Gender Differences in Factors Associated with Perceived Need and Use of Korean Adolescents Mental Health Services

Abstract

This study investigated the socio-demographic characteristics and emotional and behavioral factors associated with the perceived need and actual use of adolescent mental health services according to genders in Korea. We assessed 1,857 middle school students aged 14-16years. We administered a self-reported questionnaire including questions on their socio-demographic data, Korean Youth Self Report, and self perceived need and actual use of mental health services. Overall, 11.6% of the adolescents demonstrated a self perceived need for mental health services regarding their emotional or behavioral problems, while 2.1% had sought mental health services. There were discrepancies between the perceived need and actual 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 of mental health services is positively influenced by the adolescent's anxious/depressed problems in both genders. The use of them is negatively influenced by the withdrawn problem in adolescent boys, while positively influenced by the aggressive behavior in adolescent girls. To increase the actual use of mental health services more attention needs to be focused on their internalizing problems, such as anxious/depressed and withdrawn problems, in addition to externalizing problems in both genders.