Title: Psychosocial problems and coping strategies of preadolescent girls with early onset of puberty in selected ruraland urban schools
Abstract:
Introduction: Puberty, the biological transition to reproductive maturity is considered as an exemplary marker of transition from childhood to adolescence. Although puberty is a natural event, early puberty poses a risk for number of psychosocial problems in preadolescent girls. Coping strategies may act as mediators of stress that may support or inhibit positive adolescent adaptation.
Objective: The present study was undertaken to identify and compare the psychosocial problems and coping strategies of preadolescent girls with early onset of puberty in rural and urban schools and to develop and evaluate an information booklet for the management of psychosocial problems.
Method: A descriptive comparative - correlational survey design was adopted for the study. The sample consisted 300 preadolescent girls (rural-150 and urban-150), in the first phase and 30 in the second phase, aged between 10-12 years with early onset of puberty, studying in fifth, sixth and seventh standard of eight selected schools of two randomly selected educational district of Kottayam revenue district in Kerala. Purposive sampling technique was used to elect the subjects. Self-reported psychosocial assessment scale was used to assess the psychosocial problems, coping strategies were assessed by using Children’s Coping Strategies Checklist-Revision1 (CCSC-R1) and Opinionnaire was used to assess the acceptability and utility of information booklet on management of psychosocial problems of early onset of puberty.
Results: Findings of study revealed that 19.66% of the preadolescent girls in rural school had mild psychosocial problems and 1.33% had moderate problems. Whereas 12.33% of urban subjects had mild problems and only 0.33% had moderate problems. There was a significant difference in the mean score of the psychosocial problems of preadolescent girls in rural and urban schools (t=2.836, p<0.01). A significant difference was seen in the mean scores of anxieties (t=3.058, p<0.01) and depression (t= 3.824, p<0.001) among the rural and urban girls. Active coping strategies (t=2.847), avoidance strategies (t=2.554, p<0.01) and support seeking strategies (t=1.949, p < 0.05) were significantly differ in rural and urban girls. Girls from rural schools were using more active and avoidance coping strategies whereas urban girls used more support seeking strategies. A positive relationship was found between psychosocial problems of preadolescent girls with early onset of puberty and different dimensions of coping strategies such as active, distraction, avoidance and support seeking strategies (p<0.001). Majority of the preadolescent girls with mild-moderate problems were in the age of less than 11 years (57.1%). Religion was significantly associated with psychosocial problems of subjects in urban schools (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Preadolescent girls with early onset of puberty from both rural and urban schools were affected with mild to moderate psychosocial problems and the girls who attained puberty less than 11 years had higher incidence of psychosocial problems. Anxiety and depression were significantly higher among rural girls. The girls were using both productive and non- productive coping strategies when encountered with a problem. A positive correlation was found between psychosocial problems and different dimensions of coping strategies.
Keywords: Early onset of puberty, menarche, preadolescent girl, psychosocial problems, coping strategies.
Audience Take Away Notes:
- The speed and extent of developmental changes create psychosocial problems and pressure on the coping ability of an individual. Use of inappropriate coping strategies to manage psychosocial problems may have a negative impact on mental health of adolescent girls
- Early recognition, enough understanding, counseling, life skill training and teaching of positive coping skills, which include problem solving strategies can help the girls to cope up with the stressors of early pubertal changes in a better way
- Nurses working with adolescent girls should consider the mental health needs of early maturing girls
- The findings would help the nurses/health personnel in clinical settings and school health services, to detect the psychosocial problems of preadolescent girls with early puberty and also can teach them about how to cope up with stressors in a healthy and adaptive manner
- Nurses can educate parents and teachers regarding the impact of early puberty in girls and how they can help the girls to adjust with the changes of puberty and modify the behavior
- Organize and conduct need based community outreach services for improving psychosocial health and coping strategies of preadolescent girls with early puberty in schools and health centers
- List all other benefits
- Study is done in two phase to identify the extent of psychosocial problems and coping strategies and based on the findings, the information booklet was prepared
An experimental study can be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of an information booklet on management of psychosocial problems and coping strategies used for each problem.
