• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.157-169
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to implement a model for predicting the presence or absence of suicidal ideation in adolescents by using the decision tree analysis method. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis using the 2019 Child and Adolescent Human Rights Survey, the most recent data published by the Korea Youth Policy Institute. In order to identify the variables predicting suicidal ideation, a decision tree analysis with suicidal ideation as a dependent variable was performed. Results: This study found that the variables of life satisfaction, insults from parents, sex, and cyber-bullying experience of adolescents were selected as significant predictors of suicidal ideation. It is predicted that 58.2% of subjects with low life satisfaction would think of suicide. Among them, the probability of thinking of suicide increased to 72.7% in the case of unhappy people, and the probability of thinking of suicide in the case of a woman increase to 82.9%. Conclusions: It is necessary to consider family, school, and society environment to prevent suicidal ideation of adolescents.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2012

Introduction : Suicide in Korea has increased to 31.2 persons per 100,000 population, the world's highest level. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the world, but in Korea, it is 4th leading cause of death. Therefore suicide is a serious problem in Korea. Many suicide prevention strategies have been proposed. Despite efforts to prevent suicides in Korea, a steady increases in the number of suicides has been brought into question the effectiveness of suicide prevention activities in Korea. Methods : Strategy of restricting suicide methods in many countries was reviewed. Systematic approach to restrict suicidal methods in Korea is proposed. Results : Restricting suicide methods is one of the effective suicide prevention strategies employed in the UK and other countries. Since many suicides occur impulsively, suicide attempt lethality is an important factor in determining the rate of deaths in suicidal attempts. Physical restriction of suicide methods is important in preventing suicide, but restriction of cognitive access to information about suicide and suicide method is more important in preventing suicide. In particular hanging is one of the most common methods of suicides in Korea, it is crucial to develop strategies to prevent suicide by hanging cognitively. Also information about suicide should be properly controlled. To do this, suicide news reporting guidelines should be observed, and website makers whose websites provoke thoughts about suicide should be more strictly sanctioned. Conclusion : Restricting suicide methods along with other suicide prevention plans may be the most effective way to prevent suicide in Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.419-430
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify variables influencing suicide ideation among adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from 235 middle school students in Chungbuk Province from April to September 2007. We used the Korean versions of Reynold's Suicide Ideation Questionnaire, Children's Depression Inventory and Conners-Wells' Adolescent Scale, Beck's Hopelessness Scale and Internet Addiction Scale-K for measuring the research variables. Results: Of the subjects, 23.0% were classified into the risk group of suicide ideation. Overall, the score of the suicide ideation scale was 14.25 (${\pm}16.38$). The score of the suicide ideation scale in female adolescents ($17.45{\pm}19.04$) was significantly higher than that in male ones ($11.17{\pm}12.65$). Depression was a major predictor of suicide ideation. ADHD, gender, internet addiction, and hopelessness were the other significant predictors of suicide ideation. Conclusion: A strategy for school mental health education should be provided in order to prevent suicide ideation. The function of school health and Mental Health Center should be reinforced in terms of organization and staff personnel.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.123-134
• /
• 2008

This study aimed to assess the roll of various abusive factors on suicide thoughts. In particular, the effects of negligence, physical and emotional abuse, as the subordinate variables of abuse, were examined on suicide ideation. In addition, the mediation effects of shame-proneness and friendships were also investigated. To achieve these specific objectives, subordinate dimensions of abuse such as negligence, physical abuse and emotional abuse were measured for 277 male and 275 female students from Seoul middle schools using a measurement tool. Specifically, experiences of being abused and neglected, the level of suicide thoughts using scale for suicidal ideation (SSI), the level of shame-proneness and friendships using personal feelings questionnaire-2(PFQ-2), and schoolmate relationships were measured using a questionnaire. Analysis of collected data revealed that while suicide thoughts showed significant positive relationship with abuse and shame-proneness, there was a significant negative relationship between suicide thoughts and friendships. In particular, negligence, physical abuse and emotional abuse had significant effects on suicide ideation, while emotional abuse had the greatest effect on suicide ideation. Shame-proneness and friendships partially mediated abuse and suicide thoughts. The findings of this study have contributed to understanding of factors related to suicide thoughts. In particular, the mediation effects of shame-proneness and friendships have been highlighted.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.465-473
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Suicide has been considered a large public health concern in recent years because suicide mortality has been increasing rapidly. This study was done to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of a suicide attempt among adolescents in South Korea. Methods: The data of the 2006 Youth Health Risk Behavior web-based Survey collected by the Korean Center for Disease Control was analyzed using logistic regression for this study. Results: The prevalence of a suicide attempt was 5.2% in South Korea. The risk factors of a suicide attempt were suicidal ideation (odds 31.83), depression (odds 7.98), drug use (odds 4.67), currently smoking (odds 3.19), feeling unhappiness (odds 2.77), stress (odds 2.60), currently drinking alcohol (odds 2.39), sexual activity (odds 2.33), living with neither parent (odds 2.24), initial alcohol drinking by age 9 (odds 1.80), health status (odds 2.15), skipped breakfast (odds 1.75), disease (odds 1.65), and school records (odds 1.22). Conclusion: Suicide screening and prevention programs should be developed, considering these risk factors. Suicide prevention programs should be applied to the at risk population prior to a suicide attempt.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.163-170
• /
• 2014

Objectives : This study was conducted in order to develop the Korean version of the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (KRFL-A) and to investigate the reliability and validity of the KRFL-A. Methods : The KRFL-A, Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Adolescent Suicide Questionnaire (ASQ) were administered to 720 first grade high school students. We examined the test-retest reliability, internal consistency of KRFL-A, and performed factor analysis. We also evaluated the correlation between KRFL-A and other scales, and the discrimination validity of KRFL-A between suicide attempt and non-attempt groups. Results : Test-retest reliability, item-total correlation and internal consistency were all reliable. From factor analysis, three factors were extracted. The KRFL-A showed negative correlation with SSI and BHS scales. In addition, it could discriminate the suicide attempter group from the non-attempter group. Conclusion : The Korean version of the Reasons for Living Inventory was found to be reliable and valid for use in assessing the risk of suicide in adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.113-125
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a model for predicting mental health risk among adolescents based on health behavior information by employing a hybrid machine learning method. Methods: The study analyzed data of 51,850 domestic middle and high school students from 2022 Youth Health Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Firstly, mental health risk levels (stress perception, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, suicide plans, experiences of sadness and despair, loneliness, and generalized anxiety disorder) were classified using the k-mean unsupervised learning technique. Secondly, demographic factors (family economic status, gender, age), academic performance, physical health (body mass index, moderate-intensity exercise, subjective health perception, oral health perception), daily life habits (sleep time, wake-up time, smartphone use time, difficulty recovering from fatigue), eating habits (consumption of high-caffeine drinks, sweet drinks, late-night snacks), violence victimization, and deviance (drinking, smoking experience) data were input to develop a random forest model predicting mental health risk, using logistic and XGBoosting. The model and its prediction performance were compared. Results: First, the subjects were classified into two mental health groups using k-mean unsupervised learning, with the high mental health risk group constituting 26.45% of the total sample (13,712 adolescents). This mental health risk group included most of the adolescents who had made suicide plans (95.1%) or attempted suicide (96.7%). Second, the predictive performance of the random forest model for classifying mental health risk groups significantly outperformed that of the reference model (AUC=.94). Predictors of high importance were 'difficulty recovering from daytime fatigue' and 'subjective health perception'. Conclusion: Based on an understanding of adolescent health behavior information, it is possible to predict the mental health risk levels of adolescents and make interventions in advance.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.98-105
• /
• 2006

Objectives : To consider which questions are most useful clinically and to find a framework for assessment of suicidality or risk of suicide for adolescents. Methods : Authors reviewed and integrated both clinical works and researches about measures used to evaluate suicidal behaviors in adolescents. Results : The 'cascade approach' for assessment of suicidality was developed; the quality and quantity of 'distress' leads to an entry question to do with the 'quality of life' and whether it is worth living. These two questions lead to examinations of 'thoughts' which may lead to 'plans' which leads to 'threats' which then leads to 'deliberate self injury' and then on to a history of 'past suicide attempts'. Authors also suggested to use a summed score of cascade approach in clinical decisions and showed how to modify it up to different evaluation situations. Focusing on the good things helps not only to qualify suicidality but also to begin the search for solutions. Conclusion : In the clinical assessment process, while scales assist the clinician, there is nothing to supplant a sensitive clinical approach. The 'cascade approach' was proposed as a framework for assessing adolescents for suicidality.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.104-111
• /
• 2021

Objectives: Adolescent suicide is a serious national issue in Korea. Recently, life satisfaction has been recognized as a major factor related to this issue. The main purpose of this study was to identify the domains of life satisfaction that affect suicidal behavior in adolescence. Methods: Data were collected from eight middle schools in Incheon, Korea. A total of 1297 students answered questions regarding their demographic characteristics, happiness, self-related life satisfaction domains (appearance, leisure time, physical health, and mental health), depressive symptoms, and suicidal behavior. Results: In the Spearman correlation analysis, female sex, perceived socioeconomic status (SES), happiness, and all four self-related satisfaction scores showed significant correlations with depression and suicidality. Multivariate regression analysis suggested that suicidality was significantly affected by perceived SES, satisfaction with appearance, mental health satisfaction, and depression. Finally, depression was identified as a partial mediator of the association between mental health satisfaction and suicidality, and a complete mediator of the association between female sex and suicidality. Conclusion: Perceived SES, satisfaction with appearance, and mental health satisfaction significantly affected students' suicidality, with or without the effect of depression. Health authorities, educators, and family members must be aware of this to identify adolescents at suicide risk earlier.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.13-23
• /
• 2009

Purpose: Suicide was considered as a big public health concern in recent years because suicide mortality has been increased rapidly. This study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of suicidal ideation among adolescents in South Korea. Methods: The data of 2007 Youth Health Risk Behavior Web-based Survey collected by Korean Center for Disease Control were analyzed using logistic regression for this study. Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 23.7% in South Korea. The risk factors of suicide ideation were depression (odds 8.43), perceived stress(odds 4.30), drug use (odds 2.47), sexual intercourse(odds 2.36), present smoking (odds 1.76), present alcohol drink (odds 2.39), feeling unhappiness (odds 2.89), living with none of parents (odds 1.71), gender(odds 1.72), health status (odds 1.66), and socioeconomic status (odds 2.0). Conclusion : Health risk behaviors and mental health status were related to suicide ideation. Health risk behavior such as smoking and drinking prevention programs and mental health promotion programs should be implemented to decrease suicide ideation among adolescents. Suicide, mental health and health risk behaviors should be prevented through comprehensive health promotion programs.