Emotional and Behavioral Problems among Secondary High School Children of District Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Abstract

Childhood is the most important and decisive period of human life, and a healthy childhood is crucial for future growth and development. The current study is aimed to investigate the behavioural and emotional problems of secondary high school children. The study also investigated the role of demographic variables in emotional and behavioral problems among secondary school children. The current study used cross-sectional and co-relational research design was used in current study to test the study hypothesis. Following Sloven’s formula, a sample of 406 students was taken by using Sloven’s formula. The data was taken from four government and four private secondary high schools in the district Peshawar, KPK, with an age range of 13-18 years. The Problem with School Children Scale (PWSCS) Urdu version was used for the purpose of data collection. Multiple regression and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data. The result showed that secondary high school students exhibited higher emotional problems as compared to behavioral problems. The study revealed that private school students face higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems as compared to government school students. This study also revealed that demographic variables such as socioeconomic status and family structure do not significantly positively predict emotional and behavioral problems, while demographic variables (gender, medical illness, and school type) do not significantly negatively predict emotional and behavioral problems among secondary high school students. This study showed that institutions play a crucial role in the development of emotional and behavioral problems in school children. The study further revealed that demographic variables such as socioeconomic status and family structure are positively associated with emotional and behavioral problems.