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ROLE OF YOGA IN FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIOURS
Dr. Ritu Kishor (Ph.D)
P.G. Department of psychology
Veer Kunwar Singh University
Ara-802301, Bihar (India)
ABSTRACT
The present study deals with family environment as a cause of
problem behaviours among school children as well as their reduction or removal through
some yogic practices undertaken by them for about half an hour daily continuously for three
months. The family environment included socio-economic status of the family, gender of the
child, parental rearing attitudes and parental discipline techniques.Yogic practices included
Anulom-Vilom, Kapalbhati, Bhramari, Tratak and Meditation.
The problem behaviours may be defined as those deviant behaviours which
persist and occur more frequently than what is expected in otherwise normal children. The
examples of such behavioural disorders may be cited as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, lacking
concentration, aggressiveness, withdrawal, shyness, poor peer-relation, delinquency, nail-
biting, day-dreaming, anxiety, thumb sucking etc. these are the behaviours by which a child
tries to release his inner tensions, but such behaviours evoke punishing responses from others
which ultimately accelerate the child’s maladjustment. To a lesser or greater degree every
child may have some problems which can be known by his parents (mother and father).
However when these problems persist very frequently the child is termed as a problem child.
KEYWORDS- Yoga, Environment, Behaviour, Techniques, Reduction
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INTRODUCTION
A problem child is a child with several behaviours which may not be
regarded as normal. He is a frustrated and unhappy child displaying behaviour
disorders like hyperactivity, impulsiveness, lacking concentration, aggressiveness,
withdrawal, shyness, poor peer-relation, delinquency, fidgeting, nail biting, day
dreaming, fear, anxiety, thumb-sucking etc. By such behaviours he tries to release his
inner tensions. But such behaviours evoke punishing responses from others which
ultimately accelerate the child’s maladjustment. Merely labelling a child as
aggressive, lazy or stubborn often obscures rather than clarifies his real difficulties.
When immature behaviour continues or reappears in later years it represents not just
a habit but also a need to retain or recapture attention and affection which the child
has lost or fears to lose.
Children who arouse negative feelings and induce negative behaviours in others are
not typically popular among their classmates and friends. They usually experience
both social and academic failures and rejection from people around them. Most
adults in the child’s environment choose to avoid them if they can. Their behaviour
is so persistently irritating to people in authority that they seem to invite
punishment or rebuke.
Many behaviours handicap children because they violate standards
peculiar to their culture or social institutions in their environment. A given
behaviour may be considered disorder in one situation or context and not in another
simply because of difference in the expectancies of the people around the child. The
majority of behaviour disorders are defined by such socio-cultural expectations.
Family Environment and Behaviour -
Besides parent-child relationship some other factors related to family
environment may also be important in personality formation. However they became
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important only because they influence the early parent-child relation which consists
of parental attitudes, behaviours and discipline techniques. Studies have shown that
family related factors such as socio-economic status of the family, employment of the
mother or dual career family, family size, family type, birth-order, father’s or
mother’s absence, presence of step parents, grandparents or other relations, etc.
considered alone have not been found predictive of mental health or behavioural
pathology (Becker, 1964). Gill and Kang (1995) found that in urban and rural homes
where environment was found to be rich, there was lesser who suffered from
behavioural problems. It was also found that in both the settings the number of
children with behavioural problem was less where family size was found to be large.
Brar and Brar (1989) have explained that happier parents and more positive home
environment had more beneficial effects on growing child. Gill and Singh (1995)
found that urban preschool children had more behavioural problems as compared to
their rural counterparts. Moreover, boys and girls did not differ in their behavioural
problems in urban as well as in rural areas. Nevertheless some researchers maintain
that broken homes, parental separation, divorce, chaotic or hostile family
relationships and low-economic level appear to increase children’s vulnerability to
behaviour disorders.
Parents differ in terms of the characteristics they value most for their children and
this difference s in values contribute to the difference in parenting behaviour.
Specifically the parents who value self-direction would emphasize the supportive
functions of parenting and parents who value conformity would put greater
emphasis on their obligations to impose constraints.
A home environment that is characterized by quarreling,
nagging and disagreement has deleterious effects on both parents and children.
High conflict between parents is associated with negative feelings and behaviour
directly towards their children and in turn with disruptions in social and cognitive
competence and increased antisocial behaviour in children. On the other hand,
whenever a parent expresses warmth and acceptance, the child is likely to wish to
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maintain the approval and be distressed at any prospect of loss of love of a warm
parent. Therefore, the need for harsh forms of discipline to gain compliance is often
unnecessary (Baumrind, 1971). In contrast, the threat of withdrawal of love is
unlikely to be an effective mechanism of socialization when used by hostile parents
who have little demonstrable affection to rescind. What has the child to lose? Even
on those occasions when physical punishment is utilized by warm parents, they find
it more effective in limiting their child’s behaviour than do hostile parents. Again,
this is probably because the child wishes to conform to the standards of warm
parents and because these parents are more likely to provide information about
alternative socially desirable responses available to the child. Secondly,
Parent’s belief about their children’s behaviour will influence their
discipline. Parents who think that the child’s behaviour is largely shaped by
experiences in contrast to those who think that problems in children are due to the
child’s disposition, are more likely to try to change the child’s negative behaviour.
When parents use suggestions and reasoning and when they present possible
alternative courses of action, the child is more likely to comply with the parents’
wishes.
II. Yoga: Meaning and Types
The word yoga has been used in different contexts and meanings. But
its general meaning is to ‘unite’ to ‘conjunct’ to be together with. In this sense yoga
‘denotes’ any method or way which something apart or desired is united with or
achieved. The specific meaning of yoga is universally regarded as a system of self-
culture and realization of individuals union with the supreme self. Aurobindo says
that for the contact of the human and individual consciousness with the divine is the
very essence of yoga. Yoga is the union of that which has become separate in the
play of the universe with its own true self origin and universality.
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Kinds of Yoga
(i) Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga which includes sadhna and meditation allows one to develop a strong will
and controlled mind. It has both theoretical as well as practical sides but more
emphasis is laid on the practical side
(ii) Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga unfolds one’s hidden potentials while preparing his psychological
being to face and confront with life’s day to day activities. Any action that is
performed with meditative awareness becomes Karma Yoga.
(iii) Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga cultures the feelings and brings about emotional integration in
personality. As Karma Yoga purifies the mind, Bhakti Yoga becomes increasingly
possible.
(iv) Jnana Yoga
Jnana Yoga is the yoga of wisdom which trains and trends the reason sharp and
subtle. In contrast to Raja Yoga which is based on a dualistic metaphysics, Jnana
yoga pertains to the Vedanta school of thought.
(v) Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga refers to a complete system of psychological exercises aimed at the
perfect mastery over the body and the mind. Sometimes Hatha Yoga and Raj Yoga
are complementary to each other. Hatha Yoga consists of five groups of practices-(1)
Kriyas, (2) Asanas, (3) Pranayamas, (4) Mudras and (5) Bandhas. Kriyas include six
groups of purification practices viz.,
(vi) Mantra Yoga
Mantra is the essential part of yoga and its special feature is Mantra Sadhna. Mantra
means a force which can free the mind from its normal state of identification and
allows a greater creativity and receproctivity of the mind to manifest when it is
perfected. Mantra is a sound vibration.
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Utility of Yoga
A positive attitude is important for mental and physical wellbeing and this comes from yoga.
Modern medical scientists are ignorant of the fact that our mind works through our body and
our inner mind i.e. ‘atma’ is linked with the body and mind. Yoga alone touches all three at
the same time.Yoga is often used in chronic ailments such as diabetes, asthma, blood
pressure, piles, polio, infertility and heart problems. It is also used in reducing stress,
anxieties, depression and emotional instability. It totally cures insomnia-sleeplessness. It can
overcome the problems of rage and helps cure diseases that affect brain. It improves physical
and mental disciplines and also improves concentration and memory.
METHODOLOGY
The Design of the study
The present study has used both field study and experimental study.
The study has two parts. In the first part ex-post facto strategy has been employed
where the relationship of children’s problem behaviours with socio-economic status,
and parental rearing strategy has been explored. Hence the first part may be termed
as correlational study. But in the second part the subjects of the sample were
randomly assigned to two groups-experimental and control and the effect of some
yogic practices were observed. Hence that may be treated as experimental study.
The tools of gathering data in both parts are objective tests and interview schedule.
In a correlational study we measure two or more variables as they are found to occur
in the natural course of events.
The present study has been designed to examine the following: -
1. The relationship between socio-economic status of family and problem behaviour
of children.
2. The relationship between the sex of the child and his/her problem behaviours.
3. The relationship between parental rearing attitudes and children’s problem
behaviours.
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4. The relationship between parental discipline techniques and children’s problem
behaviours.
5. Examining the effects of some yogic practices on management of children’s
problem behaviours.
Parental strategies are formed as a result of various experiences in one’s preparental
life e.g., experiences received from parents during childhood, socio-economic status,
marital satisfaction, satisfaction with the job and maternal employment, etc. and
parental strategies shape the parental attitudes and behaviour as well as parental
discipline techniques
Following is the schematic representation of the design of the study.
Part-I: Schematic Representation of the design of experimental study about the
effects of yoga on problem behaviour of children.
Groups Pre-Phase
Measurement
Three Months
Intervention
period
Post-Phase
Measurement
Experimental
Group
(N = 120)
Measurement of
problem
behaviours as rated
by parents
Continuous
yogic practice for
25 minutes per
day Remeasurement of
problem behaviours
as rated by parents
(i) Anulom-
Vilom
(ii) Kapalbhati
(iii) Bhramani
(iv) Tratak
(v) Dhyan
Control
Group
(N=120)
Measurement of
problem
behaviours as rated
by parents
Normal activity
(No yogic
practice)
Remeasurement of
problem behaviours
as rated by parents
I. Constitution of Sample
It was planned to select 400 children of 5th, 6th and 7th grade from 10 English- medium
schools of Patna-Missionary schools were avoided because of basic difference in
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school cultures. Thus a total of 400 school children were selected in the initial
sample. However in the present research the purpose was to see the effects of socio-
economic status and parental attitudes and discipline techniques. Therefore it was
thought to sort out equal number of subjects in upper, middle and lower socio-
economic classes.
Table- 1.
Composition of the sample of children (N = 240)
Upper SES (n = 80) Middle SES (n = 80) Lower SES (n = 80)
Male
children
(n = 45)
Female
children
(n = 35)
Male
children
(n = 50)
Female
children
(n = 30)
Male
children
(n = 60)
Female
children
(n = 20)
Table -2
Age wise distribution of parents of children
Parents Age in years
Total 30-34 35-39 40-45
Mother 111 (46.2%) 100 (41.67%) 29 (12.05%) 240
Father 62 (25.83%) 130 (54.17%) 48 (20%) 240
According to Table 2 it is obvious that 46.25% of mothers came from
30-34 years, 41.67% came from 35-39 years, while only 12% came from the age group
of 40-45 year.
PROCEDURE
The study was done in two phases. In the first phase relation of
problem behaviours of the children with socio-economic status and parental
strategies viz., parental rearing behaviour and parental discipline techniques were
determined. In the second phase it was examined as to how the practice of some
yogic practice can reduce the problem behaviours of children.
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HYPOTHESES
In order to realize the objectives some hypothesis were formulated for
verification which are mentioned below:
1. Socio-economic status (SES) will be negatively associated with problem
behaviours of the children. That is to say lower SES children would show the
highest level of problem behaviours and upper SES children would display the
lowest level of problem behaviours, the middle SES showing intermediate level of
problem behaviour.
2. Boys will show more problem behaviours than girls and the difference between
them will be significant.
3. Perceived permissive, loving and protecting rearing attitudes of parents will be
negatively related with problem behaviours of children which mean that
restrictive, rejecting and neglecting behaviours will be positively related, with
problem behaviours.
4. Power-assertive discipline techniques will be positively related with problem
behaviours of children, while love-withdrawal and inductive techniques of
discipline will be negatively related with problem behaviours of children.
5. Yogic practices undertaken during three months intervention period will
significantly reduce the problem behaviours among children as rated by their
parents, while spending, three months intervention period in normal.
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table -.3
Correlation coefficients between rearing-loving childrearing attitudes of parents
and children’s problem behaviours.
Rearing
Behaviour Parent
Children’s problem behaviours
Hyperactive Health
Problem Aggressiveness Delinquency
Mixed
Problem OVERALL
Loving
Behaviour
Mother
(N=240) - 0.262** - 0.182** -0.165** -0.303** -0.213** -0.231**
Father
(N=240) - 0.149* - 0.201** -0.325*** 0.256** -0.187** -0.285**
* p<0.05, ** p<0.01
Table 3 makes obvious that loving behaviour of both parents are
negatively related with all kinds of problem behaviour of children as well as over-all
problem behaviours. The loving behaviour of mother is negatively related with
child’s problem behaviours like hyperactivity (r=0.262, p<0.01), health problems (r=-
0.182, p<0.01), aggressiveness (r=-0.165, p<0.01), delinquent behaviour (r=-0.303,
p<0.01) and mixed problems (r=-0.213, p<0.01) like anxiety, day dreaming, biting
nails, clumsiness, jealously and lacking guilt, etc. The loving behaviour of father too
is negatively and significantly related with child’s hyperactivity (r=-0.149, p<0.05),
health problems (r=-0.201, p<0.01), aggressiveness (r=-0.325, p<0.01), delinquent
behaviour (r=-0.256, p<0.01) and mixed problem behaviours (r=-0.187, p<0.01) as
mentioned above. Further we find that the overall problem behaviours of children
are also related with loving behaviours of both mother (r=-0.231, p<0.01) and father
(r=-0.285, p<0.01). In other way it indicates that or rejecting behaviours would give
rise to problem behaviours of children in children.
(ii) Love-Withdrawal and Child’s behaviour Problems
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Love-withdrawal category refers to a discipline technique whereby a
parent more or less openly withdraws love by ignoring the child, turning his/her
back on the child, refusing to speak to him, explicitly stating that he/she dislikes the
child or isolating him. It was hypothesized that perceived love-withdrawal would be
positively related with problem behaviours among children.
Table- 4
Correlation coefficients between children’s problem behaviours and parent’s love-
withdrawal discipline technique
Discipline
Technique Parent
Children’s problem behaviours
Hyperactive Health
Problem Aggressiveness Delinquency
Mixed
Problem OVERALL
Love
withdrawal
Mother
(N=240) 0.081 0.061 0.062 - 0.056 0.032 0.061
Father
(N=240) 0.051 0.031 0.033 0.023 0.031 0.043
Effects of yoga on Reduction of Problem Behaviours of Children:
To see the effects of five yogic practices of problem behaviours of
children the data were analyzed at two levels-intergroup comparison and intra-
group comparisons of experimental and control groups. It may be recalled that the
total sample of 5th to 7th grade school children were divided into two groups-
experimental (which took up yogic practice for three-months intervention period)
and control group (which spent up the three months intervention period in their
normal activities). The subjects had been assigned to two groups in random order.
The intergroup comparison was made at two stages-initial phase (i.e. before
intervention period of 3 months) and final phase (after completion of intervention
program). During the intervention period the experimental group practiced yoga,
while control group did not practice yoga rather spent the time in normal activities.
Intra-group comparison was made to see whether the practice of yoga by the
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experimental group during intervention period has brought any reduction in the
problem behaviours of children and also whether there was any change in the
subjects of control group regarding their problem behaviours after spending the
intervention period in normal activities as rated by the parents of children. To
examine this mean rating scores on types of problems as well as over-all rating of
problems along with SDs were calculated and the significance of differences between
the experimental and control groups were determined by t-test. In case of inter-
group comparison two-tailed t-test was applied, whereas in case of intra-group
comparison one tailed t-test was applied.
Therefore for the two groups-experimental group (yoga group) and
control group (normal activity group) the means and SDs of parent’s rating on all
types of problems and over-all rating of problems were calculated and their
significance of difference was determined by two-tailed t-test. The statistics for the
groups appear in this.
Table -6
Table -Comparison of experimental and control groups with regard to ratings of
problem behaviours by mother and father at pre-phase session
Problem
behaviour
Experimental
Group
(N=20)
Control
Group
(N=85) t-ratio
Significance
level
Mean SD Mean SD
Mother’s Rating
1. Hyperactivity 12.00 3.21 11.82 3.41 0.41 NS
2. Health problems 10.74 4.01 11.10 3.51 0.75 NS
3. Aggressiveness 11.50 3.50 11.60 3.19 0.23 NS
4. Delinquency 9.96 3.78 10.30 3.49 0.72 NS
5. Mixed problems 11.68 3.65 11.60 4.31 0.15 NS
OVER-ALL 55.88 18.15 56.42 17.91 0.24 NS
Father’s Rating
1. Hyperactivity 11.06 3.11 10.98 3.71 0.18 NS
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2. Health problems 11.20 3.65 10.84 3.81 0.75 NS
3. Aggressiveness 11.95 3.35 11.65 3.65 0.67 NS
4. Delinquency 10.50 3.18 10.46 3.10 0.20 NS
5. Mixed problems 12.05 4.02 11.83 3.75 0.44 NS
OVER-ALL 56.76 17.31 55.76 18.02 0.44 NS
Thus it may be concluded from the above discussion that regular yogic
practice by 5th to 7th grade school children even for three months can lead to
significant reductions in problem behaviours as rated either by mother or father,
while normal activities of three months do not change the problem behaviours of
children rather in exceptional cases it may lead to incline rather than decline.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
The present study deals with family environment as a cause of
problem behaviours among school children as well as their reduction or removal
through some yogic practices undertaken by them for about half an hour daily
continuously for three months. The family environment included socio-economic
status of the family, gender of the child, parental rearing attitudes and parental
discipline techniques. Yogic practices included Anulom-Vilom, Kapalbhati,
Bhramari, Tratak and Meditation.
Yogic practice done continuously for three months even for half an hour was found
to reduce the problem behaviours among children. At post-phase of testing children
of experimental group who took up yogic practice became significantly different
from the children of control group who spent the intervention period of three
months in normal activities. Intra group comparisons of experimental and control
group between pro-phase and post-phase revealed that yoga practice reduced the
problem behaviours of children, while their normal activity did not bring any
change in the problem behaviours of children.
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In conclusion it can be safely inferred from the research that
the real cause of the growth of problem behaviours lie in family environment. There
may be several psychological techniques such as deconditioning and counseling for
reducing problem behaviours of children. But yoga seems to be a very effective
technique for blocking the growth and reducing and removing the problem
behaviours among children. Thus the research performed has the implications that
researchers in psychology should cover up investigation of antecedents other than
family environment and also compare the effectiveness of yogic practice with other
psychological techniques so that a comprehensive picture may emerge in this field.
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