Paper Details

The eye is a crucial sensory organ, providing a significant portion of the information a person receives from their surroundings. Consequently, the absence of sight can create a sense of detachment from the physical world. This sensory, social, and physical isolation often leads to anxiety and adjustment difficulties, impacting the personality and well-being of individuals with visual impairments. Visually impaired children are an integral part of our society, yet they are often neglected and face various challenges in their daily lives. One of the primary challenges is societal ignorance, as visually impaired individuals are frequently treated as handicapped, even by their own families in some cases. In the academic sphere, these students encounter numerous difficulties, such as a lack of appropriate teaching materials, limited availability of Braille-printed books in public libraries, and the rapid pace of teachers' speech during lectures. These challenges significantly affect their psychological well-being, influencing mental health and self-concept. Therefore, the present study, titled "Mental Health of Visually Impaired Students in Relation to Their Self-Concept", aims to explore the relationship between mental health and self-concept among visually impaired students. A correlational research method was employed for this study. Data collection involved the use of two standardized tools: the Mental Health Inventory developed by Jagdish & Srivastav (1983) and the Self-Concept Inventory developed by Rajkumar Saraswat (1992). These tools were administered to a sample of 62 visually impaired students from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. The findings of the study revealed a positive relationship between mental health and self-concept in visually impaired students. The results underscore the importance of fostering a supportive environment to enhance both mental well-being and self-concept in this population.

Mental health, Self-concept, Visually Impaired Students, Self-esteem