Character strengths, as conceptualised by the Values-In-Action (VIA) strengths classification system, are core characteristics of individuals that allow people to be virtuous (Seligman 2002). They are moral, intrinsically valuable, and ubiquitous traits that can be developed and enhanced. Social psychologists and sociologists consider achievements in college or university level, because of recognition and proper utilisation of the character strengths possessed by the individual students. The current study was conducted amongst 240 undergraduate college students of arts stream (60 males and 60 females) and science stream (60 males and 60 females) falling within the age group of 18-21 years, with the aim of finding out if the character strengths of the male and female undergraduate students are associated with their college academic achievements. It was found that significant correlation existed between appreciation of beauty and excellence, fairness, forgiveness, honesty, humour, kindness, love of learning and humility with the academic achievement of the students.

Stigma associated with mental illness is well recognized across the world. This study is carried out to assess the attitudes and beliefs toward mental illness in Central Assam. The sample was collected from two districts of Central Assam viz. Morigaon and Sonitpur districts. The size of the study sample was n = 480; equally distributed among males and females between the age groups 21 years to 40 years and 41 years to 60 years, according to rural and urban settings. A psychosis vignette was used for assessing attitudes and beliefs on three domains-acceptance, knowledge & exposure, and stigma & discrimination. The results show that there is a difference in attitudes and beliefs of public on acceptance based on their setting, gender and age; knowledge & exposure according to their age but there is no difference in terms of setting and gender; difference exists in stigma and discrimination by setting and age but no difference has been found in terms of gender. The study, thus, shows that there is difference in attitudes and beliefs toward mental illness by setting, gender and age.

The present study aims to investigate emotional intelligence and adolescent psychopathology in the senior school students of Assam and to explore if any relationship exists between the variables emotional intelligence and adolescent psychopathology. The total sample size comprised of 1900 male and female students taken from curricula following only national boards i.e. CBSE and ICSE of selected residential and day schools of three zones of Assam (i.e. Upper Assam, Central Assam and lower Assam). The sample size was kept free and comprised of all the students from class 9-10 (Group 1) and 11-12 (Group 2) of the selected schools. Out of the total sample of 1900 students, N=926 for residential schools of Assam and for day schools of Assam N=974. Emotional Intelligence (EI) was measured by Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and adolescent psychopathology was measured by Adolescent Psychopathology Scale-Short Form (APS-SF). Results revealed that residential school students showed higher and better EI levels than the students of day schools. Female students as a whole showed higher and better EI levels than male students as a whole. Group 2 (class 11-12) students showed higher and better EI levels than Group 1 (class 9-10) students of residential and day schools. Males as a whole showed greater psychopathologies than females as a whole. All groups of male students show elevated scores on eating disorder. Residential school males, although having higher and better EI levels showed similar levels of psychopathologies as the day school males. Although EI is progressing with age, psychopathological profile is more or less the same for both groups of males. Female groups are also progressing with age in EI, but their psychopathological profile shows absence of psychopathology.

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<p>Adjustment of adolescents in relation to their gender and religion was investigated. Gender (Male and Female) and religion (Hindu and Muslim) were treated as independent variables whereas adjustment was treated as a dependent variable. The sample comprised of 282 high school students (from class IX and X) of state Government schools of Guwahati city that belonged to lower middle-income group. The multi-stage sampling method was used for selecting the sample. Upadhyay-Saxena Socio-Economic Status (USSES) Scale, Adjustment Inventory for School Students (AISS) and Personal Information Data sheet were administered to all the participants. Mean, Standard Deviation and ANOVA were calculated to analyze the responses. The findings of the study revealed that females are better adjusted in the areas of emotional adjustment, educational adjustment and also in terms of total adjustment in comparison to males, which implies gender has a significant effect in the area of emotional adjustment, educational adjustment and also in the total adjustment of the adolescents. But no significant difference was found in the area of social adjustment between male and female adolescents. Further, it was found that religion has no significant effect on the adjustment among adolescents, which means that there is no significant difference in the adjustment of Hindu and Muslim adolescents of Guwahati city. </p>