Page No.474-482
Priyanka, Deepika Khokhar, Nikita Arora and Japneet Sidana
Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi
Mental health issues have surged in the twenty-first century, with late adolescents
particularly affected by academic pressures, career uncertainties, and performance
expectations, which contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression. Identity exploration,
peer pressure, and social comparison exacerbate insecurity, low self-worth, and identity
confusion. Appearance-related concerns, disordered eating behaviors, and substance
abuse may emerge as individuals navigate physical changes and societal pressures
related to appearance and experimentation. This paper examines how hope influences
mental health outcomes in this vulnerable demographic. A sample of 200 individuals
was contacted and Hope scale was administered. A purposive sample of 68 individuals
was selected based on their hope scale scores. The participants were divided into two
categories: 34 with high levels of hope and 34 with low hope levels. Scores on four
mental health indices—depression, anxiety, positive affect, and behavioral control—
were obtained using the Mental Health Inventory and analyzed with a t-test. Results
exhibited a statistically significant difference amongst the two groups, indicating that
individuals with higher hope scores experience better mental health than those with
lower hope scores.