MALTREATMENT AND ITS IMPACTS ON PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND HEALTH CONDITION OF ADOLESCENTS: EVIDENCE BASED STUDY FROM DISTRICT SARGODHA, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Adolescent is the most critical, sensitive and responsive time period of individual’s life. Major biological, social, and cognitive changes occur, which largely stimulate the most important shift, especially personal capacities, communal affiliation, facilitating to develop and work out societal identities and discover their self-sufficiency. This empirical investigation applied mixed-method approach and the primary data was collected through semi-structure interviews for qualitative analysis and Child Abuse Scale (CAS) and Flourishing Scale (FS) were used. The cluster random sampling was applied to approach the participants (teenagers). The findings revealed that maltreatment have significant impacts on social, psychological and physical conditions of adolescent. The results of T-test analysis indicated no variance gender and community wise on mental wellbeing. Furthermore, a significant association was found between gender and maltreatment. It reveals that that female adolescents experienced more maltreatment than male. According to Pearson's correlation, maltreatment and mental wellbeing exhibited a negative significant relationship. Qualitative insights showed that physical abuse, poverty, and parental emotional abuse were common causes of maltreatment. Adolescents who had experienced abuse exhibited social exclusion, depression, aggression, and abnormal behavior. To address the psycho-social needs of adolescents and to enhance their mental health status, it emphasizes the significance of planning, legislation, and service networks.