Are gender, medium of instruction, economic strata and working status of mother predictors of adjustment of adolescents ?

Present study was an investigation of nature of adjustment of adolescents in Kolkata across social-strata and with working and non-working mothers. Overall, 460 adolescents (220 boys and 240 girls), ages 13-17 was covered in the study through multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected by using one semi-structured questionnaire and a standardized psychological test i.e., Adjustment Domain of Multidimensional Personality Inventory after local adaptation was made. Participation in the study was voluntary. The findings revealed that 30.0% of the fathers and 21.0% of the mothers failed to provide quality time to their children as perceived by adolescents. So far as adjustment of adolescents is concerned, girls adjustment was significantly better than boys (p<0.01). Although medium of study was not found to be predictor of adjustment, socio-economic strata and working status of mothers were found to be associated with adjustment capacity of adolescents (p<0.01). Adolescents from lower socio-economic strata and with working mother were found with better adjustment compared to adolescents coming from middle and upper socio-economic strata and with non-working mothers. Results suggest organizing skill building workshop for the adolescents coming from middle and upper social strata in the schools to enhance their coping skills for better adjustment with the changing situations in life. At the same time, there is necessity to organize workshop for parents to sensitize them about the importance of giving quality time to their children and its long term positive impact on overall social development and adjustment of children.