J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2003 May;42(3):387-395.

The Influence of Psychosomatic Symptoms on Delinquent Behavior among Korean Adolescents

• Kim HS
• Kim HS

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Our objectives were to examine the differences of coping strategies, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and psychosomatic symptoms between student adolescents and delinquent adolescents and to explore the extent of influence of psychosomatic symptoms and coping strategies to delinquent behavior among Korean adolescents.
METHODS
The research design of this study was cross-sectional nation-wide survey using Mental Health Questionnaire for Korean Adolescents(MHQKA). Subjects serving for this study were consisted of 2,086 including 1,230 student adolescents and 856 delinquents adolescents, using the proportional stratified random sampling method. Their age range was from 12 to 18. Data were analysed by IBM computer using SAS program. Statistical methods employed for this study were Cronbach's Alpha for reliability, chi2, t-test and path analysis etc.
RESULTS
The results of this study were as follows : (1) Delinquent adolescents showed the more sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychosomatic symptom I, II, III and IV than student adolescents. (2) Delinquent adolescents showed the more negative coping strategies such as cognitive avoidance, behavioral avoidance, and consequently higher delinquent behavior than student adolescents. (3) The most powerful contributing variables on delinquent behavior among Korean adolescents were sexual abuse, psychosomatic symptom I, physical abuse, behavioral avoidance coping strategies, cognitive avoidance coping strategies in this order named.
CONCLUSION
The results of the present study confirmed the relationship between psychosomatic symptoms and coping strategies and delinquent behavior. However, in view of the cross-sectional study character of the present study one needs to be cautious in interpretation on the relationship between psychosomatic symptoms and coping strategies and delinquent behavior. Several potential processes may underlie the relationship among these variables.

Keyword

Delinquent behavior; Psychosomatic symptoms; Coping strategies

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Mental Health
Surveys and Questionnaires
Research Design
Sex Offenses