Construction of a Structural Model about Male and Female Adolescents' Alienation, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts

Lee, Eunsook

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was designed to construct a structural model explaining alienation, depression, and suicidal thoughts in male and female adolescents. METHOD: Data was collected by questionnairs from 204 male and 208 female students selected randomly in high schools in K city. RESULTS: This study found that depression was significantly affected by alienation, and was indirectly affected through alienation by school attachment, peer relationships, and academic performance. Suicidal thoughts were greatly affected by depression, and were directly and indirectly influenced by alienation. It was confirmed that alienation turned out to be a important mediating variable, while it had a effect significant on depression and suicidal thoughts. Also there were significant differences in affecting factors among male and female students. CONCLUSION: Intervention strategies for preventing alienation, depression and suicidal thoughts should be different according to gender. In addition, specific nursing intervention plans, including parent education and role training programs, fostering of humanistic and achievement-focused educational environment, peer support programs, and individual counselling, need to be developed and implemented to lessen a feeling of alienation from family and school.