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Journal of Psychiatry
Sharma et al., J Psychiatry 2015, 18:1
ISSN: 2378-5756
DOI: 10.4172/2378-5756.1000207
Open Access
Research Article
To Study Psychiatric Morbidity in Students Preparing for Civil Services
Examination
1* 1 2
Arvind Sharma , Mamta Singla and Balwant S Sidhu
1
Department of psychiatry, Christian medical college and hospital, Ludhiana, India
2
Department of psychiatry, government medical college, Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, India
*
Corresponding author: Arvind Sharma, Professor, department of psychiatry, CMC& Hospital, Ludhiana, India, Tel: 919872849731; E-mail: arvindsharma7557@gmail.com
Received Date: July 02, 2014, Accepted Date: November 17, 2014, Published Date: November 25, 2014
Copyright: © 2015, Arvind Sharma et al., This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Background: Present educational system is most competitive and lesser opportunities in educational institutes
and services later on. High expectations of family and future insecurities among students force them to take
pressure of competitive exams beyond their compromised abilities by various factors. It leads to psychiatric
problems among students at very young age.
Aim: To study psychiatric morbidity in students preparing for civil services examination.
Material and method: two study groups of students for preliminary and mains examinations of civil services were
made and later divided into repeaters and fresher students in each. Students were subjected to structured and
standardized PGI-HQ 1 and SCL-80 scales to assess psychiatric morbidity. Data was collected and later subjected
to analysis using chi square and p value.
Results: Clinical diagnosis on ICD-10 revealed that significantly more (p<0.05) depression (F32) among
preliminary students in 28% of cases than only 16% of mains student. On SCL-80 scale, significantly higher (p<0.05)
number of students in preliminary group had higher symptoms on anxiety subscale (p<0.01), on interpersonal
sensitivity and anger hostility and significant number (p<0.05) of preliminary students in 26.67% and 36% had
symptoms, though mild as compared to 13.34% and 14.67% of students from mains group. Repeaters from
preliminary group in significant number (p<0.05) had higher severity of symptoms than fresher.
Conclusion: Civil services exam is one of the toughest exams to appear for which subject students to rigorous
physical, psychological and financial burden putting them to high risk for various psychiatric problems. Timely
intervention at various levels of stress can make them perform better and keep them healthy psychologically.
Keywords: SCL-80(symptom check list); ICD-10(international religious experiences, travel and recreation, socio culture experiences
classification and statistical manual of disease); Psychiatric Morbidity; affect students performance [3].
Civil Services Exams
Boys show better performance than girls with regards to academic
performance which may be interpreted in terms of attitude and
Introduction
motivation involved [4]. Among groups who face psychological stress,
students are the most common group to face psychological stress. This
Students form a vital part of society and nation. The nation holds
is because of the increasing competition, increased demands of family,
many expectations from students for many progress works which can
society and moreover to be career conscious. Students who are
be contributed only if they have sound mental health and are free from
preparing for various competitive exams are to face many
unnecessary tensions. Psychiatric illness appears in student
psychological stresses that can have positive as well as negative out-
community due to discrepancy between student expectations and
comes. Relatively good health, optimistic approach and support of
actual realization. The tensions may be in terms of personal, economic
family have positive outcome [5]. Self concept is central to good
or social maladjustment [1]. Tremendous impact of socio-economic
psychological adjustment, personal happiness and effective
status was found on academic achievements of students and it was
functioning in children and adolescents. Self concept or self esteem
found that students of high Socio Economic Status families have better
refers to individuals, judgment about themselves. Parent’s attitude that
avenues for academic growth both at home and at school. Scholistic
indicates favorable evaluation of the child is positively related to
performances are better when good academic climate, teaching and
child’s self esteem. Democratic paternal attitude or child rearing and
learning strategies are available [2]. According to Mishra and
training where genuine freedom is allowed to children to express
Tripathi’s deprivation study, housing condition, home environment
thoughts, feelings, desires and needs result in greater self confidence.
economic sufficiency, food, clothing, education experience, children
In the authoritarian home, the adolescent becomes submissive and is
experience - rearing experiences, parental characteristic, interaction
afraid to take source initiative. He/she obeys the parental dictates oven
with parents, motivational experiences, motivation experiences,
when they are in conflict with the peer standards thereby discouraging
J Psychiatry
Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Psychiatry-14-85
Journal of Psychiatry, an open access
Citation: Sharma A, Singla M, Sidhu BS (2015) To Study Psychiatric Morbidity in Students Preparing For Civil Services Examination. J
Psychiatry 18: 207. doi:10.4172/2378-5756.1000207
Page 2 of 9
self worth [6]. In present scenario of options for subject students can
Materials and Methods
go to Arts, Science group, Commerce etc. and still they are not
satisfied with their subjects or are seeing jobless future or for the wish
Study group
of parents they are going for something different to make a good
career. Various such options include preparing, for abroad, going for It consisted of two study groups. Group I were students preparing
civil service exam, going for PCS (Punjab civil services) exam, IFS for preliminary examination and group II were preparing for mains
(Indian foreign services) etc. Sometimes students are attracted by the examination of civil services. They were contacted at their place of
glory of this status of exam but when they are actually into it, they are study i.e. different private colleges of Patiala and New Delhi. They
not able to cope up with the stress of going to achieve it and they are were screened till 150 students were finally enrolled for study (75 in
prone to develop mental-bodily symptom. Thus present study is an each group). Both groups were further subdivided into fresher and
attempt to find psychiatric morbidity among students who are due to repeater groups i.e. appearing for first time and more than one time
appear in civil services examination. respectively (Table 1).
Group A Group B Level of significance
F R Total %age F R Total %age
Male 26 10 36 48.00 21 34 55 73.32 X2=10.085
Sex p<0.01
Female 32 7 39 52.00 14 6 20 26.68
HS
20-23 46 6 52 68.32 27 14 41 54.67
X2=3.985
Age (in years) 24-27 8 6 14 19.08 7 17 24 32.00 p < 0.05
NS
28-31 4 5 9 12.00 1 9 10 13.33
23-29 23-30
Range mean age
24.94 ± 1.56 25.44 ± 2.18
Urban 56 14 70 93.34 28 27 55 73.33 X2=10.80
Domicile p<0.001
Rural 2 3 5 6.66 7 13 20 26.67
BS
Married 5 2 7 9.34 1 4 5 6.67 X2=0.362
Marital p<0.05
Unmarried 53 15 68 90.66 34 36 70 93.33
NS
General 52 14 66 88.00 27 28 55 73.33
X2=5.172
Category Reserve SC/ST 6 2 8 10.66 8 10 18 24.00 p<0.05
S
OBC - 1 1 1.34 - 2 2 2.67
Table 1: Socio-Demographic Attributes of Students
Inclusion criteria Location of the study
Age of the participants was within 23-30 year. The study was conducted in district Patiala and New Delhi. At
Patiala, Vidya Sagar Institute of IAS (Indian administrative services)
Students consent that they were willing to fill the Performa
Training and Interaction IAS Study Circle at New Delhi were the
thoughtfully.
places where students were interviewed personally.
Exclusion criteria
Instruments for the Study
Students with any major medical ailment, already diagnosed
psychiatric
Personal biodata performa
Illness, abusing substance or drugs was excluded. Moreover
The Performa included items or variables to study. The
students who did not give the consent to fill the Performa seriously
sociodemographic profile of the students. The variables included age,
and thoughtfully were excluded.
education, category, domicile, marital status, academic record, and
economic status of parents, educational and occupational profile of
parents, time and expenditure in academic and non- academic
activities and choice of subject made by the students (Table 2).
J Psychiatry
Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Psychiatry-14-85
Journal of Psychiatry, an open access
Citation: Sharma A, Singla M, Sidhu BS (2015) To Study Psychiatric Morbidity in Students Preparing For Civil Services Examination. J
Psychiatry 18: 207. doi:10.4172/2378-5756.1000207
Page 3 of 9
Choice of subjects Group I Group II Level of significance
F R Total %age F R Total %age
Self 47 11 58 77.33 35 40 75 100 X2 = 20.200
Who chose subject p < 0.001
Parents/ others 11 6 17 22.67 - - - -
HS
Yes 54 17 71 94.67 35 40 75 100 X2 = 4.358
Liking for subject p < 0.05
No 4 - 4 5.33 - - - -
S
Very sure 39 12 51 68.00 30 29 59 78.67
X2 = 2.181
Success in mission Somewhat sure 14 5 19 25.33 4 9 13 17.33 p < 0.05
NS
Not sure 5 - 5 6.67 1 2 3 4
Table 2: Choice of subject made by Students 320. Each item had maximum score of four, depending cone the
severity of symptom. The score one was given when student
complained of a little hit of symptom, score four for extremely severe.
Symptom check list-80 (SCL-80)
The severity of symptom in each subscale was divided into Absent/
It consisted of 80 items. These 80 items are further divided into nine
Mild/Moderate and severe depending upon the total score obtained by
subscales namely:
a given subject in the said subscale. For this purpose, maximum score
obtained by any given subject was taken into consideration. If a given
1. Depression subscale (13), Anxiety subscale (10), Interpersonal
subject scored between 25-50% of the maximum score, he/she was
sensitivity subscale (10), Somatization subscale (12) , Phobic anxiety
placed in the category of mild. If the score was between 50-75%, she
subscale (7), Obsessive compulsive neurosis subscale (l0), Anger
was placed in the category of moderate, if the score obtained was
hostility subscale (6), Paranaid ideation subscale (8), Additional
75-100%, he/she was placed in the category of severe. If the score
symptoms subscale (7).
obtained by a given subject was 0-25%, he/she was placed in the
The items included in each subscale are listed in the scoring key.
category of absent (Tables 3 and 4).
The sum total of all the students was computed out of a maximum of
Amount spent on Amount spent (in Group I Group II Level of significance
Rs.)
F R Total %age F R Total %age
<10000 1 1 2 2.67 - - - -
X2=35.813
10000-20000 57 14 71 94.66 25 17 42 56
Tution and coaching (in
p < 0.001
total)
20000-30000 - 2 2 2.67 8 18 26 34.67
NS
>30000 - - - - 2 5 7 9.33
<1000 - - - - - - - -
1000-3000 56 10 66 88 17 11 28 37.33
X2=41.147
Books (in total) 3000-6000 2 5 7 9.33 14 20 34 45.34 p > 0.001
NS
6000-9000 - 2 2 2.67 4 6 10 13.33
>9000 - - - - - 3 3 4
<1000 - - - - - - - -
X2=80.422
1000-3000 55 8 63 84 1 - 1 1.33
Conveyance (in total) p < 0.001
3000-6000 3 7 10 13.33 14 5 19 25.33
HS
6000-9000 - 2 2 2.67 10 15 25 33.34
J Psychiatry
Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Psychiatry-14-85
Journal of Psychiatry, an open access
Citation: Sharma A, Singla M, Sidhu BS (2015) To Study Psychiatric Morbidity in Students Preparing For Civil Services Examination. J
Psychiatry 18: 207. doi:10.4172/2378-5756.1000207
Page 4 of 9
>9000 - - - - 10 20 30 40
Table 3: Total expenditure on coaching books and conveyance
Activity Time spent Group I Group II Level of significance
F R Total %age F R Total %age
0-3 hours 10 1 11 14.67 5 1 6 8.0
X2=7.870
4-6 hours 24 6 30 40.0 14 4 18 24.0
Self study p<0.02
7-9 hours 23 8 31 41.33 13 29 42 56.0
HS
>9 hours 1 2 3 4.0 3 6 9 12.0
0-3 hours 22 2 24 32.0 2 2 4 5.33
X2=3.00
4-6 hours 21 10 31 41.336 16 25 41 54.67
Coaching (in hrs.) p<0.05
7-9 hours 15 5 20 26.67 17 10 27 36.0
NS
>9 hours - - - - 6 3 3 4.0
<1 hour 47 3 50 66.66 22 27 49 65.33
X2=0.101
Others Related Journal
1-2 hours 7 13 20 26.67 10 10 20 26.67 p>0.05
Newspaper Magazine
NS
2-3 hours 4 1 5 6.67 3 3 6 8.0
Table 4: Time spent in academic activities
PGI health questionnaire N-1(PGI-HQ 1) The subject was required to put a (√) against questions/item
he/she agreed with. The number of ticks en section A and B indicated
It consists of two areas
the respective scores, which were then added to give a total score. If a
candidate ticked more than 10 items (question) he/she was considered
Area A: Area A has 16 items
to be neurotic or had marked propensity to develop neurotic
Area B: Area B has 22 items.
symptoms under stress (Table 5).
Social life Group A Group B Level of significance
F R Total %age F R Total %age
<10 non-neurotic 26 7 33 44 24 28 52 69.33 X2=9.800 p>0.001 HS
>10 Neurotic 32 10 42 56 11 12 23 30.67
Range 0-27 1-58
t=2.30, p>0.05 NS
Mean ± SD 11.36 ± 5.86 8.80 ± 7.59
Table 5: Showing score on PGI HQ-1
Data Collection and Analysis Results
All the instruments were administered personally to the subjects. Mean age of students in both groups was 24 to 25 years. In
Any queries regarding any question were also explained. At the preliminary group, number of male and female candidates was equal
beginning a number of socio-demographic variables were noted down but in mains group number of male students were significantly
in a personal biodata Performa, Then, symptom check list-80 and PGI (p<0.001) more than female students. Further students in mains group
Health Questionnaire-1 were administered. Again, the symptoms were were significantly more (p<0.001) from rural area and reserved
assessed clinically according to ICD-10 (international classification category. Students from mains group in significant numbers (p<0.01)
and statistical manual of disease) criteria. The data collected was chose subject at their own and liked the subject, yet only 80% were
subjected to statistical analysis and chi square and t test were applied sure of their success in mission. But analyzing academic records in
to test the statistical significance. past, > 90% of all students scored first division in all exams from 10th
onwards.
J Psychiatry
Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Psychiatry-14-85
Journal of Psychiatry, an open access
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