Mental health and locus of control among Naga youth giving various competitive examinations

Abstract

Purpose Competitive examinations, especially in a country like India, are important in deciding careers and access to prestigious institutions. Each year thousands of youth appear for different national and state level examinations, the competition for which becomes progressively tougher. Hence, it is important to study the mental health of youth appearing for competitive examinations. Nagaland, with an unemployment rate of 19.3%, is among the states with the highest unemployment rate in India. Therefore, this paper aims to study Naga youth with special focus on three aspects, namely, the status of mental health, to examine locus of control and to examine the correlation between mental health and locus of control. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted in Kohima town and Dimapur town respectively with a sample comprising of 196 youth. The participants were in the age range of 15–35 years. The tools used included the Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale, Mental Health Continuum (Short-form) and a demographic questionnaire. Findings A considerable proportion of the participants (36%) were found in flourishing category whereas majority of the participants were either moderately healthy (46%) or languishing (17%). Age and employment status were found to have a significant relationship with mental health whereas gender was found to have a significant relationship with locus of control. Pearson chi-square showed a significant association between mental health and locus of control. Originality/value The present study used the mental health continuum model and locus of control to give a comprehensive view of mental health and the perceived control among Naga youth appearing competitive examinations.