An analytical study of adolescents' psychosocial competence in relation to parent-child perceptual adaptability.

The modem world is in need for people with a complex identity who are intellectually autonomous and prepared to cope with uncertainty; who are able to tolerate ambiguity and not be driven by fear into a rigid, single solution approach to problems; who are rational, foresightful and look for facts; who can draw inferences and can control their behaviour in the light o f foreseen consequences; who are altruistic and enjoy doing for others; and who understands social forces and trends (Havighurst, 1971). There is no other word, other than COMPETENCY, to encompass all these attributes. Thus, the attainment o f competencies is an important aspect in an individual's life. Every individual is eager to gain new knowledge and skills, not only because the rapidly developing society demands o f it, but also because it is a response to an inner urge for the expression o f the need for order, understanding, and predictability, one o f the most important psychosocial needs, with regard to the happenings in the external world. This also results in the development o f the drive to challenge oneself, to broaden one's horizons and to realize one's goals.