An ecological understanding of youth suicide in South Korea

Abstract

This article reviews risk factors for youth suicide in South Korea (hereafter referred to as Korea), based on the ecological systems theory. Although youth suicide is a major concern for Korean society, understanding of this phenomenon has been limited since most of the empirical studies address personal characteristics without much consideration to larger environmental contexts for Korean adolescents. This review integrates many empirical findings on Korean adolescents' suicidal ideation or behaviours within the context of micro-, meso-, exo-, macro-, and chrono-systems that surround an individual. Finally, it draws implications on assessment and intervention strategies for youth suicide that school psychologists and other mental health professionals in Korean schools can utilize. © The Author(s) 2010.