26 Emotional and Social Crises

G. Baradha

1 Introduction

India is a rapidly developing country, the unparalleled modernization, mobilization in recent decades, the fast pace and all-embracing socio-political and economic changes, the age of electronic media, including computers, facebook and twitter in India in recent years are having a significant impact on individuals and families. Today’s Indian families are encountering complex and disturbing problems; moreover, family members are not well-prepared or equipped to face the competitive and challenging world of today. Either they are lacking correct information or receiving misinformation from dubious sources that are doing more harm than good. The ambiguous values children and adolescents observe today in India coupled with the absence or positive role models and the increasing gaps between aspirations and possible achievement, have led to a greater sense of alienation and identity diffusion, parents too appear ill prepared to cope with rapid social changes, having grown up in hierarchically structured and inter-linked social groups and collectives that included the extended family and kinship network as well as caste groups that provided stability and solidarity. The key concern today is the stress created by the changing compositions, values, competencies and coping styles between parents and children. How can the problems be categorized? Crises arise centre around the families/individuals are known as family crises, social crises, emotional crises. Now let us learn about what are social and emotional crises, causes and behavioral modifications required.

Objectives

The content of this module, enables the learner to

Understand the consequences of various social and emotional crises,
Be aware of the causes so as to avoid and behavior modification so as to try to adopt in day to day life

2 Emotional crises

In daytoday happening, various unhappy incidences occur for individuals and family member; in such situations people become upset and ends up in emotional crises. To enlist the emotional crises:

Prevalence of dreadful diseases
Lack of employment and vocational opportunities
Under employment
Role conflicts
Communication disaster
Poor nutrition and health care
Minimal enforcement of child abuse/ child labour / child marriage
Value erosion
Unwed parenting
Marital strain and dissolution
Parent child conflict / step parenting
Family violence / Domestic violence
Substance abuse
Juvenile delinquency
School dropout/wastage and stagnation
Run away situation
Women employment
Elder abuse
Alcoholism
Dowry System
Childlessness
Homosexual families

i.Prevalence of dreadful diseases

Diseases whether acute, chronic, dreadful kind always arouse emotional upset and ends up in emotional crises. These crises in turn necessitating adaptation by members and behavioral modifications. If satisfactory adjustments are not made various steps would be taken such as separation of the couple, divorce, widow remarriage, step parenting or suicide, which would end up in broken families.

ii.Lack of employment and vocational opportunities

Employment or any other means of earning sources such as vocational area, is an important aspect in one’s life, because this enables to earn money, which in turn is necessary for the fulfillment of the basic needs. If a person is unemployed or not involved in any vocation particularly who do not have financial support or properties, the effect would be more on the developmental part of the individuals.

iii Under employment

Under employment is an another situation has similar effect on development issues of human beings like unemployment and vocational opportunities. In such cases people have to supplement, their income through some other sources, to come away from the emotional crises.

iv.Role conflicts

In Indian families, father, mother, children, grand children have different roles. Due to some crises if one fails in performing their role, this may affect the behaviour or development of the individual which leads to role conflicts.

v.Communication disaster

Communication is very important in managing both natural and human made disasters. Damage to communications, infrastructure difficulties in carrying out response and recovery efforts during previous disaster. Some disasters are in-evitable but the sufferings can be minimized by proper information, management and effective early warning systems. In order to minimize loss and damage, one should facilitate appropriate communication, which will relieve an individual or family from emotional crises. For example any unusual behaviour found in an adolescent girl or boy to be dispensed by the couple to sort out the problem and help the adolescent to come out of it.

vi.Poor nutrition and health care

Good nutrition is one of the basic needs; if any lacunae is in the intake of nutritious food, care is taken at central, state, district and Panchayat levels by the Ministry of Health and Nutrition. If the family members consume poor nutrition or under nutrition that will affect the health status of anyone or more family members thus morbidity and mortality ratio would be high and hence emotional status of the people, would be affected.

vii.Minimal enforcement of child abuse /child labour / child marriage

Ill-treatment of children, poor feeding, lack of health care, authoritative attitude of parents, denial of child rights, child abuse, sex abuse demanding the child to do household work and step child abuse.

India is a home to 13 million child labourers in order to supplement the family income or due to the death of the father or due to the cruel attitude of the step mother, the child may go for work before the age of 18. Child labour deprives children of their childhood and is harmful to their physical and mental development.

The ideal age for marriage for female is 18 and for male 21, if the marriage occurs prior to this age is known as child marriage.

For all these three aspects, Government has enforced laws, but it is of minimal enforcement, hence the practice is continuing in an alarming way.

v Laws related to child abuse

Protection of children from sexual Offences Act 2012 to protect the child from sexual abuse.
The child protection Act 1999 for Child Safety Services.
Laws related to child labour.
Child Labour Act (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012.
Laws related to child marriage.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
Child Marriage Act India.
The Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929.
Laws related to street children.
Protection and promotion of the rights of children.

viii. Value erosion

Values are the guiding principles of life which are conducive to all round development. Values give meaning and occupying a central place in an individual’s life. Values reflect behavior relationships, give direction and firmness to life and bring joy, satisfaction and peace in life. The world is passing through great crises in almost all spheres of life. Political and economic corruption, anti-social and anti-national activities are on the rise all over the country. Repaid scientific growth and technological advancement resulting in industrialization have threatened our age old moral standards.

Due to value erosion lot of changes in an individual’s attitude take place and behaviour reflects in family relationship to mention few drug addition, anti-social behaviour, alcoholism, sexual abuse, spouse abuse, separation/divorce, institutionalization, child abuse and elder abuse and so on. All these conditions leads to emotional crises. The need of the day to impart value to inculcate sense of humanism, a deep concern for the well-being of others and nation to develop the social, moral, aesthetic and spiritual sides of a person.

ix. Unwed Parenting

Due to value erosion and modernization unwed parenting is increasing, which lower down the status of family and its members, emotional turmoil is the ultimate result.

x. Marital strain and dissolution

After marriage in order to maintain family relationship couple have certain roles to perform for themselves, for spouse relationship, for in law relationship in families of both the spouse and for the society. If failed in performing their roles, relationship would be disrupted and conflicts arise which is known as marital strain and dissolution of the marriage bond takes place, which leaves heavy emotional crises.

xi.Parent – child conflicts / step parenting

In twenty first century, with the increasing democratic and permissive attitude of parenting styles, children have lot of freedom to choose, do and follow as wish which at times tap the parents to think about value maintenance. Generation gap is an another reason for parent child conflicts; which is revealed in child’s value erosion, self – decision, individual property accumulation, detachment from parents and demand for parental property. All these events break the emotional stability and in the long run leads to crises.

xii.Family violence / Domestic violence

Break up of joint family system increasing parent child conflicts, increased women education, woman employment, absence of elder role model and guidance for right direction, family violence is increasing at high rate. To spell out spouse abuse, alcoholism, elder abuse, separation relationship, demand for dowry and child labour, which keep the family members under stress and strain with emotional crisis.

xiii.Spouse abuse

Couple with incompatibility in thoughts and behavour can not adjust with each other for a longer period. In addition to compatibility, disparity in education, status of work, childlessness, financial level and properties of the parents are the reasons for spouse abuse. If the condition prolongs, it used to end up in separation/divorce.

xiv.Juvenile delinquency

A major crime committed by a minor (below 18 years) is known as juvenile delinquency. A disturbed child due to broken families, unwanted child, authoritarian attitude of the parents, step child/step parents, poverty, bad companionship, street children, abused child, drug addicts do such crimes. They would be kept in foster homes for rehabilition education and vocational education. This crisis makes everyone in the family emotionally disturbed.

xv.School drop out / wastage and stagnation

Children who do not have interest in education, unfulfilment of the needs in the family, lack of parental care in children’s education, transportation problem, household work, neglected child do not concentrate or at last discontinue from the school, which is known as school drop out. Such children may involve in antisocial activities or cannot go for good career, the family will be looked down by the society, hence parents may be emotionally disturbed.

xvi. Run away situation

Parents and family members would be mentally and emotionally affected if the child (either sex) runs away from home or an adolescent/ young adult runs away for marriage without the knowledge of the parents or an adult (married) runs away due to extramarital life.

xvii. Women employment

Governments’ long term goal for development is women employment. Any good thing sometimes may have a loophole. The dual role of women (career and household) does not permit one to give more time to child and household chore, hence dissatisfaction occur for not fulfilling the needs of everyone, or the role to be played. In the long run it may end up as a major problem such as children cared or guided sufficiently hence the child become a failure, unable to take care of the elders and so on.

xviii. Elder abuse

Due to the breakup of the joint families, nuclear or extended families are existing. In such families elders the most affected population. Elders are used to maintain household works, look after the children have to go and pay bills, and to buy rations like that In some instances elders are sent to homes for the aged. This scenario is very pathetic and elders would be emotionally disturbed

xix. Alcoholis

Due to the habit of alcoholism, either by son or father or grandfather the family members would be affected emotionally that too if the income of the family is very poor; in such cases if the earner is a drunkard the needs of the family members(such as food, clothing, shelter and education) may not be fulfilled. The deprived state affect the physical, social and emotional development of the children/ family members and family status would be looked down.

xx. Dowry system

In spite of Governments’ efforts to curb out the dowry system through the enforcement of laws and imparting awareness, dowry giving and taking is happening silently. If the process is not satisfied for the in-laws, then comes the violence. Unimaginable form of violence taken place, leave way for broken marriages, separation and death. This social evil causes emotional disturbance to the high degree.

xxi. Childlessness

Childlessness may be due to husband or wife, but the stigma goes to wife. In some cases the mother of the boy may go for second marriage even before getting the legal separation (divorce), this is an unhappy situation for the girl’s family.

xxii. Homo – sexual families

The homo-sexual relationship (lesbians) lowers the status of the family, hence, the marriage of the younger ones may be affected. Family members cannot mingle in the society freely.

3 Social crises, causes and behavior modifications

*List of Social Crises

Social change
Lack of social resources and supports
Overcrowding and housing problems
Broken families
Migration of families and gradual weakening of age-old tradition
Natural disasters
Prevalence of poverty
Social violence and terrorism
Political instability
Early marriage and early parenting
Status confusion
Value erosion
Increased longevity

i. Social change

Westernization, industrialization and modernization are the basic causes for social changes. Developmental plans formulated by the government are the secondary cause. Due to these reasons, people started moving from tribal rural to urban areas for dwelling, awareness on women education and women employment to supplement family income, adoption of family planning, reduction of school drop outs, improved transportation, due to science and technology, increased usage of labor saving devices and enhanced education for children, are known as social changes. Social change leads to changes in values, roles, attitudes, behavior and expectations in day to day life. These cannot be avoided. But family members and teachers have to adopt certain coping mechanisms in behavior to minimize the effect of crises.

ii. Lack of social resourse and supports

Educational institutions, religious centers, library, community centers, recreational clubs, Mahila mandalas and welfare organizations like Self Help Groups (SHGs) are the various social resources which support the family system for its effective functioning. Due to hurdles, there may be lack of social resources which cannot support the family system. For example no good schools in the nearby place, diminishing spiritual practices, non-availability of libraries and welfare institutions.

iii. Overcrowding and housing problems

The great impact of industrialization is the mobility of rural population to urban/sub-urban areas which results in overcrowding, ultimately ends up in housing problems. This social crises can be tackled by an effective housing plan and urban development.

iv. Broken families

Enhanced women education and women employment, nuclear family system, and small family norm lead the life style with lot of freedom. Couple are very independent; Permissive attitude of parenting process enable the children to be on their own; hence adjustment problems occur very often, ultimately ends up as broken families. The reunion may happen in some families and others may end up in permanent separation.

v. Migration of families and gradual weakening of age old tradition

For the purpose of education, employment and due to marriage people move from place to place, specially rural or tribal to urban or sub urban areas. Families and individuals start adopting the new culture and practices hence the age old traditions in all walks of life are slowly disappearing.

vi. Natural disasters

Tropical cyclones, earthquakes, floods, landslides, avalanches, blizzards, heat waves, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, storms (non-cyclones), wild fine, bushfires, wars, accidents, battles, the violent events, families and nuclear disasters are some of the natural disasters due to which social crises occur in families and for individuals which ends up in bereavement, divorce, homelessness; landlessness, orphans, robbery, suicides, child labor, extra marital relationship, unwed mothers, juvenile delinquents sex trading, health problems and also conflicts.

vii. Prevalence of poverty

Poverty is the condition which disturbs the family relationship, conflict arises due to the unfulfilment of the needs, such as food, education, housing, transportation facilities and so on. Family may suffer with heavy debts.

viii. Domestic violence and terrorism

A serious and far-reaching social problem, which is related with gender, male perpetrators, women beaten by male irrespective of language, religion, custom, lead to psychological abuse ultimately ends up in internal conflicts. And also domestic abuse, sexual abuse and spouse abuse are frequently ignored form of terrorism. These kind of terrorism to be tackled with family life education and counselling in order to prevent family separation.

ix. Political instability

There are various incidences of political instability such as withdrawing from one party and joining in an another party, dismissal of a leader or member from a party causes social crises, social violence, riots, death, suicides and murder.

x. Early marriage and early parenting

Ideal age for marriage for a girl is 18 and for a boy 21. In some communities and in some instances marriage takes place earlier than the ideal age for marriage which is legally unacceptable. Such marriages are ultimately ends up in early parenting also for which the woman is not prepared biologically, mentally and sometimes financially also because of early marriage the couple may or may not settle in career, financial problems may be there, child bearing and rearing may not be known to them and finally they have to depend on parents or in-laws which is a very big social crisis.

xi. Status confusion

Status confusion may occur due to disparities in educational level, income level, properties, housing status, support of in laws and parents, availability of parental properties, employment position, talents, friends etc.,

xii. Value erosion

Value is a norm that is followed or insisted to follow in day to day behaviour which contributes to the character. Due to social change in the family and society, deterioration in value adoption is inevitable.

xiii. Increased longevity

After independence with the advent of the Five Year Plans efforts of Ministry of Health, public health is improved, people become aware of the diseases, preventive methods, eradication procedure and importance of health and hygiene. Nutrition department of the ministry played its role to create awareness on good nutrition, necessity of taking balance diet with all nutrients in order to live without being affected by diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and few other common diseases. Impact of these efforts is the increased longevity; it is been raised from 67 years to 76 years. This is a happy fact for human population and at the same time leads to aged people left without family support working for daily livelihood, increase of number of old age homes/elderly care center and bereavement. Elder abuse is common everywhere.

4 Conclusion

Emotional and social crises are not only occurring for individuals in families, but also in educational institutions, religious places, work area and recreational centers. After being affected, causes to be traced out measures to be taken to come out of the crises through behaviour modification. In order to tackle the problems not only the affected individual but also the family members and others have to do behaviour modification and adaptation.

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www.edutopia.org / social-emotional-learning parent resources Feb 22, 2001