Gender Difference in the Mental Health of Adolescents in Kanpur

Adolescence is a very significant period in a young person's life. It is a time when youth are growing and establishing individual identities. It is also a critical time for learning essential life skills. Mental health describes a level of psychological well-being, or an absence of a mental disorder. Mental health can also be defined as an expression of emotions, and as signifying a successful adaptation to a range of demands. Mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life. The main objectives of this research study were to determine the gender difference in the mental health of adolescents. An exploratory research design was adopted for the study and Kanpur has been selected purposively for research. The total sample size was 300 adolescents comprised of 150 boys and 150 girls between the age group of 13 to 19 years. The data was collected by using purposive sampling method. A standardized mental health battery developed by Jagdish and Srivastava was administered. Data was analyzed by frequencies/ percentages and co relation. It is concluded that, so it is clear from the above table that maximum numbers of boys and girls were under average mental health and only a small proportion of respondents in both groups were very poor mental health. The table reveals that mental health of boys was correlated positively with the mental health of girls in the study area.