The characteristics and disposition of people of a geographical region bears the DNA of the land they have been living in for ages.
‘Integrity, kindness, spirituality, fairness and citizenship came out to be signature or top character strengths among college students of Jammu,’ this is the essence of findings in a Ph.D research study done by Dr. Romesh Sharma, a noted academician of psychology and Head Counselling Cell, Directorate of School Education, Jammu.
Without drawing doubts or questioning, the subject of the study is indeed a distinct one and deserves appreciation. Normally, not enough research based studies in human psychology and behaviour has been done in the context of living in Jammu region while enough similar studies have been done in Kashmir valley.
The study was conducted under the supervision of Dr Arti Bakshi, Professor and Head Department of Psychology, University of Jammu.
The study further disclosed that the sample of students from all the degree colleges of District Jammu and Jammu College students were higher on community strengths and comparatively lower on temperance (self-control) strengths.
‘Males scored better than females on strengths of courage viz: bravery, perseverance and vitality whereas females scored higher than males on love and kindness. Character, strengths, hope, forgiveness, vitality, prudence and gratitude emerged as significantly contributing factors to positive mental health of college students in line with many global studies’ the research paper said.
The research Scholar asserted that the research study entitled ‘character, strengths, positive mental health and resilience among college students’ was undertaken as per globally recognized model of values namely Values in Action classification arrived at by Peterson and Seligman and Flourishing model by American Sociologist Corey LM Keyes.
The Study further revealed that 39.2 percent of students were flourishing, i.e having high well-being while 6.8 percent were diagnosed as languishing i.e. having low well-being while the rest of 54 percent were diagnosed as moderately mentally healthy.
Languishing is the mood of the year 2021 as pointed out by many psychologists. If not taken proper care, languishing people can turn into depression. Researchers recommend making mental health/well-being assessment of youth a priority, looking at the poor standing of India in World happiness Index report 2021, revealed the study.
‘Character strengths assessment and interventions may form the part of mission youth J&K to transform youth of J&K into happy, resilient, engaged and productive youth working at the peak of their potential,’ Dr Sharma said.
Self-awareness about character strengths can lead to better well-being and better career/vocational choices according to their strengths.In the context of counselling, discovery of strengths can be an important step for enhancing psychological well-being.
Focus on virtues and character strengths may aid in the solution to many problems associated with J&K youth. Awareness and practice of signature strengths by college students can optimize their well-being levels’ the paper highlighted.
What is important is that the findings of the study may help parents, teachers, healthcare workers and counselors across cultures to foster these essential strengths closely linked with positive mental health and resilience in people to better cope with life difficulties, achieve well-being and have a fulfilled, prosperous family life.
Though the text and grammar of such specialised studies are not easily comprehensible to commoners, for people of this region the study will set a new benchmark in understanding its youth and their intellectual, emotional and social responses to the future challenges of life.
