• Halani Guljarbanu Rasiklal
• Prof. (Dr.) Prachi Shah

Adolescence is a critical transitional period in psychosocial development, and schools—as core microsystems—exert a profound influence on adolescent adjustment and well-being. The present study examined differences and interaction effects in adolescent adjustment and well-being across two dimensions: gender and board of school. Using a cross-sectional comparative design, 200 adolescents (94 females, 106 males) from I.C.S.E. and U.P. Board schools in the Allahabad region of India were assessed using a standardized adjustment inventory and a life satisfaction measure. Results indicated that: (1) no significant difference existed between male and female adolescents in overall adjustment (t = 0.823, p > .05); (2) gender differences across adjustment sub-dimensions (self-adjustment, peer adjustment, school adjustment) were all non-significant; and (3) board affiliation produced no significant main effect on adjustment or well-being. These findings suggest that, once socioeconomic background is controlled, gender and school board may not be strong predictors of adolescent adjustment outcomes; micro-level processes within schools (e.g., teacher–student relationships, peer support) may be more critical. Implications for educational practice and mental health intervention are discussed.

adolescent adjustment; subjective well-being; gender differences; school board; cross-sectional study

"School Boards as Contexts for Adolescent Development — A Comparative Study of Adjustment and Well-Being Across Gender and Educational Board Affiliation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no.c256-c260, September-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609229.pdf

"School Boards as Contexts for Adolescent Development — A Comparative Study of Adjustment and Well-Being Across Gender and Educational Board Affiliation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no. ppc256-c260, September-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609229.pdf