Mental Health of Adolescents in a Community

Kim, In Hong

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to establish the basic data for adolescents' mental health states in a community.
METHODS
466 middle school and high school students were analyzed by visit-survey with an organized questionnaire from March to June 2008. K-YSR for measurement of mental health was used.
RESULTS
The score of total behavior (p<0.01), anxious/depressed (p<0.05), though problems (p<0.001), attention problems (p<0.001), aggressive behavior (p<0.01) and internalizing problems (p<0.05) in girls appeared significantly higher as compare to those the boys. Also, total competence (p<0.05) in high school students appeared significantly lower as compare to those middle school students. Withdrawn (p<0.01) in high school students appeared significantly higher as compare to those middle school students. The though problems (p<0.001) and aggressive behavior (p<0.05) in middle school students appeared significantly higher as compare to those high school students. The distribution of clinical group was school 93.8%, total competence 32.6%, attention problems 8.8%, total behavior problems 8.6%, anxious/depressed 7.7%, aggressive behavior 6.4% et. al. The social (p<0.05), anxious/depressed (p<0.05), attention problems (p<0.01), internalizing problems (p<0.05) and externalizing problems (p<0.05) in girls of clinical group were more frequent significantly as compared to those the boys of clinical group. Also, the social (p<0.01) in middle school students of clinical group was more frequent significantly as compared to those the high school students of clinical group.
CONCLUSIONS
This study result will be significant in that it can provide basic data for the school mental health services.