J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  1999 Sep;38(5):944-955.

A Cross-Cultural Study on Psychosocial Risk Factors of Adolescent Depression between Koreans and Korean-Russians

• Song DH
• Lee HS
• Kim L
• Kim CH
• Kim JW
• Min SK

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: In order to study a cross-cultural epidemiology of the adolescent depressives with Korean ethnicity in Korea and Russia, we compared psychosocial characteristics and risk factors of depressive disorder between two school-based populations in different sociocultural environments.
METHODS
We measured psychosocial variables of 838 subjects in Korea, and 652 in Russia (Uzbekitan) using Basic Questionnaires and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
RESULTS
The cut-off point of BDI for adolescent depression in Koreans was 19 points. Higher prevalence of depression was noted in Korean adolescents (26.5%)compared to Korean-Russian adolescents (7.4%) We found signicant risk factors of adolescent depression in two study samples: female, academic failure, meeting friends less frequently, presence of chronic physical illness, interpersonal problems with parents, and same-sex and opposite-sex friends.
CONCLUSIONS
Our data will provide information on cross-cultural understanding of psychosocial characteristics and risk factors in adolescent depression compared between Koreans and Korean-Russians.

Keyword

Adolescent depression; Psychosocial risk factors; Cross-cultural study

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Depression*
Depressive Disorder
Epidemiology
Female
Friends
Humans
Korea
Parents
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Risk Factors*
Russia