Abstract
Orphans are vulnerable to various stressors of life. The purpose of the present study is to compare the internalizing (i.e., depression & loneliness) and externalizing (i.e., aggression) behaviors of orphans and non-orphans. Socio-demographic differences in gender, family socio-economic status, and residential area are also examined. The sample consisted of orphans (n = 150) and non-orphans (n = 150) between 12-18 years who were purposively selected from orphanages and schools in district Haripur, respectively. Data were collected on the Beck Depression Inventory, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Results show that internalizing and externalizing problematic behaviors are interrelated. Orphans suffered significantly higher levels of depression, loneliness, and aggression than the non-orphans. Girls, low SES adolescents, and urban adolescents faced more problem behaviors than their counterparts. The study offers recommendations for screening, prevention, and intervention of problem behaviors among adolescents.