CURRENT ISSUES OF INDIAN ADOLESCENCENTS

Introduction

Young people form precious human resources in every country. However, there is
considerable ambiguity in the definition of young people and terms like young,
adolescents, adults, young adults are often used interchangeably. World Health
Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as age spanning 10 to 19 yr, youth as those
in 15-24 yr age group and these two overlapping age groups as young people
covering the age group of 10-24 yr. The National Youth Policy of India (2003) defines
the youth population as those in the age group of 15-35 yr. Population aged 10-24 years
accounts for 373 million (30.9%) of the 1,210 million of India's population with every
third person belonging to this age group. Among them, 110 and 273 million live in
urban and rural India, respectively. Males account for 195 million and females 178
million, respectively. As per the National Sample Survey (NSS), (2007-08) 32.8 per cent
of this group attend educational institutions and 46 per cent (2004-05) are employed.

Youth - the critical phase of life, is a period of major physical, physiological,

psychological, and behavioural changes with changing patterns of social interactions
and relationships. Youth is the window of opportunity that sets the stage for a healthy
and productive adulthood and to reduce the likelihood of health problems in later
years. A myriad of biological changes occur during puberty including increase in height
and weight, completion of skeletal growth accompanied by an increase in skeletal mass,
sexual maturation and changes in body composition. The succession of these events
during puberty is generally consistent among the adolescents often influenced by age of
onset, gender, duration, along with the individual variations. These changes are also
accompanied by significant stress on young people and those around them, while
influencing and affecting their relationships with their peers and adults. It is also an
age of impulsivity accompanied by vulnerability, influenced by peer groups and media
that result in changes in perception and practice, and characterized by decision making
skills/abilities along with acquisition of new emotional, cognitive and social skills.

Most young people are presumed to be healthy but, as per WHO, an estimated 2.6
million young people aged 10 to 24 yr die each year and a much greater number of
young people suffer from illnesses behaviours which hinder their ability to grow and
develop to their full potential. Nearly two-thirds of premature deaths and one-third of
the total disease burden in adults are associated with conditions or behaviours initiated
in their youth (e.g. tobacco use, physical inactivity, high risk sexual behaviours, injury
and violence and others). The behavioural patterns established during this
developmental phase determine their current health status and the risk for developing
some chronic diseases in later years. A significant reduction in the mortality and
morbidity of communicable, maternal and neonatal disorders since 1990 due to
concerted and integrated efforts led to a shift in focus towards the health, safety and
survival of the young people. It is crucial to understand health problems of this
population, processes and mechanisms that affect their health, identify interventions
and strategic approaches that protect their health and develop and implement policies
and programmes.

Problems of Adolescents with special reference to Indian context

Any period of development is likely to be accompanied by many potential difficulties.

Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood that implies many
development changes and associated problems. Some of the outstanding problems of
Indian adolescence are the following:

Perplexity with regard to somatic variation: Every adolescent has more or less difficult
task of adjusting to somatic variation which may occur in connection with puberty. The
follow of blood during menstruation in girls and nocturnal emission in boys creates
worries and give birth to so many fears and anxieties. Since ours is a conservative
society, youngsters are less informed about the physical changes that are occurring
during puberty. Lack of scientific information about sex hygiene and philosophy make
them to satisfied with crude and perverted knowledge about sex related matters. It
creates guilt feeling and so many complexes in the minds of the children which makes
them introverted and secretive.

Problems related with intensification of sex-consciousness: The sudden awakening of

sex instinct during adolescence results in intensification of sex consciousness.
Adolescents are curious to know about sex related topics and are seeking answers to
their innumerable doubts in sexual matters. In our country most of the parents are
illiterate and they do not have scientific knowledge of sex problems. Moreover, our
social values are different from that of western countries, and hence parents hesitate to
discuss sex problems with their children. So the adolescents resort socially unacceptable
ways to quench their curiosity and to satisfy their sexual needs. There is also the
misguiding of print and electronic media that finally results in sexual maladjustment in
adolescents.
Adjustment difficulties with parents: Adolescents have a strong for freedom and
independence. But often it is obstructed by parental oppositions. In Indian context,
parental opposition may extend to such areas as choices of friends, choice of education,
recreational interests, dress, life-style, our of going from and coming to the home, mode
of behaviour etc. The conflict between parental norms of behaviour and peer group
relationships often lead to friction in the relationship and adolescents find it difficult to
adjust to the needs and demands of parents. Failure to adjust with the parents may
result in revolting against parents and authority.

Childhood-Adulthood Conflict: In our society, the adolescent is considered as

neither as a child nor as an adult. He has to depend his parents and elders for his
physical and emotional needs. But at the same time he wants to hold independent
views and opinions like an adult. He can very well manage his own affairs and resist
any unnecessary interference from the part of elders. He begins to feel ashamed and
embarrassed for the protection and care shown by the parents. He is often treated in an
ambiguous manner by parents and teachers. Sometimes they expect him to behave as
an adult and at other times, they treat him as a child. The poor adolescent is caught
between the role of the child and the adult, which push him into confusion and tension.

Adjustment difficulties with school discipline : Most of the adolescents face a great
problem in adjusting with school discipline. Some times schools expects too much from
students who must submit to teachers who may be tyrannical sometimes. Schools
should not implant habits of unquestioning obedience that inhibits the growth of young
people towards true independence.

Adjustment difficulties with community: The adolescent is expected to find his place
in a society marked by increasing social isolation and rapid technological changes. This
changing world make it difficult to anticipate and plan for adolescent life. They have
difficulty in adjusting their capacity to the demands of the community. At this critical
phase most adolescents react by withdrawing into a non-demanding and non-working
world of pleasure and satisfaction.

The Ideal and Reality conflicts: It is during adolescence an adolescent move from
being children to adults - perhaps the single most important and grandest set of
changes - others may not know how they feel about themselves, but we should. The
disparity between ideal and actual can produce confusion and maladaptation, or this
disparity can be a source of motivation and aspiration for adolescents who are
searching for identity. As the adolescence represents a fascinating transitional period,
marked by the emergence of new found cognitive capacities and changing societal
expectations. Parental Influences has much important in this regard, which includes
deliberate expression of affection, concern about the adolescent's problems, harmony in
the home, participation in family activities, availability to give organized help when
needed or asked for, setting clear and fair rules, understanding peer influences on self-
esteem, etc. can helps the adolescents to a great extent.

Adolescent Parent Attachment: Conflict between adolescents and parents itself is not
a sign of poor relationship quality, but it is the result of the rapid neurological, cognitive
and social changes of adolescence create a socio-cognitive dilemma for youth: that is,
maintaining connection with parents while exploring new social roles away from the
family and developing attachment relationships with peers and romantic partners. It is
a fact that the successful transition of adolescence is not achieved through detachment
from parents but a healthy transition to autonomy and adulthood is facilitated by
secure attachment and emotional connectedness with parents. It is better understood by
parents that, adolescents who feel understood by their parents and trust their
commitment to the relationship, even in the face of conflict, confidently move forward
toward early adulthood. The ability of parents, teachers, the elders, etc. to sustain a
goal-directed partnership with adolescents in their daily hood by all means will
remain them confident and secure and protect them from all modes of newly emerged
social evils like improper and immature usage of social medias.

Alcohol and other drug use in adolescence

Consumption of licit and illicit substances has increased all over the world and the age
of initiation of abuse is progressively falling. The common drugs of abuse amongst
children and adolescents in India are tobacco and alcohol. Use of illicit drugs like
cannabis and heroin have also been reported. A high prevalence of drug use and even
intravenous use among street children and working children is a matter of concern.
Although initiation to drug use usually occurs during adolescence, the adolescent drug
users are seldom seen in various treatment centres. Thus community based
programmes are beneficial for prevention and treatment of substance abuse among
children and adolescents.

Role of parents and teachers towards the adolescents

For a proper and all round development of the adolescent boys and girls, parents and
teachers have a great role to play. Some suggestions have been discussed below

For Proper Physical Development

 Provision should be made for compulsory physical exercise at morning and
evening
Monthly health check-up by the school doctor must be done.
Scope for some manual work for every adolescent must be provided at home and
at school.
Provision of various types of indoor as well as outdoor games and sports for all
students in school.
Provision for dance classes for girls at school.

For Proper Mental Development

Home and school atmosphere must be loving and secured.

The school must have a good library, a school debating society and in every
class, a discussion group.
Various types of clubs, like - music club, art and craft club, may be organised to
enable adolescents to develop their creative abilities.
The guidance services available at school should provide both educational and
vocational guidance to their students.
The teacher should keep an eye on every adolescent and try to fulfill his
individual needs. The tutorial system must be adopted when necessary.
Excursions to places of historical and geographical importance may be
organised.
Activity for the adolescent should be planned in such a way that the
imaginations of the young adolescents are directed in the right channels and
towards creative efforts.
The adolescents are generally interested in experimentation and self-
examinations of objects. Hence, it is suggested that importance should be given
on using new dynamic methods of teaching.
Different assignments should be given to the students on the basis of their
intelligence and the abilities.
Yoga and meditation must be included in the school curriculum.

For Proper Social Development

Many informal functions may be organised in the school. These would enable the
adolescents to come closer to each other and understand the interests and
aspirations of each-other. These functions must cater to the needs of all types of
adolescents.
Excursions and field trips may be organized. These lead to informal
conversations and close contact between the members of the group.
Group games, debates, seminars, conference may be organized. These will help
the adolescents to participate in social activities.
The teacher should try to find out the socio - economic conditions, social interests
of every adolescent and organize various activities accordingly.
 In the social field, every adolescent has to enter particular vocation in his later
life. As such the school authorities should impart him knowledge about various
vocations prevalent in society. He should also provided knowledge about some
new vocations.
The adolescents should be initiated into the standards of adult behaviour. Thus
he will be trained for better future living.
They should be entrusted with jobs of responsibility at home and at school as
they grow-up. Self-government may be introduced in school to develop a feeling
of responsibility among the adolescents.

For Proper Emotional Development

Parents and teachers must be able to redirect the emotions of the adolescents in a
proper manner. The adolescent must be able to control his emotions and also to
repress those emotions which are not socially acceptable.
Most of the adolescents accept problems of life in a negative way. They are afraid
of facing difficult situations in life. Parents and teachers should encourage the
adolescents and point out some of their plus points. They may also suggest
means and methods of achieving success. This will restore the self-confidence of
the adolescents.
It should be brought into the notice of the adolescent that life is a mixture of
failure and success and he must build a power of resistance to face failure in life.
The adolescent has to face a large number of problems at this, stage, As such,
proper guidance and counseling should be provided by parents, teachers and
school Guidance Counselor.
Parents and teachers should treat the adolescent well. They should give him
freedom of action within limit. The adolescent should be kept busy with various
activities.
The teacher should try to develop maturity of thinking within the child. The
adolescent boys and girls must be allowed to discuss their emotional problems
with their parents and teachers. And they must be provided enough scope to
take part in different activities in school.
The teacher should try to find out those students who are emotionally disturbed.
They should try to solve their problems personally.
The parents as well as the teachers should not discriminate among the adolescent
boys and girls. The teacher must be known for his impartiality. Then only will he
be able to enjoy the confidence of his students.

For Proper Sexual Development

More social contracts between boys and girls. Freedom with proper guidance
must be provided to the young adolescents to make friends with the opposite
sex.
Proper sex education on a scientific basis should be provided by the teachers.
 Parents and teachers should impart the right information about sex to the
adolescent boys and girls.
Information about HIV and other sex related diseases should be provided on a
scientific manner by the parents and teachers to the young adolescents. If
necessary, teachers and parents must take help of counselors.

Conclusion

Adolescents in India are facing problems of sexually transmitted infections,

dysmenorrhoea, tobacco and alcohol use, depressive problems, physical fights, worry,
loneliness and oral health problems. Health education and counselling to adolescents
are necessary in India to improve adolescence health. Primary care practitioners may
act as a bridge between the family and adolescents to solve the problems.
Simultaneously awareness to the programmes related to adolescent health should be
generated among family members so that they can also advise and guide the
adolescents. This type of health education programme can be held by primary care
practitioner doctors in their locality with involving family members and adolescents.