Page No. 80-88, Sasikala S. & Karunanidhi S.
Just as health and illness in general, mental health is determined by multiple social, psychological, and biological factors. During adolescence, psychosocial issues could have different kinds of manifestations amongst which includes behavior problems.
Therefore, it is essential to understand certain important determinants of behaviour problems among adolescents which helps to address these issues. In the present study, an attempt was made to identify the influence of parental expectations, unfulfillment of parental expectations, self-esteem, optimism, school environment and social support on behaviour problems among adolescents. Further, it also aimed to identify the direct and indirect effect of certain factors on behavior problems of adolescents. Correlation and Regression analysis were useasto analyze the data. Self-esteem, optimism and peer acceptance emerged as protective factors and perception of unfulfillment of parental expectations, pressure to achieve and competition among pupil emerged as risk factors for behavior problems of adolescents. The direct and indirect effects of the psychosocial determinants of behaviour problems were also explored.