Perceptions of Emotional Health among Urban Male and Female Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

Adolescence is a crucial stage of human development marked by significant emotional, psychological, and social changes that influence overall well-being. Understanding how adolescents perceive, experience, and manage their emotions is important for promoting healthy emotional development. The present study aimed to explore adolescents’ understanding of health and emotional health, their predominant emotional state, help-seeking behaviour during times of stress, and the way they express their emotions. An exploratory qualitative research design was employed, and data were collected through a semi-structured interview schedule from 110 adolescents, both boys (55) and girls (55). The interview schedule responses were analysed using content analysis to identify key themes that reflected adolescents’ perceptions their emotional experiences. The findings revealed that female adolescents have a good understanding of health and emotional well-being than males. Most adolescents described positive emotions as a regular part of their life, although they also acknowledged experiencing negative emotions during difficult situations. When faced with stress, males were more likely to seek support from friends, while females preferred to share their emotions and feelings with their mother and siblings. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of fostering emotional awareness and creating supportive family and school environments they learn to express their emotions.