Name: Harsh Tokas / Date: 08-07-2025
This study investigates the relationship between social marginalization and psychologicaldistress among young adults from Economically Weaker Sections residing in urban Delhi.Drawing on a purposive sample of 150 participants (75 males and 75 females), the studyemployed two validated instruments—the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) and theKessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10)—to assess experiences of perceived discriminationand psychological distress. Findings revealed a strong positive correlation and between everydaydiscrimination and psychological distress (r = .81, p < .001), with regression analysis identifyingperceived discrimination as the most significant predictor (β = .690, p < .001). Gender alsoemerged as a significant factor, with female participants reporting higher levels of distress anddiscrimination. While education level did not predict distress in regression analysis, ANOVAresults indicated a significant trend of decreasing distress with higher educational attainment.These results emphasize the psychological toll of sustained social exclusion and underscore theimportance of adopting an intersectional approach in mental health research and practice. Thestudy highlights the urgent need for policy frameworks and interventions that are contextuallygrounded, gender-sensitive, and responsive to the lived realities of marginalized urban youth inIndia, moving beyond deficit-based models to include community resilience and structuralreform.Keywords: Economically Weaker Sections, Gender Differences, Perceived Discrimination,Psychological Distress, Social Marginalization, Urban Youth.
