptance. They are increasingly concerned about peer acceptance; tend to be self-

conscious, lacking in self-esteem, and highly sensitive to personal criticism. They exhibit

intense concern about physical growth and maturity as profound physical changes occur.
 40

They believe that personal problems, feelings, and experiences are unique to themselves.

They are psychologically vulnerable, because at no other stage in development are they

more likely to encounter so many differences between themselves and others. They may

exhibit immature behaviour because their social skills frequently lag behind their mental

and physical maturity.

The significant of all problems is that adolescents are much worried about the

appearance with modern and latest life style at any cost. It is the ambition for freedom

from parental sovereign. The individual hates control of the parents. He seeks identity to

himself. This is another problem of economic independence. One has to face a lot of

adjustment problems. The most difficult problem is related to social adjustment outside

the family and peer group.

There are many reasons why adolescents today develop behavioural problems.

Adolescents who are labelled socially maladjusted or delinquent have often suffered early

deprivation or maternal rejection. Children cannot express their problems correctly

because their power of expression and knowledge of their own psychology is not mature

enough. Hence children usually express their problems in their behaviour.

Numerous health behaviours and attitudes in adolescence and adulthood are

begun in the family setting during childhood. Lifestyle-related habits in hygiene, nutrition

and physical activity, as well as communication skills and social competences, are an

essential part of familial education. Deficits in these areas are among the main reasons for

health impairments in later life. The family is therefore a decisive factor in young

people’s health that needs investigation.

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It is often said that the teenage years are the “best years of one’s life”.

Unfortunately life for many adolescents is a painful tug of war filled with mixed

messages and conflicting demands from parents, teachers, friends, family and oneself,

growing up negotiating a path between independence and reliance on others. It is a time

for developing independence. Typically, adolescents exercise their independence by

questioning their parents’ rules, which at times leads to rule breaking. Some parents and

their adolescents clash over almost everything. During adolescence, it is normal for

young people to begin to separate from their parents and establish their own identity. As

adolescents pull away from their parents in search for their own identity, their friends

become more important.

Adolescents being much more independent and mobile than they were as children,

they are often out of the direct physical control of adults. In these circumstances,

adolescents’ behavior is determined by their own moral and behavioral code. The

parent’s guide rather than directly control the adolescents’ actions. Adolescents who feel

warmth and support from their parents are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Also,

parents who convey clear expectations regarding their adolescents’ behavior and who

demonstrate consistent limit setting and monitoring are less likely to have adolescents

who engage in risky behaviors. Emotional development is at maximum instability. Self

respect and personal pride make the individual emotionally bad. They expect the things to

be done as they aspire.

Adolescents experience mood swings often with peaks of intensity and

unpredictability. They need to release energy, often resulting in sudden, apparently

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meaningless outbursts of activity. Also they seek to become increasingly independent,

searching for adult identity and acceptance. They are increasingly concerned about peer

acceptance. Often they tend to be self-conscious, lacking in self-esteem, and highly

sensitive to personal criticism. They exhibit intense concern about physical growth and

maturity as profound physical changes occur.

Adolescent believe that personal problems, feelings, and experiences are unique

to themselves. They are psychologically vulnerable, because at no other stage in

development are they more likely to encounter so many differences between themselves

and others. It may make them exhibit immature behavior as social skills frequently lag

behind their mental and physical maturity.

Adolescents begin to establish new interests and relationships and they become

independent of their parents. For the first time in their lives adolescents may start to view

their friends, their peer group, as more important and influential than their parents or

guardians. Peer groups offer its members the opportunity to develop various social skills,

such as empathy, sharing and leadership. Peer groups can have positive influences on an

individual, for instance on academic motivation and performance, but they can also have

negative influences and lead to an increase in experimentation with drugs, drinking,

vandalism, and stealing.

Globally, 20-25% of adolescent students fail to perform even average

academically and 1.3 million adolescents students dropout from school. 75% of

adolescent girls with low self-esteem engage in harmful behavior (Jim Libelt, 2008)
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WHO estimate shows that up to 20% of adolescents have one or more mental/

behavioural problems

In India, 10-37% of adolescent students have academic performance problem.

34% of adolescent students dropout from school. (27% boys and 41% of girls)

(Saxena,2008)

In Tamilnadu, 42.4% of adolescent student’s dropout from high school (Sarva

Shiksha Abhiyan 2005-2006 report)

34-37% adolescents have negative attitude and perception to attend school. (IIPS,

Mumbai and Population Council, New Delhi 2010)

Pathak Rambha (2011) conducted a study in Chandigarh in 130 high schools and

higher secondary schools. On a total of 1200 students of boys and girls were selected by

stratified random sampling by probability proportionate to size 850 students from

government and 350 from private schools. Behavioral and emotional problems were

assessed by the youth self-report. All statistical analysis was used. The study revealed

that the overall prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems across age and sex

categories was 30.4%, a higher prevalence of emotional problems of 33.7% was observed

in adolescent girls as compared to boys, 27.5% where as prevalence in boys showed a

peak around 14-15 years.

During adolescent period the frequency and severity of violent interactions

increase. Although episodes of violence at school are highly publicized, adolescents are

much more likely to be involved with violence (or more often the threat of violence) at

home and outside school. Many factors, including developmental issues, gang
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membership, and access to weapons, substance use, and poverty contribute to an

increased risk of violence for adolescents.

Lyness, A.D. (2010) explained that, people who are abused by their peers are at

risk for mental health problems, such as low self-esteem, stress, depression, or anxiety.

They may also think about suicide more. Peer-Pressure is a term describing the pressure

exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change their attitude, behavior and/or

morals. Peer pressure can also cause people to do things they wouldn’t normally do, e.g.

take drugs, smoke etc.

Academic achievement is an attained ability or degree of competence in school

task, usually measured by standardized tests and expressed in grades or units based on

norms derived from a wide sampling of pupils’ performance. Studies reveal that even low

or moderate levels of stress can interfere with task performance. Cognitive reactions of

stress result in the inability to concentrate.

Kaur P Jaswal (2005) conducted a study to understand the impact of parental

motivation for academic achievement on children’s time use pattern and their academic

achievement in two randomly selected villages of Ludhiana district of Punjab. The

sample consisted of 600 rural school going adolescents studying in 7th - 12th standard.

The samples were evenly distributed by class and sex with 100 adolescents in each class

having 50 boys and 50 girls. A questionnaire was used to study the time use pattern, and,

parental motivation for academic achievement was measured by an interview schedule.

Data were analyzed by applying appropriate statistical methods such as frequency,

percentages and coefficient of correlation. 50% of parents fell in the category of average
 45

motivation, 30.83% had a high motivation level and 55.6% had a low motivation. The

findings indicated that all 100% of the parents in the low motivation wanted to educate

their child. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between time spent

on personal care and maintenance of homework and leisure reading. It was found to be

significant at P<0.05.

Wiggins, Shatz, and West (1994) found that self-esteem and academic achievement were

positively correlated. High self-esteem seems to confer many positive benefits. For

example, high self-esteem has been shown to contribute behavioral resilience.

Pankaj Das P (2010) explained the process of girl’s dropout in school analysis of selected

cases in India. Indian children especially girls statistically showed that 60% of all

children from rural areas in the age group of 6-4 years do not enroll themselves in schools

also, 60% dropouts were noted from the analysis of the in-depth qualitative studies of the

selected cases. It has been found that family background and schooling experiences

jointly influenced the student decision to remain or leave schools. There are multiple

causes of dropping out and dropout was reported as an indicator of low educational

status of the parents, lack of parental academic support, lack of parental involvement in

schooling, single parent family, improper socialization, economic status of the family

poverty, child labor with in households, low self-esteem, lack of participation in the class,

low confidence level and inadequate school academic atmosphere and lack of teachers

support for better learning.

Bartlett Holditeh - Devis (2005) stated that adolescents are at high risk for the

development of problem behaviors’ that are distressing and socially disruptive. Problem
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behaviors in a adolescents can have serious consequences on health, their family, friends

and their schools and society. Child and adolescents health practitioners frequently report

that problem behaviors are the most common reason they see, in clients in their practices.

Nurses often with great access to adolescents and their parents through school settings,

primary health care officers and public health departments are well positioned to assess,

educate and intervene with adolescents, schools personnel and parents.

1.8. SELF-ESTEEM RELATIONSHIP TO ACHIEVEMENT

Low self-esteem contributes to higher suicide rates, depression, teen pregnancy and other

health related problems especially during critical adolescent years. Teenagers face so

many mental, social and emotional issues in society today; and educators have the

opportunity to help them cope with their changing life. Teenagers need to feel good about

them; this will contribute toward the confidence to help live a healthy and safe life.

Without a strong self-esteem, teenagers may head down the wrong path in life

(Coopersmith, 1967)

Premature or unearned self-esteem can occur when adults build students up by

overinflating their achievements (Kohn, 1994). This practice makes students feel good,

but this exaggeration is a shortcoming to the natural process for motivation and self-

esteem building (Kohn, 1994). Some students tend to think of themselves too highly,

which can negatively affect their motivation by giving them a false sense of achievement.

Furthermore, many people with high self-esteem exaggerate their successes and positive

traits (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, & Vohs, 2003). High self-esteem often refers to

people who accept their good qualities along with narcissistic, defensive, and conceited

traits (Baumeister et al., 2003). Boosting self-esteem may not lead to improvement in
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academic performance. People with high self-esteem claim to be likable and attractive, to

have better relationships, and to make better impressions on others than people with low

self esteem. Objective measures do not confirm most of these beliefs (Baumeister et al.).

High self-esteem makes people more willing to assert their opinions (Baumeister et

al.1997). Leadership opportunities promote the development of self-esteem by offering

self-esteem building activities (Byrne, 1984). People with high self-esteem show stronger

inclination to speak out and challenge the perceptions of others (Byrne, 1984). In view of

high self-esteem, indiscriminate praise might just as easily promote narcissism, which is

undesirable (Byrne, 1984). Byrne also concluded that Self-esteem may not be sufficient

to produce achievement, but it may be a necessary component. It is entirely possible that

children who feel very good about themselves are not necessarily high-achievers or

caring people.Young people in today's society have special needs related to their lifestyle

and health habits. About half of those between the ages of 15 and 19 years are sexually

active, predisposing them to sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Approximately

10 per cent of the girls in this age group do become pregnant, and many of their

newborns are born prematurely or have difficulty at birth. The major causes of injury and

death in adolescents are motor vehicle and other accidents, homicide, and suicide.

A major goal in the health care of today's youth is education so that adolescents

can become knowledgeable about the relationship between their lifestyle and their

physical and mental health. They also need help in achieving the maturity essential to

choose a healthy lifestyle and accept responsibility for their personal health.

Adolescents need health care providers who are able to communicate with them in a

manner they can understand, and who respect them as unique individuals. In surveys of
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adolescents and their health care needs as they perceive them, adolescents have said they

want health care providers who are warm and compassionate, have a sense of humor and

are able to show emotional responsiveness, can be objective and nonjudgmental when

dealing with adolescent health problems, are able to demonstrate flexibility, tolerance,

and enjoyment in working with young people, can maintain their adult identity and serve

as role models, and are knowledgeable about the special needs of adolescents

Mohammad Aryana (2010) conducted a study on relationship between self-

esteem and academic achievement among pre-university students, between boys and girls

by using Coopersmith questionnaire. The random sampling technique was used for

collecting the data among 100 students in Qaemashahr schools. The results revealed that

these had significantly positive relationship between self-esteem and academic

achievement at the level of p<0.01, there was a significant difference in academic

achievement between boys and girls. The results suggested that high self-esteem is the

important factor to strengthen the prediction of academic achievement in studies.

Covington (1989) reported that as the level of self-esteem increases, so do

achievement scores; as self-esteem decreases, achievement scores decline. Furthermore,

he concluded that self-esteem can be modified through direct instruction and that such

instruction can lead to achievement gains. Specifically, students’ perceived efficacy to

achieve, combined with personal goal setting, has been found to have a major impact on

academic achievement.

Robert Reasoner (2000) stated that a close relationship has been documented

between low self-esteem and such problems as violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, eating

disorders, school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, suicide, and low academic achievement.
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According to Edith Howel (2012), learning yoga develops self-discipline and can

enhance their physical and mental health. Asanas are good for developing coordination

and help to improve concentration and memory. There are many types of yoga that help a

practitioner to develop the purity of the body and lay a strong base for concentration and

mental toughness. Following various types of yoga helps an individual to improve mental

and physical strength, develop power of concentration and provides ability to remain

composed under all sorts of circumstances. The science of yoga is a powerful stream of

knowledge, which enables the practitioners to achieve radiant physical health, serene

mind, continues spiritual uplift, and creates the ability for harmonious social living.

Asanas is the most commonly known part of yoga, practicing of various forms of

yogic asanas help in improving the physical and mental being of an individual. By

practicing yoga, a person is supposed to reach a state of mental equanimity, where

responses to favorable or unfavorable external events are well under the individual’s

control, and responses are moderate in intensity.

To achieve this state a methodical and regular conduct of types of yoga is

imperative that helps in developing the prowess to harmonize and integrate thoughts,

desires, emotions, feelings, aims of an individual. Consequently, such a course of action

helps in realizing the true potential of a person, both in terms of his physical and

intellectual skills and capabilities.

Kimsiar (2005) conducted a study to measure the effects of the super brain yoga

with 56 schools students in Norris town Pennsylvania who were experiencing academic

and behavioral problems. 37 students served as a study group, while 19 served as a

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control group. The study group performed the super brain yoga at least twice a week

before tests and when the students were noted to be tired, restless, emotional or needed

to assimilate academic information. The gates MacGinite tests were used to evaluate the

effectiveness of the study. The results of the study showed a significant increase in the

performance scores on the Gates MacGinite test in the study group. The test score was

21.49% in the study group, versus 2.7125% in the control group.

There was a dramatic increase in student’s participation in and out of the

classroom in the study group and 17 students were moved to a higher academic section, 6

students were inducted to the National Junior Honor Society in the year of the study. The

observational studies included an increase in the concentration of the students and a

noticeable improvement in behaviors. The students were less likely to react and

completed complex tasks without frustration. Many of the students, who participated in

the study excelled in areas outside their classroom, won many awards and were being

noted as outstanding contributors to their school.

Therefore the researcher identified low academic performance and analyzed the

various problems among adolescents which could be solved or rectified by proper

guidance. So the researcher intended to do a study among adolescents with low academic

performance, adjustment behavior problems in home, health social and emotional aspects

and self-esteem by imparting yoga therapy.

1.9. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

A study to assess the effectiveness of yoga on academic motivation, adjustment

behaviour and self-esteem among adolescents with low scholastic performance in

selected schools at Chennai.

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1.10. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. Assess the effectiveness of yoga on academic motivation among the adolescents

with low scholastic performance.

2. Determine the effectiveness of yoga on adjustment behaviour among the

adolescents with low scholastic performance.

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of yoga on self-esteem among the adolescents with low

scholastic performance.

4. Determine the relationship among academic motivation, adjustment behaviour and

self-esteem of the adolescents with low scholastic performance.

5. Elicit the association of the academic motivation, adjustment behaviour and self-

esteem with the selected background variables among the adolescents with low

scholastic performance.

1.11. OPERATIONAL DEFINTIONS

1. Yoga

Series of physical activities in the form of following asanas that focuses on

improving mental, behavioural and emotional aspects of an adolescent’s life.

Utkataasana, Padmaasana, Januseeraasana, Paschimothaasana, Navasana,

Uthanapadasana, Sarvangaasana, Halasana, Matsyasana, Salabhasana, Vajraasana,

Nindrapadaasana, Yogamudra, Maha Mudra, Pranayama, Vipareethakarani.

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2. Academic motivation

Behaviour that illustrates interest, enthusiasm, appreciation and belief about one’s

success on curricular activities as measured by Academic achievement motivation

questionnaire and assessment of examination marks.

3. Adjustment behaviour

Adopting suitable responses appropriate to the environment for satisfactory and

harmonious relationship in the school, home and society as measured by Bell’s

adjustment inventory.

4. Self-esteem

The experience of being capable to meet life‘s challenges and being worthy as

measured using self-esteem inventory.

5. Adolescents

Boys and girls in the age group of 13-18 years studying in 9th - 11th standard at

selected government higher secondary schools, Chennai.

6. Low scholastic performance

Less than 30% of marks scored by the adolescents in the pre quarterly test and

quarterly examination conducted by the school.

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1.12. HYPOTHESES

H1: There is a significant difference in the academic motivation among the

adolescents with low scholastic performance who practice yoga than those who

do not

H2: There is a significant difference in the adjustment behaviour among the

adolescents with low scholastic performance who practice yoga than those who

do not

H3: There is a significant difference in the self-esteem among the adolescents with

low scholastic performance who practice yoga than those who do not

H4: There is a significant relationship between academic motivation, adjustment

behaviour and self-esteem among the adolescents with low scholastic

performance who practice yoga than those who do not

1.13. ASSUMPTIONS

• Adolescents are sentient, rational and social beings

• Life adjustments are influenced by the environment

• Yoga enhance the sense of well being

• Low academic achievers have low self-esteem

• Low self-esteem lead to behavioural problems