Bhupinder Singh Barkatullah University, Bhopal Irfan Ahmad Wani Degree College, Pulwama, Union Territory of J & K
Pages:73-77
The present study investigated the Mental Health index of adolescent Drug Abusers
and Non- Drug Abusers of Kashmir valley. The sample consisted of 200 Muslim male
respondents; of these, 100 were drug abusers and 100 were non-drug abusers whose
age ranged between 12 and 18 years. The results revealed significant differences in
all the sub scales of the mental health inventory developed by Veit and Ware (1983)
between these two groups. Drug Abusers showed higher level of anxiety, depression,
and loss of behavioural/emotional control, emotional ties and psychological distress in
comparison to the Non-Drug Abusers Whereas, Non- Drug Abusers showed higher levels
of general positive affect, life satisfaction, psychological well being and overall mental
health index than their counterparts. Thus, it is concluded from the present study that
the drug abusers are having more emotional, behavioral and mental health problems,
and poor life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing as compared to the non-drug
abusers of adolescent population.
Keywords: Adolescent; Drug use; Psychological Distress; Psychological Well-being;
Mental health Index.