Relationship between Body Image, Self-Esteem and Academic Behavior of Adolescent Girls in Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: The objective of the study is to explore the relationship between body image, self-esteem and academic behavior amongst adolescent girls living in Karachi, Pakistan and simultaneously explore the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship of the other two variables. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study design with a sample size of 400 adolescent girls belonging to a selected community of Karachi, Pakistan. Pre-validated tools, Body Shape Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Academic Behavior Scale were used for data collection of the study. The data was then analyzed using SPSS 17. Results: The results proved significant associations between all three variables with p<0.05. Moreover, a partially mediating role of self-esteem was noticed to be causing 74.8% variation in the relationship between body image and academic behavior. Conclusion: As per the study findings, body image, self-esteem and academic behavior of adolescent girls residing in Karachi, Pakistan are associated with each other. It was also concluded that higher body image dissatisfaction may lead to poor self-esteem which in turn negatively impacts the positive academic behavior of the girls. Hence, representing a mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship.  Overall, parents, educators, academic professionals, counselors and healthcare professionals can benefit from the study findings to positively play their parts in improving the lives of adolescents around them.       

Studies of the Effect of Transition Metal Ion on the Biological Activity of Some Novel Organic Compounds

This project was aimed at the synthesis of some chromone derived ligands and their transition metal complexes of biological significance. The ligands 1–17 were synthesized by the reactions of 6,8-dichloro-3-formylchromone and 4-aminobenzoic hydrazide, 4-brmobenzoic hydrazide 4- chlorobenzoic hydrazide, , 4-hydroxybenzoic hydrazide, isonicotinic hydrazide, nicotinic hydrazide, 2,5-dichlorophenylhydrazine, tetraflororophenylhydrazine, 2,5-diflororophenylhydrazine, m-tolylhydrazine hydrochloride, 2,3,5,6- 4-methoxyphenylhydrazine hydrochloride and 4-hydrazinobenzoic acid, semicabazide, 4-phenylsemicarbazide, 4,4- diphenylsemicarbazide, thiosemicarbazide and 4-phenylthiosemicarbazide respectively. The structures of all the ligands were determined by analytical and spectral (IR, 1H-NMR) techniques. These ligands 1–17 were used for synthesizing their copper (II) complexes 18 – 34. All the synthesized metal complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, magnetic moment, IR, electronic spectral and thermal data and were found to be six-coordinated exhibiting octahedral geomatry. The synthesized ligands and their transition metal complexes were screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity against four Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri) and two Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) bacterial strains by the agar-well diffusion method. The ligands were found to exhibit either no or low to moderate activity against one or more of the bacterial species. Whereas, all the metal complexes exhibited varied activity against different bacteria. The ligands, which were inactive before complexation became active and less active ones became more active upon coordination with copper ions. The complexes 18 - 22, 27 - 28 and 30 - 33 showed comparatively much higher activity. However, the metal complex 34 was found to be the most active one.