Monday, 19 February 2018

Institutional Influence on Interpersonal Relationship and Submissive Behaviour of Physically Challenged Adolescents



Institutional Influence on Interpersonal Relationship and Submissive Behaviour
of Physically Challenged Adolescents
Y. Elin Shibi
Assistant Professor of Physical Science Education,
Loyola College of Education, Nungambakkam, Chennai-34.
Dr B. William Dharma Raja
Professor & Head,
Department of Education,
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli.
Abstract
            This study was purported to measure the characteristic of Submissive Behaviour of Physically Challenged Adolescents and the impact of the same on their Interpersonal Relationship. Survey method was used for this study. Stratified random sampling technique was used to collect the data with the sample of 94 students of standard 9 to standard 12 students in different schools in Tirunelveli District. The collect data using the Self-made tools were analysed using ‘t’ test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The result indicated that more than two third of the Physically Challenged Adolescents had average level of Interpersonal Relationship and Submissive Behaviour. Recommendations for further research as were also given in this study.
Key words: Interpersonal Relationship, Submissive Behaviour, Introvert.
It is through the interpersonal relationship that persons manifest mental disorder. Personality is comparatively a continuing pattern of recurrent international situations which characterize a human life (Sullivan, 1953). Interpersonal relationships involve more than one person – that is to say, some form of relating to one another in the process of relationships. It also involves some form of integrating tendencies that bring together adolescents in the pursuit of relationships (Benjamin, 1996; Kiesler, 1996). The interpersonal relationship expounds the relationship that exists between two persons within the group, or with others. Submissive behaviour means shying away from saying what he/she really mean and not seeking to achieve his/her needs, particularly when someone else has conflicting needs.
Significance of the Study
 The study focuses on the impact of interpersonal relationship and submissive behavior of adolescents who are physically challenged. These adolescents come under the group of exceptional children. Physical challenged children are those children who have the physical disability like muscular dystrophy, impairments in the joints of bones, osteomyelitis, poliomyelitis, paralysis, cerebral palsy, club foot, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis etc., because of these deformities, these children suffer from lack of interpersonal relationship. Their physical disability may be exhibited in submissive behavior patterns. The physical disability causes them to be introvert, with low self-esteem, and having withdrawal symptoms. The submissive behavior of adolescents such as introvert nature, pessimistic outlook, emotional instability, passive, self-centred, anxiety ridden, helplessness, lack of self-concept  and lack of interpersonal relationships are associated with one’s personal experience. Hence, they lack interpersonal relationship with friends and peers.
Objectives           
i)        To find the level of interpersonal relationship and submissive behaviour of physically challenged adolescents;
ii)      To find the significant difference, if any, in the interpersonal relationship among physically challenged adolescence with regard to institutional variables;
iii)    To find the significant difference, if any, in the submissive behaviour among physically challenged adolescence with regard to institutional variables; and
iv)    To find relationship between interpersonal relationship and submissive behaviour of physically challenged adolescents.
Method Employed for the Study:
Survey method was followed in this study.
Population and Sample:       
The population for the present study consisted of physically challenged students studying 9th – 12th in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. From the population, 94 students were selected using stratified random sampling technique. The sample were from rural and urban areas of Tirunelveli district.
Tools Used
            The investigator used the following two tools for collecting the data.
i.        ElWi’s Scale on Interpersonal Relationship
A questionnaire on ‘Interpersonal Relationship’ was constructed and validated by Y. Elin Shibi and B.William Dharma Raja (2012) and was named as ElWi’s Scale on Interpersonal Relationship (ESIR). It was given to three experts for establishing the constant validity. The reliability of the tool was established by Split-half technique method and its reliability coefficient was found to be 0.72 and 0.83 respectively.
ii. Submissive Behaviour Scale
The Submissive Behaviour Scale was developed by Gilbert and Allan (1994) and refined by Allan and Gilbert (1997).  It consists of 16 examples of submissive behaviour, which people rate as a behavioural frequency (from 0 = Never to 3 = Always). The scale has good reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .89, and four-month test-retest reliability of r = .84, p< .001 with a student population (Gilbert et al., 1996).
Data Analysis
          The collected data were analysed using Kruskal-walli’s test. Since the distribution of the collected data with regard to the nature of institution is non-normal, Kruskal - Wallis test (Non-parametric test) is employed to find the significance of difference.
Table 1
Levels of Interpersonal Relationship and submissive behavior of Physically Challenged Adolescents
Variable
Level of Interpersonal  relationship
Low
Average
High
N
%
N
%
N
%
Interpersonal Relationship
17
18.5
59
64.1
16
17.4
Submissive Behaviour (Total)
13
14.1
56
60.9
23
25.0
            
 It is inferred from the above table that, more than two third of the physically challenged adolescents have average level of interpersonal relationship and submissive behavior.
Table 2
Significance of Difference in Interpersonal Relationship of Physically Challenged Adolescents with regard to Nature of the Institution
                            Dimension
Nature of the Institution
                         N
Mean Rank
χ2
df
P Value
Assertion of Needs
Boys
9
34.17
2.634
2
.268
Girls
14
43.29
Coeducation
69
48.76
Bidirectional Communication
Boys
9
43.56
.666
2
.717
Girls
14
42.04
Coeducation
69
47.79
Conflict
Boys
9
31.11
7.042
2
.030*
Girls
14
35.75
Coeducation
69
50.69
Disclosure and Interpersonal Closeness
Boys
9
30.50
3.989
2
.136
Girls
14
51.82
Coeducation
69
47.51
Emotional Experience and Expression
Boys
9
53.11
.747
2
.688
Girls
14
48.11
Coeducation
69
45.31
Interpersonal Relationship
Boys
9
35.94
2.445
2
.295

Girls
14
41.54
Coeducation
69
48.88
                                   * Significant at 5 % level
             In the above table the P value is greater than 0.05. Hence the null hypothesis is accepted. It shows that there is no significant difference in interpersonal relationship of physically challenged adolescents with regard to nature of the institution. But there is significant difference in the dimension ‘conflict’ with regard to the nature of the institution.        
Table 3
Significance of difference in Submissive Behaviour of Physically Challenged Adolescents with regard to Nature of the Institution
                            Variable
Nature of the Institution
                         N
Mean Rank
χ2
df
P Value
Submissive Behaviour
Boys
9
27.56
7.616
2
.022
Girls
14
38.14
Coeducation
69
50.67

In the above table the P value is less than 0.05. Hence the null hypothesis is rejected. It shows that there is significant difference in submissive behaviour of physically challenged adolescents with regard to nature of the institution.
Findings of the Study
  1. More than two third of the physically challenged adolescents have average level of interpersonal relationship.
  2. More than two third of the physically challenged adolescents have average level of submissive bahaviour.
3.      There is no significant difference in interpersonal relationship of physically challenged adolescents with regard to nature of institution – Boys school, Girls school and Co-education school.
4.      There was no significant difference in submissive behavior of physically challenged adolescent with regard to the nature of the institution.
Recommendations
            On the basis of the findings, the following recommendations were derived.
            Now-a-days, people with physical disability have become the priorities and they ought to be beneficial in all walks of life. The government has to strengthen the necessary infrastructural facility to the physically challenged adolescents to overcome the submissive behavior so as to develop interpersonal relationship.
The management should provide pleasant environment for the physically challenged adolescents.  The teachers have to guide mingle with others. If the differently able adolescents are marginalized and/or overprotected.
Teachers should encourage them to participate the extracurricular activities and games & sports, which enhance their level of confidence. The physically challenged adolescents need to play as much as their non-disabled peer. Continuous encouragement and special care should be provided by the teachers, as it helps to develop interpersonal relationship and diminish submissive behaviour among physically challenged adolescents.
If the parents try to fathom the aptitude of such children and help them to utilize their talent capabilities properly, they can be modeled into efficient and skilled personalities. They should not point out the inability in the child. If physically challenged adolescents express his/her anxiety about their inability, the parents must try to encourage the child and instill confidence in them and reduce submissive behaviour.
References
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·         John W. Santrock. (2006). Psychology Essentials. New York: Data  McGraw Hill Publication.
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