Relation between Abuse History and Psychopathology in Runaway Sheltered Adolescents

가출청소년에서 학대력과 정신병리와의 관계

Objectives : This study examined psychopathology, abuse history and the relation of them in sheltered runaway adolescents. The purpose is to investigate characteristics of adolescents who are in shelters according to abuse type and then to offer basic data which are needed in establishing comprehensive protection policy for runaway adolescents. Methods : One hundred twenty eighty adolescents who stay in the runaway shelters were asked to complete self-report questionnaires including basic sociodemographic data, Korean Youth Self Report (K-YSR), Minnestota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and then examined the correlation of psychopathology and abuse in runaway adolescents. Results : In abused runaway adolescents, social performance scale of K-YSR was higher than school performance sealer and among scales of behavioral problem syndrome delinquent scale was highest. Scales of behavioral problem syndrome showed relatively significant correlation with abuse history. In MMPI scale of psychopathic deviate scale was highest, social introversion showed significant correlation with emotional abuse, and psychopathic deviate and hypomania showed significant correlation with physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse. In SCL-90-R somatization scale was highest. Scales of somatization, hostility, and paranoid ideation scale were significantly high in adolescents with emotional abuse and neglect history, and scores of anxiety and depression scale were significantly high in sexually abused adolescents. Conclusion : Runaway adolescents who had abuse experience showed significantly higher level of psychopathology than general adolescents and there were various interrelations between them according to the presence and the type of abuse. More precise psychiatric evaluation and detailed treatment intervention for runaway adolescents are needed.