FRIENDSHIP, PHILIA AND MENTAL HEALTH: A STUDY OF ADOLESCENT PSYCHE

Abstract

Friendship and mental health have an inseparable relationship with each other. As suggested by Plato, Philia or the feeling of togetherness can lead to well-balanced mental health in the adolescents. The major objectives of the researcher were to know the importance of friendship in keeping the mental health of the adolescent secondary students and if there was any relation of mental health with introvert and extrovert behaviour of the adolescent students based on their gender and habitat area. In present study the researcher took 100 samples by purposive and simple random sampling. In this mixed method study, two standardized close ended five-point likert scale questionnaire were developed. Reliability and validity of both the questionnaires were checked. By the first questions the introvert and extrovert secondary level adolescent students were found out. Then their mental health was measured by the second questionnaire. Systematic review analysis, Mean, SD and T test were used in this descriptive study. The result revealed that friendship had an important role to play in keeping well-balanced mental health. There were significant differences in between the introvert and extrovert secondary level adolescent students except introvert and extrovert rural adolescent students.