The Maladjusted Person: Mental illness,

emotional instability, mental disorders,

emotional disorders, psychological disorders

They denote conditions of tension and nervousness

Characteristic features of maladjustment are

deviations in feelings,
acting and
thinking
 Causes of Maladjustment

Family
Social causes
Economic causes
Psychological causes
Personal causes
School-related causes
Teacher-related causes
Peer-group related causes
Withdrawal, depression or self-injuries,
obsessions(mania), school rejection, drug and
substance abuse, destructive, uncooperative
and violent behaviours
Famil
The
y following manifestation may reflect their
relationship with other members of the families:
(1)being rebellious against parents;
(2)staying out late or even absconding from home;
(3)siblings rivalry,
(4)being indifferent to concerns from and needs of
their families.
School
The following behaviour reflects their relationship with
teachers and fellow pupils:
(1)Disregarding school disciplines resulting in frequent
violation of school regulations despite counselling
being provided, e.g. : fighting and / or disrupting
classes to the extent that teaching cannot be
conducted.
(2)Influencing other classmates to follow him in
breaking school regulations.
(3)Openly challenging school authorities and insulting
teachers .
(4)Very often, being apathetic(lazy) towards school
activities.
Learning
(1)Weak concentration and short attention span.
(2)Long term experience of school failure diminishes
their confidence in new areas of learning.
(3)The vicious(cruel) cycle between repeated experience
of failure and children’s low self concept and confidence
hinders them in further academic achievement.
(4)Their academic attainment may not be comparable to
their intelligence and social maturity.
(5)Their non-academic ability and achievement may not
be appreciated in their school environment.
(6)Both of the children and their families have no positive
expectation on academic or school achievement, thus
lowering children’s motivation to learn.
(1)Being weak in self-control, some of them
exhibit impulsive behaviour such as temper
tantrums, use of foul language, stealing or
destruction. In the other extreme, some may
be withdrawn, indifferent and isolating
themselves without any contact with others.
(2)Involve with undesirable peers resulting in
truancy and / or delinquent behaviour.
(3)Have low awareness of social norms and
conventions resulting in wayward
Educational Strategies and Intervention

•Help them adjust and integrate into their immediate

environments which include family life, mainstream
education, vocational training or open employment.

•Helping them to develop positive values and

behaviours.

•It is certainly helpful if the education system, their

family situation and the unfavourable factors in society
can be improved.

•Pupils can develop an awareness of their own strengths

and limitations as well as a realistic understanding of
According to WHO (World Health Organization), mental health is "a state of well-
being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the
normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community". WHO stresses that mental health "is not just
the absence of mental disorder".
Mental Health is about:

How we feel about ourselves

How we feel about others

How we are able to meet the demands of life

Characteristics of mentally healthy individual
•He knows himself well and is in a position to evaluate his strengths and
weaknesses.
•He has adequate ability to make adjustments in the changed
circumstances and situations.
•He is emotionally mature and stable as he is able to express his
emotions in a desirable way and exercise proper control over them.
He is socially adjustable as he possesses an adequate ability to get along well
with himself and others.
His intellectual powers are adequately developed. He is able to think
independently and take proper decision at the proper time.
He always lives in the world of reality rather than that of imagination and
fantasy.
•He possesses enough courage and power of tolerance for facing failures in life. He never repents and worries
over his failures and mistakes.

•He feels quite safe and secure in his respective groups and environment.

•Although he tries to accomplish his work as nicely as possible yet he does not prove to be an extremist by
becoming a perfectionist.
•He is free from undesirable mental disturbances, disorders, conflicts, anxieties,
frustrations, ailments and diseases.

•He possesses desirable social and health habits. He is regular and punctual in
performing his duties and does not suffer from forgetfulness.

•He is self-confident and optimist. He does not exhibit undue fear and anxiety for
any new assigned task.
•He has an adequate sex adjustment and does not suffer from sex
abnormalities or dissatisfaction.
•He possesses an adequate philosophy of life that governs his conduct and
activities.
•He possesses socially desirable healthy interests and aptitudes.
•He leads a well-balanced life of work, rest and recreation.
•He is satisfied with his profession or occupation.
•Emotionally unstable and easily upset.

•Apprehensive(anxious), suspicious(doubtful) and

insecure.

•Self-critical, empowered with a feeling of guilt.

•Lacks self confidence and will power.

•No adequate adjustment with the self and the

environment – physical, social and professional.

•Failure in setting a proper level o aspiration.

•Suffers from frustrations, unresolved conflicts, strains

and stresses.
Lacks enduring power and tolerance.
Lacks decision-making ability.
Poor self-concept and achievement motivation.
Unrealistic attitude towards life and people.
Suffers from mental disturbances, disorders, ailments
and disease.
Always dissatisfied with his achievements and tries to
seek perfection in his or others work.
Lives in his own world of imagination and fantasy.
•Mental health helps in the development of a
wholesome, well-balanced and integrated personality.

•The individuals who enjoy good mental health are

supposed to demonstrate proper emotional maturity in
their behaviour.

•Ones mental health helps one in becoming sociable

and establishing proper social relationships in the
society.

•The individuals who enjoy sound mental health are

usually found to behave as a man of integrity and
character by following the ethical standards of the
society.

•Proper mental health helps the individual in the

development of appropriate aesthetic sense, artistic
•The individuals who enjoy good mental health can strive
well for the actualization of their potentialities.

•A mentally healthy individual is an adjusted person.

•Mental health helps the individual to strive properly for

the realization of the goals of his life.

•Mental health helps the individuals to develop as well-

balanced useful citizens who are conscious not only of
their rights but also of their responsibilities.

•Mental health helps an individual in protecting him

against abnormalities of behaviour, maladjustment,
illness and mental diseases.
•Lack of friendliness on the part of teachers.

•Undue stress on scholastic and other competitions.

•Defective system of evaluation – element of subjectivity

and unreliability – loss of confidence in the teachers
marking.

•Fear of failure resulting in tension.

•Excess of home work.

•Heavy curriculum and failure of the child to cope with it.

•The teachers should be mentally alert and stable to
develop alertness and stability in the students.
•A teacher must have abundance of love for children.
•A teacher has to deal with a large number of students
having low and high power of understanding. He may
have to repeat his lessons many a time for the sake of
the less intelligent and he should not be irritated in
doing so.
•The inconsistent behaviour of the teacher disturbs the
mental attitude of the chills. The teacher should not be
moody and strange.
•A teacher cannot afford to be an autocrat.
•The teacher should not show undue favour to any
student.
The individuality of the child should be respected.

There should be close pupil-teacher contacts.

There should be healthy home and school environment.

There should be a regular medical check up of the

students and follow up action taken to safeguard the
health of the students.

Properly planned co-curricular activities are helpful in

providing suitable opportunities to the students to
sublimate their instincts.

Curriculum should be in accordance with age, ability

and aptitude of the students.