Earticle

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore self-directed learning ability and its affecting factors among undergraduate students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Using a convenience sampling method, data were collected from 196 undergraduate students enrolled in one national university. Negative psychological tendency (i.e. Type D personality), academic engagement, and self-directed learning ability were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, and analysis of covariance, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple linear regression, using SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. Results: The mean age of the students was 21.61±2.40 years and 56.6% were male students. Approximately, one third (n=67, 34.2%) of the students had Type D personality. The average scores of academic engagement and self-directed learning ability were 3.01±1.14 and 3.46±0.50, respectively. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, the Type D personality and academic engagement were significant predictors of self-directed learning ability (β=.64, p<.001; β=-.13, p=.021, respectively). This model explained 53.6% of the variance in self-directed learning ability. Conclusion: The study identified that Type D personality and academic engagement affect self-directed learning ability of undergraduate students, one in a negative way, the other in a positive way. Educators and educational policy makers need to make efforts to include interventions and strategies that increase academic engagement and change negative psychological dispositions such as D-type personality in the undergraduate education curriculum.

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of current smoking and the factors that influence current smoking among male high school students in Korea according to school type. Methods: Data were extracted from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (2017) and multiple logistic regression was used based on complex sample analysis. The study sample comprised of 15,777 male high school students: 12,583 from general high schools (GHS) and 3,194 from specialized vocational high schools (SVHS). Results: The prevalence of current smoking was significantly higher in SVHS students (19.6%) compared to GHS students (12.6%). Low academic achievement, depressive symptoms, current drinking, and high household economic status were commonly associated with current smoking in male students from both school types. However, exposure to secondhand smoking at home, non-exposure to anti-smoking advertisement, exposure to tobacco advertisement, participation in smoking prevention or cessation education were related to current smoking in GHS students, while living in rural area was associated with current smoking in SVHS students. Conclusion: To reduce current smoking among male high school students, it is necessary to develop smoking prevention policies reflecting the factors associated with current smoking that are different by school type.

Purpose: The prevalence of binge drinking has increased among Korean adolescents in recent years. The purpose of this study was to determine the influencing factors of adolescent binge drinking. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from the 14th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey. For the present analysis, 5,203 binge drinkers (girls who drank 3 or more glasses of soju and boys who drank 5 or more in average on one occasion in the last 30 days) and 4,464 non-binge drinkers were selected. Results: Compared with the adolescents who had no experience buying alcoholic beverages, the adolescents who responded that it was easy or uneasy to buy alcoholic drinks were more likely to be a binge drinker. Also, compared with never smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers were more likely to be a binge drinker. Binge drinking was positively associated with skipping breakfast, subjective health, and feelings of sadness or hopeless. Conclusion: The findings of this study may be useful in developing binge drinking prevention programs for adolescents.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of runaway experience on sexual victimization in adolescents. Methods: The data of the Korean Survey on the Rights of Youth and Children (2016) were used. A total of 7,114 middle and high school students were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics, a x2 test, and multiple logistic regression analysis were conducted using SAS 9.3. Results: About 3.8% of the total students had run away from home before and 4.1% of the students experienced sexual victimization. The results from the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that adolescents who had run away from home before showed a higher risk of being sexually victimized (AOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.13~2.72). Lower economic status (AOR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.03~1.97), suicidal ideation (AOR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.37~2.38), depressive feelings (AOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.04~ 1.78), victims of violence by teachers (AOR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.20~2.03), victims of off-line school bullying (AOR: 5.00, 95% CI: 3.56~7.01), victims of on-line bullying (AOR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.79~2.80), and victims of both on- and off-line bullying (AOR: 6.62, 95% CI: 4.76~9.22) showed a highest risk of being sexually victimized. Conclusion: Therefore, in order to lower the rate of experiencing sexual victimization in youths, measures should be taken to keep them from running away from home. In addition, if necessary, measures should be taken to prevent secondary mental traumas that may arise from the experience of sexual victimization.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the mental health factors related to health risk behaviors between multicultural and monocultural adolescents. Methods: The study subjects were selected from the 2018 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey Dataset. A total of 60,040 multicultural and monocultural adolescents were included in the analysis. A x2 test and logistic regression were conducted, using SPSS 18.0, to compare the general characteristics, mental health, and health risk behaviors of the multicultural and monocultural adolescents. This process involved a complex sample design. Results: There was a significant difference in the rates of suicidal behaviors. Multicultural adolescents showed a significantly higher rate of suicidal ideation (8.6% vs. 8.5%, p=.004), suicidal plan (3.2% vs. 2.4%, p=.004), and suicidal attempt (5.0% vs 3.1%, p=.04) than monocultural adolescents. Perceived stress had a significant impact only on monocultural adolescents. Monocultural adolescents with high levels of perceived stress were at a greater risk of drinking (high stress=reference; low stress OR=0.91, p=.025) and smoking (high stress=reference; low stress OR=0.90, p=.029) than those with low stress. Multicultural adolescents who had made suicide attempts were at a higher risk of drinking (multicultural OR=7.879, p<.001; monocultural OR=2.481, p<.001) and smoking (multicultural OR=4.011, p=.015; monocultural OR=2.800, p<.001) than monocultural adolescents. Conclusion: To implement an effective smoking and drinking prevention program, it is necessary to consider how we can reduce the risk factors. Stress management is important for monocultural adolescents and a proactive suicide-screening program and a suicide prevention program should be included in the program for both multicultural and monocultural adolescents.

Purpose: This study was performed to measure the influence of drinking motives, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and self-determination on the intention to control drinking among nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done with the participation of 258 nursing students attending four universities in G city. Data collection was conducted from May to June, 2018, using a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and Hierarchical multiple regression. Results: The average scores for drinking motives, drinking refusal self-efficacy, self-determination, and intention to control drinking were 2.29, 4.54, 3.89, and 4.29 respectively. There were significant differences in the intention to control drinking according to grade, religion, and age of alcohol initiation. The factors influencing the intention to control drinking in nursing students were identified as self-determination (β=.24), drinking refusal self-efficacy (β=.17) and drinking motives (β=-.17). This factor explained 26% of the nursing students' intention to control drinking. Conclusion: Therefore, it is necessary to develop a alcohol education program to improve the drinking culture of nursing college students and to improve their self-regulation skills in order to help them form a desirable drinking habit, and it is also necessary to apply the developed intervention program and test the effect.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sedentary behavior on subjective health in Korean adolescents. Methods: This study is designed as a cross-sectional study. The study sample comprised of 60,040 middle and high school students primarily at the age of 12 to 17. Using data from the 14th (2018) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: The rate of engaging in sedentary behavior for less than 2 hours was 28.4% and for more than 4 hours was 28.2% in Korean adolescents. In the result from the logistic regression analysis, compared to engaging in sedentary behavior for 2 hours or less, the adjusted odds ratio was 1.15 for over 4 hours, with other factors controlled. Conclusion: It is necessary to actively develop and promote active leisure activities and limit excessive media exposure and supplementary learning for adolescents.