The Experience of Boredom in Barbadian Adolescents. A Case Study

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 1991 in the subject Psychology - Social Psychology, grade: B+, University of the West Indies (School of Education), course: Psychology of Education, language: English, abstract: This paper aims to examine the experience of boredom among Barbadian adolescents today. The idea for the study came from the students of the Alexandra School among whom there appeared to be a very high incidence of boredom. It appeared to the writer that the third and fourth form students at the school complained of boredom with alarming frequency; they were bored both at school and at home. The general attitude of these young people seemed to indicate that they did not perceive themselves as having a role to play in finding fulfillment.

The writer is concerned that young Barbadians, exposed to the wide range of entertainment and educational opportunities available for young people today, should display such a high degree of boredom. This paper, therefore, comes as a welcome opportunity to undertake some research on the subject in an attempt to find possible explanations for this type of attitude among young people and to propose ways in which they can be helped.

Information for the paper was obtained through a review of the relevant literature, informal discussions with students both on the class and individual levels, interviews with the two students who form the subject of the study and finally, the school records made available by the secretary of the school who also provided information about the school.