• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.27-34
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to find out the role of social support and self-esteem in the relationship between gaming disorder and suicidality of college students. A survey and analysis were conducted on 1,154 students in a four-year university in Gyeonggi-do of Korea. With analysis of the Internet Gaming disorder scale, 162 people (14%) were subjected to gaming disorder and 992 (86%) were non-gaming disorder. The hypothesis of this study was verified as follows. First, college students with gaming disorder have higher suicidality and lower social support and self-esteem than those with non-gaming disorder. Second, gaming disorder of college students have a positive correlation with suicidality, while gaming disorder will have a negative correlation with social support and self-esteem. Third, social support and self-esteem mediate the relationship between gaming disorder and suicidality of college students. These results show that social support and self-esteem can act as protective factors. The results are very meaningful in that they have verified the high risk of suicidality of college students with gaming disorder. It is suggested, when college students show signs of Internet gaming addiction, a more active prevention for suicidality should be considered as they can become a suicidal high risk group.

• Journal of the Korean society of biological therapies in psychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.209-217
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• 2018

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of suicidality among community-dwelling elderly. Methods : The participants were 2,201 elderly people whose ages were over 65. The participants were asked to complete questionnaires, including Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview(MINI), module C, Short Geriatric Depression Scale of Korean version(SGDS-K), Korean Geriatric Anxiety Inventory(K-GAI), The Korean Health Status Measure for Elderly V 1.0, Korean version of Mini-Mental Status Examination for Dementia Screening(MMSE-DS). Their sociodemographic factors were investigated. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test and the logistic regression test to examine the relationship between suicidality and participants' risk factors. Results : The prevalence rate of suicidality was 23.3%. In multiple logistic regression, depressive symptoms (OR=3.301, 95% CI : 2.453-4.440), anxiety symptoms(OR=3.289, 95% CI : 2.515-4.303), low physical function (OR=1.606, 95% CI : 1.229-2.098), no spouse(OR=1.571, 95% CI : 1.037-1.690), elderly aged 80 years or older (OR=1.506, 95% CI : 1.094-1.740) were independently associated with suicidality. Conclusion : Suicidality in community-dwelling elderly was quite high, particularly related to depressive symptoms. The results of this study can be useful for development of community-based prevention and management programs for suicidality.

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

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 2019

Objectives : Epidemiological studies in other countries show that a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) increases the risk of depression or suicidality. However, no studies have investigated the associations of suicidality with omega-3 FAs in Korea. Hence, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the effects of omega FAs on suicidality in the general South Korean population. Methods : The data in this study were sourced from adults (n=215,860) who completed the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI), and the associations between omega FAs and suicidality were analyzed using multivariate logistic regressions. Results : Our results demonstrated that high omega-3 FA intake was associated with a decreased risk of suicide (OR=0.83, 95% CI : 0.71-0.98) and the high omega-6 to omega-3 FA ratio was associated with an increased risk of suicide (OR=1.25, 95% CI : 1.02-1.54). Additionally, a high intake of omega-3 FAs was associated with a decreased risk of suicide in men, but not in women (OR=0.72, 95% CI : 0.59-0.88). Conclusions : Overall, our findings suggest that a lower intake of omega-3 FA is associated with the increased risk of suicidality in the general Korean population, especially in men.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2010

Objective : This study aimed to investigate and compare the prevalence of depression and suicidality among the elderly in a rural city according to their residence type. Methods : Participants were 311 elderly people (109 male and 202 female) in Icheon City, whom trained researchers interviewed and examined Geriatric Depression Scale, Social Support Scale, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Activities of Daily Living, Quality of Life Scale, and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), module C. Using these data, we analyzed participants' risk factors associated with depression and suicidality. Results : The prevalence of depression was 28.0%. The prevalence in the elderly living alone and those admitted to residential facilities was significantly higher than that among the elderly living with family. Suicidality frequency was 19.6%. The suicidality frequency among the elderly living alone and those admitted to facilities was significantly higher than that among the elderly living with family. The risk factors for depression were age, admission to a facility, and low economic status. The suicidality risk factors were living alone, admission to a facility, poor social support, and a history of headache. Conclusion : These results showed the prevalence of depression and frequency of suicidality among the elderly in such a city was quite high. The results of this study remind psychiatrists of the importance of early detection and therapeutic intervention for the elderly with a high risk of depression and suicidality.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of self-esteem as a moderator of the factors influencing suicidality among middle-schoolers. Methods: Moderated multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the influence of happiness, depression, and hostility on suicidality and to determine the degree to which self-esteem served as a moderator of those relationships. Data were collected from 268 students at a middle school in Busan, Korea, using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Results: Happiness, depression, and hostility had significant direct effects on suicidality. Self-esteem showed no direct effect, but had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between hostility and suicidal behavior. Conclusions: These results suggest that various interventions, such as counseling programs, should be designed to alleviate hostility and depression and to enhance happiness and self-esteem among early adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate suicidal behaviors and the related psychopathology across the different stages of schizophrenia. Methods: We recruited 131 patients with schizophrenia and categorized them into two groups, according to the duration of illness (DI) as follows: ≤10 years (n=39) and >10 years (n=92). Psychopathology and suicidality were assessed using the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-18) and the suicidality module from the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, respectively. Results: One-quarter of the patients with a DI ≤10 years and nearly one-sixth of the patients with a DI >10 years experienced suicidal behaviors in the previous month. Suicidality scores were significantly associated with the "affect" factor scores of the BPRS-18 in patients with a DI ≤10 years (β=0.55, p=0.003) and with the "resistance" factor scores in patients with a DI of >10 years (β=0.29, p=0.006). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that psychopathological factors were differentially associated with suicidality in patients with schizophrenia according to the illness stage. Our findings suggest that for effective suicide prevention, different approaches are required for the management of each stage of schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.467-491
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine relationship between social strains such as status strains and relational strains and adolescent suicidality by gender. As method, a self-report survey was completed by students (n = 819) from 3 middle schools in Seodaemun area, Seoul, Korea. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with adolescent suicidality, t-test analyses were used to verify gender difference. Results show that male adolescents are more likely to experience abuse from their father, and school violence related to relational strains than female. Differences were found in strains for males and females contributing to suicidality; male are responsive to economic status, a dimension of status strain, whereas female are reactive to non-physical abuse from father, a type of relational strains. Non-physical school violence was appeared to be a significant factor influencing suicidality for both genders. Based on these findings, research draws implications for social work interventions. First, different approaches by gender are needed to prevent adolescent suicide in consideration of the tendency that men are status-oriented and women are relationship-oriented. Second, it is suggested to hire full-time school social worker to provide consistent social service for students. Third, intensive effort is necessary to reduce non-physical school violence.

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

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2023

Objectives : This study aims to compare the mental health of adolescents living in child care institutions (orphanages) and youth shelters, to provide basic data for appropriate psychiatric interventions for each facilities. Methods : The sample consisted of 157 adolescents in child care institutions and 31 adolescents in Youth Shelters who completed the Korean version of the Youth Self Report (K-YSR). We compared the K-YSR scores between the two groups and also examined factors related to suicidality. Results : Adolescents in youth shelters were older and had higher rates of drinking (p<0.001), smoking (p<0.001), and "abnormal sleep" (p=0.007) than adolescents in child care institutions. They also showed higher 'suicidality' (p=0.004) and K-YSR scores. On the other hand, adolescents in child care institutions have lower 'suicidality', but they have higher 'suicidality' when they have 'abnormal sleep' (OR 4.194; p=0.006), 'abnormal diet' (OR 2.503; p=0.010), and 'concerns about weight gain' (OR 2.503; p=0.010). Additionally, 17.6% of participants in the study showed 'suicidality'. The 'suicidality' group had a higher overall K-YSR score than the non-suicidal group, and had higher 'abnormal sleep' (OR 3.766; p=0.014) and 'concern about weight gain' (OR 2.864; p=0.032). Conclusions : Adolescents in youth shelters appear to have more serious clinical difficulties than adolescents in child care institutions, so prompt psychiatric intervention is needed. Additionally, it is necessary to consider mental health assessments including suicidality when adolescents in child care institutions complain of sleep, eating, or weight gain problems.