Mental Health and Locus of Control: A Comparison of Under Achievers and Over Achievers in Social Studies

The present study aimed to explore how mental health and locus of control affect achievement discrepancy; and further to understand the differential effect of gender and residential locale in discriminating underachievers and overachievers in social studies. The study consumed data gathered from a group of 289 discrepant achievers in social studies, selected from a stratified random sample of 968 secondary school students by the regression method. Data collection was accomplished by administering the Mental Health Status Scale and the Adapted version of Rotter’s I-E Scale. Analysis revealed the presence of significant difference between underachievers and overachievers with respect to their mental health and locus of control. The overachievers excelled the underachievers in both measures. Though significant gender difference in mental health exists among overachievers, the underachieving boys and girls were found alike in their mental health. The residential locale was found to exert significant decisive role in the mental health of both underachievers and overachievers. While significant difference was observed between overachieving boys and girls, the gender groups of underachievers were found to be almost alike in locus of control. Achievement discrepancy do not entertain any significant rural-urban difference in locus of control.