Read the case carefully and answer the question that follow :
Rahul turned 14 last month. He had a big birthday party and invited all his friends. He likes his school and friends in the society.
Rahul's father works in a big office and has been asked to shift from Delhi to Bangalore. This news has disturbed Rahul and he is showing erratic behaviour and has alienated himself from his friends.
He has frequent mood swings and also gets anxious everytime his parents try to talk about their life in Bangalore.
This news has also led Rahul to skip meals along with disturbed sleep patterns and poor academic performance. His parents don't know how to handle the situation and have been advised by Rahul's class teacher to see the school counsellor.
The reactions shown by Rahul in response to moving to Bangalore can be classified as -
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Emotional and Behavioural
Option (1) Physiological and evaluative apprehension — Incorrect. Physiological effects are bodily changes such as a faster heart rate or slower digestion, and the passage reports none. Evaluative apprehension is the name for examination stress, the anxiety felt before, during or after an examination. Rahul’s stress comes from the move, not from being evaluated.
Option (2) Cognitive and emotional — Incorrect. His reactions are emotional, but cognitive effects are mental overload, faulty decisions, poor concentration and weak short-term memory. The passage mentions poor academic performance, which is a change in what he does, not a report of how he thinks.
Option (3) Behavioural and Physiological — Incorrect. The behavioural part fits, but no bodily change is described.
Option (4) Emotional and Behavioural — Correct. Rahul’s frequent mood swings, anxiety and erratic behaviour that has alienated him from his friends are the emotional effects of stress. Skipping meals, disturbed sleep patterns and poor academic performance are behavioural effects, like eating less nutritional food, disrupted sleep and reduced work performance.
NCERT (2025-26): “Effects of Stress on Psychological Functioning and Health … Emotional Effects : Those who suffer from stress are far more likely to experience mood swings, and show erratic behaviour that may alienate them from family and friends. In some cases this can start a vicious circle of decreasing confidence, leading to more serious emotional problems.…” “…Behavioural Effects : Stress affects our behaviour in the form of eating less nutritional food, increasing intake of stimulants such as caffeine, excessive consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs such as tranquillisers etc. Tranquillisers can be addictive and have side effects such as loss of concentration, poor coordination, and dizziness. Some of the typical behavioural effects of stress seen are disrupted sleep patterns, increased absenteeism, and reduced work performance.” |