• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.526-532
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• 2014

Purpose: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in atherosclerosis, and therefore, are considered risk factors for metabolic dysfunction in adults. However, there is little data on circulating levels of MMPs and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) with regard to obesity-related biomarkers in the general adolescent population. In the present study, we determined the associations of MMP-8, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels and MMP-8/TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios with obesity-related biomarkers in apparently healthy adolescent boys. Methods: We measured MMP and TIMP concentrations in plasma samples using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and analyzed their associations with obesity-related biomarkers, such as liver enzymes and lipid profiles, in a sample of 91 Korean boys aged 13-14 years who participated in a general health check-up. Results: The mean age of the boys was $13.8{\pm}0.3years$; 72 boys were normal weight and 19 were overweight/obese. The Pearson correlation coefficients revealed a significant correlation between MMP-8 and aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.217, P=0.039) and alanine aminotransferase (r=0.250, P=0.017) and between TIMP-1 and aspartate aminotransferase (r=0.267, P=0.011). In a multivariate linear regression analysis, serum alanine aminotransferase was positively associated with the MMP-8 level. There were no significant differences in the MMP-8, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 levels or MMP-8/TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios between control and overweight/obese subjects. Conclusion: We found a significant association between the MMP-8 level and alanine aminotransferase in the apparently healthy adolescent boys. These findings indicate that there may be a pathophysiological mechanism underlying the relationship between MMP-8 and liver enzymes in young adolescents.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.163-176
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• 2020

Longitudinal studies have shown mixed findings on the association between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem among adolescents. This study examined the longitudinal, reciprocal influences between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem among Korean pre- and early adolescents by using nationally representative longitudinal panel data from the Korean Youth Panel Study (KYPS). Analyses based on 2,230 participants indicated that girls' body image dissatisfaction was significantly higher than boys'. The trajectory of body image dissatisfaction increased sharply during pre- and early adolescence, but stabilized afterwards for both boys and girls. Self-esteem deteriorated rapidly initially, but began to recover as adolescent girls and boys matured. Structural equation modeling showed that reciprocal influences between body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem were detected for boys. Body image dissatisfaction among girls predicted self-esteem during the entire period, while the opposite direction from self-esteem to body image dissatisfaction emerged two years later. The present study found that, during pre- and early adolescence, body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem develop in a circular fashion by forming a vicious cycle. Implications for the development of intervention and prevention programs are discussed in consideration of age and gender.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.117-125
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• 2017

Purpose: Little is known about the dieting experiences of obese adolescent boys, as the majority of studies on obesity in children and adolescents have included only girls. This qualitative study was designed to explore the ways in which male middle school boys attach subjective meanings to their obese bodies, and experience dieting practices in their everyday lives. Methods: Fifteen obese boys aged 14 to 16 were interviewed via in-depth, face-to-face interviews. All interview data were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Having a large build and increased strength that prevented bullying by peers had positive meanings participants attributed to their obese bodies. However, negative meanings existed as well, including feeling heavy and having no physical endurance, having a clammy and odorous body, and being bullied and vulnerable to disease. With respect to dieting experiences, multiple positive and negative subthemes were identified. Conclusion: The findings of this study show the intersection between adolescence and everyday life challenges for obese middle school boys in the Korean culture. Further, recommendations for healthcare professionals include a gender-specific approaches when intervening and planning programs for obese adolescents.

• Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-68
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• 2013

The purpose of the present study was to examine how dimensions of socialization practice and relationship quality may function to manage or increase parent-adolescent conflict. Of particular concern was to examine the comparative efficacy of potential predictors of parent-adolescent conflict across three cultural groups consisting of samples from Mainland China, Russia, and the U.S. as well as across gender-of-parent/gender-of-adolescent dyads from each culture. Findings from a sample of 1,365 adolescents indicated that adolescents' perceptions of parental influences on parent-adolescent conflict differ across cultural groups and gender-of-adolescent. The use of punitive behavior by parents was the strongest and most consistent predictor of parent-adolescent conflict across all cultural groups and gender dyads, suggesting that a general pattern exists for punitiveness to increase parent-adolescent conflict cross-culturally. Perceptions of support, monitoring, conformity to parents, and autonomy from parents influenced parent-adolescent conflict within some of the cultures and selectively for adolescent boys and girls.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.552-561
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing lifetime smoking and current smoking among adolescents in South Korea. Methods: Hierarchical logistic regression was conducted based on complex sample analysis using statistics from the 10th (2014) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey. The study sample comprised 72,060 adolescents aged 12 to 18. Results: The significant factors influencing adolescent lifetime smoking were female gender, older age, higher stress, higher weekly allowance, lower economic status, living apart from parents, parental smoking, sibling smoking, peer smoking, observation of school personnel smoking, and coed school compared to boys' school. The significant factors influencing adolescent current smoking were female gender, older age, higher stress, higher weekly allowance, both higher and lower economic status compared to middle economic status, living apart from parents, parental smoking, sibling smoking, peer smoking, observation of school personnel smoking, and coed school compared to boys' school. Conclusion: Factors identified in this study need to be considered in programs directed at prevention of adolescent smoking and smoking cessation programs, as well as policies.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.413-418
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• 1992

The prevalence of childhood and adolescents obesity at ages 6 to 17 in Seoul were investigated on 1992. The number of children and adolescents comprised of 3310 boys and 3270 girls. Obesity was defined as weight that exceeded the standard weighter for heigher and sex by more than 20%(relative weight>120%) The results were as follows : 1) The overall prevalence rate of childhood and adolescent obesity was 14.45% The prevalence rate of boys was 15.83% and that of girls was 13.06% on 1992. The overall difference of prevalence rate between boys and girls in significant(p<0.001) 2) The highest peak age is 11 years old. There were two peaks in the prevalence rate of obesity one is from 9 to 11 years old. the other is from 15 to 17 years old. 3) The prevalence rate of overweight that exceeded the standard weight by more than 20% to 29% was 8.62% by more than 30% to 49% was 5.58% and by more than 50% was 0.25% Our study suggests than the prevalence rate of obesity among the children and adolescent in Seoul, Korea is gradually increasing which will affect the future adult population. We feel it is needed further investigation to determine the causes of increasing rate of obesity and early establishment of preventive programs.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.535-548
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between adolescent's behavioral inhibition and social anxiety focused on the moderating effects of perceived parental rearing behaviors. Subjects were 749 7th through 9th grade students attending schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Major findings were that (1) boys' and girls' behavioral inhibition was an important factor predicting social anxiety; and (2) perceived parental rearing behaviors played the role of moderating variables on the influence of behavioral inhibition of boys' and girls' social anxiety. In the boys' group, perceived intrusion had a moderating effect on the relationships between behavioral inhibition and social anxiety; in the girls' group, perceived warmth and perceived granting of autonomy acted as moderating variables on social anxiety.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.67-76
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• 2010

The major purpose of this study was to explore mediating effects of narcissism on the relationship between paternal maternal psychological control, over-expectation, and adolescent aggression. This study's participants were 678 boys and girls selected from second and third graders at middle schools in Busan. The major findings were as follows. First, there were gender differences in paternal psychological control, fathers' over-expectation, mothers' over-expectation, and adolescents' overt aggression. Second, boys' overt aggression indirectly affected fathers' psychological control and mothers' over-expectation through boys' narcissism. Third, girls' relational aggression indirectly affected fathers' psychological control and mothers' over-expectation through girls' narcissism and directly affected fathers' psychological control. Finally, girls' overt relational aggression indirectly affected fathers' and mothers' over-expectation through girls' narcissism.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.133-154
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• 2004

This study examined the relations between maternal parenting, mother-adolescent conflict, and adolescent individuation with a sample of 271 high school students (156 boys and 115 girls) living in Seoul. Data were analyzed by correlations and regressions. Maternal monitoring, reasoning and affection were positively related to connectedness and separateness, two subscales of adolescent individuation, and maternal over-expectation, intrusiveness, physical abuse and neglect were negatively related to connectedness and separateness. Mother-adolescent conflict was negatively related to connectedness and separateness. Maternal monitoring, reasoning and affection were negatively related to mother-adolescent conflict, and maternal over-expectation, intrusiveness, and physical abuse and neglect were positively related to mother-adolescent conflict. Mother-adolescent conflict played a mediating role between maternal parenting and adolescent individuation.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of perceived parental neglect and abuse and peer attachment on school life adjustment according to children's gender. A total of 2,264 5th graders from the second Korea Child-Adolescent Panel Survey participated. The results were as follows: First, the boys had higher parental neglect and abuse scores than the girls, while the girls had higher peer attachment scores and higher school life adjustment scores than the boys. Second, every sub-element of school life adjustment was significantly negatively correlated with parental neglect and abuse regardless of the children's gender. Every sub-element of school life adjustment was significantly positively correlated with the 'communication' and 'trust' sub-elements of peer attachment regardless of the children's gender. In the case of the boys, the 'study activity' and 'peer relation' sub-elements of school life adjustment were significantly negatively correlated with the 'alienation' sub-element of peer attachment. For the girls, every sub-element of school life adjustment was significantly negatively correlated with the alienation sub-element of peer attachment. Finally, the factors of 'parental neglect and abuse', and the peer attachment sub-elements of 'communication', and 'trust' significantly predicted the boys' school life adjustment, while for girls, the significant predictors were 'parental neglect and abuse', 'communication', 'trust', and 'alienation'.