Conference Proceedings

2008 Welsh Branch Annual Student Conference

Conference Venue: Bangor University

From: 04 Apr 2008
To: 04 Apr 2008

 
Individual Paper(s)

A Voyage into the Mind of Delinquent and Destitute Adolescents

Harsheen Kaur
Swansea University


The present investigation examines the Patterns of Psychopathology in Delinquent and Destitute Adolescents.  The sample comprised of both Girls and Boys between 16 to 18 years of age, taken from Observation Homes, and Destitute Homes in Delhi (India) (N=40). A Personal Interview of the respondents along with the administration of the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale (APS) was carried out in order to determine the Clinical Disorders, Personality Disorders, and Psychosocial Problem Content. The resultsindicated pathology in all the respondents. It showed greater and more severe pathology in girls than boys. Comorbid patterns rather than elevation on one or two pathological patterns were evident. Personal interviews with the destitute respondents revealed certain patterns which they used as survival modes as the possible reasons for their elevated scores on Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.  Staying away from home and family seemed to lead to Separation Anxiety among the delinquents. The results were analyzed basically in the light of socio-cultural perspective.