title: Rising youth suicide and the changing cultural context in South Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  South Korean society faces a serious challenge in the increasing rates of youth suicidal behavior. There is a need both to gain a better understanding of the causes of this behavior and to develop strategies for responding to this critical public health issue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article analyzes how psychological, sociopsychological, and subcultural factors influence suicidal proneness among Korean youth as well as makes suggestions for developing social policies that could reduce Korean youth suicidal behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlation and multivariate regression analyses on suicide proneness and depression were employed using a sample of 172 South Korean youths (aged 18-24) selected from the 2009 General Social Survey collected through face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young people's suicidal proneness is associated with depression, a tolerant attitude toward suicide, strained family relations, living in rural areas, being female, and being closely related to survivors of suicide or potential suicides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study reveal the significance of social and cultural factors as influences on recent youth suicidal behavior in Korea. The analysis suggests that the underlying risk factors of suicidal behavior are embedded in the changing social and cultural context of Korean society. Thus, suicide prevention efforts should involve more than merely treating any underlying psychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: <location>Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State University-Brandywine, Media, PA, USA</location>
authors.forename: B C Ben
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: <location>Department of Preventive Medicine, Gachon Medical School, Inchon, South Korea</location>
authors.forename: Jeong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soo Im
authors.affiliation: <location>Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA</location>
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strother Ratcliff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011640:Public Policy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D012922:Social Change; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: attitude toward suicide; depression; family strain; suicide proneness; survivor status