THE ADJUSTMENT INVENTORY FOR SCHOOL

STUDENTS(AISS)

Objective

 To measure the adjustment pattern of an individual using a standardized test of adjustment for
school students by A.K.P. Sinha and R.P. Singh.

Basic concepts

 Adjustment refers to the adequacy of the personal and interpersonal processes that we
 used to adapt to our environment.
 A well-adjusted person is someone who engages in behaviors that are appropriate for the
culture and a given interpersonal situation.
 According to this view well-adjusted behaviors are flexible and subject to change in the
environment, produce no harmful effects on individual and other people and do not lead to
short term and long term interaction problems.
 Adjustment is a condition of harmonious relationship between the social and the physical
environment where in a person is able to obtain optimum satisfaction for most of his needs and
to meet fairly well the physical and social demands imposed upon him.
 Hence adjustment is a process of making the changes needed or desired in oneself and/or in
one’s social and physical environment to experience what is termed as adjustment.
 The following five aspects of adjustment are of special importance:
a) Gaining skills through interaction with one’s world
b) Degree of control over one’s daily life
c) Redefining difficult situations in order to successfully meet the challenges of life
d) Self-understanding, as it allows one to determine which life choices are most likely to result
in personal growth
e) Ability to make accurate judgments about the people and places in one’s life

Characteristics of adjustment

Adjustment is subjective:

Values, prejudices, attitudes, social norms, etc. make adjustments – A subjective process which is
known only to the person who is adjusting.

Adjustment is a continuous process:

This is a process that continues throughout the various stresses and strains of life. Adjustment varies
from culture to culture. A person, who is considered to be well-adjusted in a particular society with a
particular cultural background, may not be considered the same in another culture.

In the present test, adjustment is being measured in three different areas:

i) Social: Man lives in a society and needs to be accepted by it. He has to follow norms and
rules of the society to be well-adjusted. He has to seek approval of the society for any
activity, social adjustment in school could involve coping with pressure exerted by the
 peer group, accepted by the group, good inter-personal relationship with members of
the opposite sex, etc.
ii) Emotional: An individual is emotionally adjusted if he is happy with himself who realizes
his own potential, stress and is happy with what he has achieved can be said to be
emotionally well-adjusted
iii) Educational: An educationally well-adjusted person is one who has the ability to think
and to innovate. An individual who is contented with what he achieves academically can
be called educationally well-adjusted

Methodology

 Adjustment inventory for school students (AISS) seeks to segregate well-adjusted secondary
students (age 13-18) in three areas of adjustment:
a) Social
b) Emotional
c) Educational
 The test consists of sixty items where subject is required to answer in terms of always ,
sometimes or never . Each item in the test is scored as per instructions given in the manual.
High score oF any area is treated as a sign of maladjustment.

Procedure

Preliminary information

Name:

Age:

Sex:

Class/Educational qualification:

Place of conduction:

Testing material

AISS test booklet, AISS scoring key, AISS manual, pencil, eraser

Rapport formation

The subject was called to the psychology lab and was made to sit comfortably. A friendly
conversation was held by asking him/her about his/her schooling, her parents, friends andinterest in
general. When the subject felt at ease, she was asked if he/she was ready for the test to begin.
After an affirmative answer, he/she was given the following instructions

Instructions

 Following are some questions covering your problems, which have three response alternatives
in terms of always , sometimes or never
 Read every question carefully and decide whether you want to answer it with always , sometimes
or never .
 Put a tick a mark against the option which you think issuitable for the particular item
 Remember your answer will not be told to any person, so please give the correct answer
without hesitation you may take your own time, but try to finish as soon as possible.
  Your responses will be kept confidential, so please give the correct answer without any
hesitation

Precautions

 The room should be well lit and well ventilated

 There should not be any noise in the room
 The seating arrangement should be comfortable
 There is no time limit
 Instructions should be made clear to the subjects
 It should be made sure that only one answer is marked for each question
 It should be made clear to the subject that their answers must be marked inside the boxes
 Make sure the scoring key and the test booklet which is being scored are properly aligned

Test administration

The subject was called to the psychology lab. After the rapport was established, the instructions
were given. The test booklet was given to the subject and the required preliminary information was
collected. The subject marked his/her answers on the test booklet. After the subject completed the
test, the test booklet was taken for scoring.

Verbal report

After the rapport was formed, the test started. The subject, in her opinion, took this as a chance to
analyze her relationship with the others in school setting.

Behavioral report

The subject felt comfortable in answering and sharing information about herself. The respondent
had a few doubts regarding the questions which were clarified. The subject was attentive.

Scoring

 Scoring is done with the help of manual and the scoring key.
 There are three scoring keys, one each for each of the adjustment area. Each scoring key is
placed on the test booklet and the raw scores are calculated as given in the table by adding the
marks for each area.

 The raw scores of all three areas are added to get the raw score on the full inventory.

Analysis and interpretation

 In the emotional adjustment area, the subject got a raw score of , which means that
she has level of adjustment
 In the social adjustment area, the subject got a raw score of , which means that she has
level of adjustment.
 In the educational adjustment area, the subject got a raw score of , which means that
she has level of adjustment
 In the full inventory adjustment area, the subject got a raw score of , which means that
she has level of adjustment
Conclusion

My subject has adjustment in emotional adjustment area. My subject has

adjustment in social adjustment area. My subject has adjustment in educational
adjustment area. My subject has adjustment in full inventory adjustment area. Hence,
my subject has adjustment level.

References

AISS revised manual by A.K.P. Sinha and R.P. Singh

NCERT textbook – Class XII Psychology