PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES FACED BY ORPHANS IN WEST BENGAL ORPHANAGES: A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY

Abastract:
The prevalence of orphaned individuals is seeing a steady rise throughout India as a whole, with a specific emphasis on the region of West Bengal. Furthermore, there is a notable proliferation of the practise of institutionalising individuals inside society. This tendency is particularly significant given the existence of well-established conventional procedures for rehabilitation, as well as the provision of care and assistance. This research sought to investigate the effects of institutionalisation on orphaned individuals, with a specific focus on understanding the psychological consequences experienced by this population. The research used a mixed-methods design, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative method was utilised to gather pre-existing facts and statistics, while the quantitative technique was employed to generate new data. The data from the respondents was collected using the interview schedule. The research demonstrates that violence has emerged as the primary factor contributing to the escalation in the population of orphaned individuals in the region of West Bengal. Additionally, it is worth noting that a significant majority of orphaned individuals have psychological challenges. Furthermore, almost all participants concurred that their transition into mainstream society would pose considerable difficulties upon their departure from institutional care.