Date of Publication

6-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology

Subject Categories

Educational Psychology | Student Counseling and Personnel Services

College

Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education

Department/Unit

Counseling and Educational Psychology

Thesis Advisor

Leo J. Capeding

Defense Panel Chair

Nino Jose C. Mateo

Defense Panel Member

Estesa Xaris Legaspi
Ma. Cristina Saldivar
Washington C. Garcia
John Addy S. Garcia

Abstract/Summary

This study uncovers the ways low-caste adolescents experience happiness, the meaning they ascribe to their happiness, factors that enhance their happiness, and the way they maintain their happiness. Discriminated from birth, the low-caste adolescents experience an array of physical, psychological, intellectual, and social difficulties; however, the pursuit of basic psychological needs and social support functions as protective factors in maintaining their happiness. A qualitative method employing the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used on a purposive sample of 20 low-caste school-going adolescents from rural / semi-urban schools for the semi-structured interviews and the subsequent analysis. Results show that the Indian low-caste adolescents experience and continue to maintain happiness when they pursue a satisfactory level of relatedness, autonomy, competence, and social support. Also, their meaning of happiness is apparently ascribed to a deep sense of belongingness, acceptance of the reality of life, meeting the values of hard work, success, respect, trust, human dignity, equality, and fulfilling their relational obligations while enjoying a purposeful life by striving to achieve their goals through relentless pursuit. Implications are that these low-caste adolescents ought to be facilitated to develop close interpersonal relationships, including inter-caste relationships, responsible autonomy, competence, and social support.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Physical Description

295 leaves

Keywords

Happiness; Caste-based discrimination

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Embargo Period

8-20-2022

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