Author(s): A Lakshmi Prakash and E Manjuvani

Abstract:
The present study is an attempt to study the mental health of adolescents living in a displaced village and compare with the mental health of adolescents living in a nondisplaced village. Two hundred and forty-two children in the age group of 13 to 16 years age group studying 8^th, 9^th and 10^th standards constituted the sample. Among the total sample 113 adolescents are from displaced village and 129 adolescents are from nondisplaced village. Mental health inventory is used for data collection. Adolescents of displaced and nondisplaced villages did not differ in any of the components of mental health, except in ‘adequate outlook and goals’. Adolescents of a displaced village had lesser adequate outlook and goals compared to their counterparts in a nondisplaced village. Boys of the displaced village scored significantly lower on adequate outlook and goals one of the asset component, and nervous manifestations one of the liabilities component when compared to boys of nondisplaced village. Girls of displaced and nondisplaced villages did not differ in any of the components of mental health except feelings of inadequacy. Girls of displaced village scored significantly lower on feelings of inadequacy when compared to girls of nondisplaced village indicating the occurrence of this liability more in girls of displaced village.