Comparing strengths, difficulties, and loneliness between socioeconomically deprived and advantaged children

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: The present study is an attempt to study strengths-difficulties, and experiences of loneliness in below poverty line (BPL) and above poverty line (APL) children and compared the same between two groups. Materials and Methods: The total sample consisted of 120 participants (age range 10–13 years), 60 BPL and 60 APL children. Each group further consisted of 25 females and 35 males. The samples were drawn using convenience sampling method. Strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) and loneliness and social dissatisfaction scale were the tools used. Results: In BPL children, peer problems were found to be the highest (i.e. 25% in abnormal and 55% in borderline range). Significant difference was found between BPL and APL children on emotional symptoms (P = 0.003), peer problems (P = 0.02), and prosocial behavior (P = 0.03), on SDQ, and experiences of loneliness (P = 0.04) on loneliness and social dissatisfaction questionnaire. The significant negative correlation was found between loneliness score and emotional symptoms score (P = 0.03), loneliness score and hyperactivity score (P = 0.002), and between loneliness score and peer problems score (P = 0.001). The significant positive correlation was found between experiences of loneliness score and prosocial behavior score (P = 0.03). Conclusions: In BPL children, peer problems were found to be the highest. BPL children have more emotional symptoms, peer problems, and feeling more lonely compared to APL children. APL children have low prosocial behavior. Children with more emotional symptoms, peer problems, and hyperactivity are feeling lonely. Children with low prosocial behavior are feeling lonely.