Earticle

This study used meta-analysis to examine relationships among rejection sensitivity, loneliness, and SNS addiction tendency in young adults, and meta-analytic path analysis to verify the mediating effect of loneliness. A total of 49 Korean studies with participants aged 18-34, published from 2015 to June 2025, were analyzed using CMA Version 4 and R 4.5.1. The meta-analysis revealed medium effect sizes for the relationships between rejection sensitivity and SNS addiction tendency and between loneliness and SNS addiction tendency. A large effect size was found for the relationship between rejection sensitivity and loneliness. The meta-analytic path analysis indicated that rejection sensitivity had both direct effects on SNS addiction tendency and indirect effects mediated by loneliness, supporting partial mediation. The results suggest that SNS addiction tendency should be understood as a psychological phenomenon arising from attempts to fulfill relational needs rather than simple overuse. Rejection sensitivity and loneliness should be considered important intervention targets for preventing SNS addiction tendency in young adults.

This study examines minimum achievement level guarantee instruction in vocational high schools under the credit system through a survey of 390 students from leading schools in 2024 and analysis of operational reports from 572 schools. Findings show 84.6% of students received program information, with 66.2% participating in both preventive and supplementary instruction. Students identified "understanding course content" (57.2%) as the primary need. Satisfaction scores reached 73.0 points for preventive and 71.5 points for supplementary instruction. Korean, Mathematics, and English courses concentrated instruction in first-year first semester (88.9%, 91.2%, 89.8% respectively), while vocational courses focused on second-year first semester (78.1%). Subject teachers predominantly led instruction (95.4% prevention, 93.2% supplementation), using self-developed materials (78.6% and 76.9%). Key challenges included multiple-course participation burdens (39.1% prevention, 37.0% supplementation) and excessive assignments. The study recommends differentiated instruction timing by subject, student-centered design, systematic teacher support, and policy improvements including reconsidering non-participation records.

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between reflective learning and meaning in life among adult learners. Data were collected from 126 adult learners and analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and PROCESS macro Model 4 to assess the significance of the mediation effects. The results revealed that while reflective learning was positively correlated with meaning in life, its direct effect on meaning in life was not statistically significant. However, reflective learning exerted a significant indirect effect on meaning in life through the full mediation of emotional intelligence. These findings underscore the critical role of emotional intelligence as a mechanism through which reflective learning enhances the sense of meaning in life. Based on these results, this study recommends the development and implementation of educational strategies that foster emotional intelligence through reflective learning, promoting meaningful life experiences among adult learners effectively.

This study aimed to explore how youth participating in the Youth Council, one of the representative youth participation organizations, perceive changes in their core competencies through their involvement. While previous studies have examined the positive functions, effects, and meanings of youth participation organizations, few have investigated adolescents’ subjective perceptions of changes in their core competencies. To address this gap, this qualitative study involved six adolescents in their late teens who were serving as youth council members at a youth facility in City G. In-depth interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The findings revealed five dimensions of perceived changes in core competencies: improved communication competence, including opinion coordination, communication skills, and confidence in public speaking; enhanced social-emotional competence, such as interpersonal skills, social development, and self-esteem through accepting others’ opinions; strengthened collaboration competence through achieving better outcomes and engaging in intergenerational networking within the local community; development of critical thinking skills; and career development in areas of personal interest. Based on these results, the study discusses implications for promoting youth participation and strengthening adolescents’ core competencies.

This study critically examines the current state of public youth centers in South Korea, which are constrained by rigid legal standards that fail to meet the evolving needs of contemporary youth. To address these limitations, this research analyzes spatial innovation cases from other domestic public facilities, including public offices, libraries, and schools, alongside a detailed review of the U.S. Dependent Youth Activity Center (DYAC) guidelines. The analysis reveals that successful public space innovation is driven by key principles such as user-centered planning, flexibility, and community engagement. Based on these findings, this study proposes a comprehensive framework for transforming youth centers, centered on two core principles: 'participatory design,' which empowers youth as the main agents of the design process, and 'modular space,' which ensures adaptability for diverse activities. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide a practical and theoretical foundation for evolving youth centers into dynamic, user-centered platforms that can effectively foster the growth and capabilities of future generations.

This study aims to analyze the current status and challenges of the International Youth Achievement Award and explore ways to improve it. To this end, the researcher conducted interviews with five award leaders and derived five overarching categories and nine subcategories. Research participants expressed frustration with the lack of initiative in the rewards system and expressed concern that the purpose of proactive activities was fading. They also cited challenges such as the gradual decline in participation, the entrance exam-focused environment, and the reduction of reward centers that burden participation costs. Participants emphasized the inconvenience of the online system, the difficulties in performing the leader's duties, and the need for leadership expertise. Based on these findings, the following recommendations were made: The operating system should be re-established to reflect the philosophy and objectives of the award system, an environment conducive to easy participation should be created, and support for the continuous development of award leaders and specialized training should be provided.

This study aims to analyze the characteristics of future vocational education required for youth in the context of rapid industrial restructuring and technological advancement, and to propose directions for developing youth career education programs. A literature review was conducted to identify future occupational requirements, competencies, and the goals of career education. Based on these findings, two rounds of surveys were conducted with 17 secondary school teachers and educational experts, and the results were examined using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA). The findings indicate that youth career education needs to be restructured beyond the simple provision of job information, placing stronger emphasis on enhancing core competencies such as creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability. Furthermore, areas identified as highly important but with low performance in current educational practice-such as work experience, competency development, and activities fostering sharing and empathy-require focused improvement. This study provides practical implications for the future-oriented redesign of youth career education.

Through space design that considers children's physical characteristics and voluntary space exploration, the children's reading area is important in building a "participatory library environment" that goes beyond simple reading spaces, and it can be seen that spatial planning for efficient operating systems and safety is mainly dealt with in the relationship between the children's area and librarians. Through case analysis, this study found that spatial planning that reflects children's developmental characteristics and behaviors beyond simple reading functions plays an important role in the children's area of the library, and in particular, in terms of safety and comfort, the connection with the external environment and consideration of the shared use of guardians are essential factors in the composition of the child-centered space. As such, each case shows the need for a flexible and integrated spatial strategy in future library planning by applying the common spatial characteristics of space, safety, child scale, and comfort to the composition of the children's library space plan.

This study aimed to examine the effects of social isolation on emotional problems (depression, social withdrawal and aggression) among immigrant youth and to identify the mediating effect of self-esteem in this relation. The data were drawn from the fifth year(2023) of the Multicultural Youth Panel Survey (second cohort) conducted by the Korea Youth Policy Institute, focusing on 137 immigrant adolescents. Using the SPSS PROCESS MACRO program, the mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between social isolation and emotional problems was analyzed. The results indicated that self-esteem significantly mediated the relationship between social isolation and both depression and aggression, whereas the mediating effect of self-esteem was not statistically significant in the case of social withdrawal. These findings suggest that immigrant youth’s social networks and self-esteem are critical factors contributing to emotional problems. In particular, the results highlight the need for counseling and educational interventions aimed at enhancing self-esteem to prevent depression and aggression among immigrant youth.