DOI: 10.5176/2251-1865_CBP14.55
Authors: Dr. Rupan Dhillon, Assistant Professor
Abstract:
Adolescence is a transitional and a developmental period in which there is a redefinition and reorganization of family relations. The task of development of autonomy has been considered as important. Emotional autonomy means the ability to have significant control over one’s life, to be able to take decisions and to relinquish the interpersonal dependency on others. The success of adulthood stage depends a lot on how well the adolescent has been able to resolve the conflict between dependence and the newer demands of independence. Steinberg and Silverberg (1986) gave the term “emotional autonomy” to describe the affective disengagement of the adolescent from parents, which means withdrawing from the family and moving to wider community. Emotional autonomy is related to depression or psychological maladjustment or internalizing problem behaviors. Since there is a lesser dependency on parents and adolescents control their own lives and take their own decisions, it may lead to feelings of anxiety and depression and lesser feelings of self worth especially if their individuation does not take place in context of supportive relationships. High emotional autonomy combined with minimal parental support promotes distress in adolescents.
Therefore, in this study, an effort has been made to study the relationship of emotional autonomy with depression and anxiety. A sample of 80 adolescents have been taken belonging to the age group of 20 to 22 years. Emotional Autonomy Scale ( Steinberg and Silverberg,1986), Beck Depression Inventory ( Beck , 1961) and STAI – Form X-2 (Speilberger,1968) have been used for this purpose. Correlational analysis will be used to study the relationship of emotional autonomy with depression and anxiety. The results will be studied in the light of correlation coefficients. This study will have implications for mental health counselors in schools and colleges so that they can make the adolescents and parents realise about the importance of emotional autonomy and how supportive relationships are required for a smooth transition to adulthood. Interventions can be provided at the right time to curb depression and anxiety in adolescents.
Keywords: Emotional autonomy, adolescents, depression, anxiety
Updating...