Open Access, Peer-reviewed
pISSN 1015-4817
eISSN 2289-0963
    J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2012 Nov;51(6):409-415. Korean.
    Published online Nov 30, 2012.
    https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2012.51.6.409
    Copyright © 2012 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
    Original Article

    Sociodemographic Characteristics and Emotional and Behavioral Factors Associated with Perceived Need and Use of Adolescent Mental Health Services in Korea

    Nam Hee Kim, MD,1 Ki Young Lim, MD, PhD,2 Young Ki Chung, MD, PhD,2 Jae Sung Noh, MD,2 Hyun Soo Kim, MD,3 Kyung Min Shin, MA,2 and Yun Mi Shin, MD2
      • 1Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
      • 2Department of Psychiatry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
      • 3Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
    • Address for correspondence: Yun Mi Shin, MD. Department of Psychiatry, Ajou University School of Medicine, 164 Worldcup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 443-721, Korea. Tel +82-31-219-5180, Fax +82-31-219-5179, Email: ymshin@ajou.ac.kr
    Received May 31, 2012; Revised July 19, 2012; Accepted August 09, 2012.

    Abstract

    Objectives

    This study investigated the sociodemographic characteristics and emotional and behavioral factors associated with the perceived need and use of adolescent mental health services in Korea.

    Methods

    We assessed 1857 middle school students (aged 14-16 years) in the city of Osan, Korea. We administered a self-reported questionnaire, which included sociodemographic data, Youth Self Report (K-YSR), and perceived need and use of mental health services. Multiple regression analyses were performed for identification of predictable sociodemographic characteristics, as well as the emotional and behavioral factors of the perceived need and use of adolescent mental health services.

    Results

    Overall, 11.6% of the adolescents demonstrated a perceived need for mental health services regarding their emotional or behavioral problems, while 2.1% used mental health services. Discrepancies were observed between the perceived need and use. Most adolescents (81.6%) used mental health services without self-perceived need, and only 3.3% of adolescents with self-perceived need utilized mental health services. The perceived need for mental health services is positively influenced by the adolescent's anxious/depressed and attention problems. Use of them is negatively influenced by the adolescent's withdrawn problems.

    Conclusion

    Although the perceived need for mental health services is high, only a small proportion of adolescents receive them. There is a discrepancy between the perceived need and use and the factors associated with them are different. In order to increase the actual use of mental health services, it is necessary to concern their internalizing problems, such as anxious/depressed and withdrawn, in addition to externalizing problems.

    Keywords
    Adolescents; Mental health service; Perceived need; Use

    Tables

    Table 1
    Sociodemographic characteristics of the adolescents

    Table 2
    Multivariate logistic regression analyses : adolescent and family characteristics influencing perceive need and utilization adolescent mental health services

    Notes

    The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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    MeSH Terms
    Adolescent
    Humans
    Korea
    Mental Health
    Mental Health Services
    Self Report
    Surveys and Questionnaires
    Metrics
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