CRI

 [ABSTRACT]

Adolescence is a critical period characterized by rapid physical and emotional development and serves as a pivotal determinant of lifelong health. 

However, mental health problems such as academic stress, depression, and anxiety among adolescents have recently intensified. Adolescent 

mental health issues can incur substantial social costs, including suicide, necessitating early detection and intervention. Nevertheless, there remains 

a lack of comprehensive assessment and support systems that reflect the regional characteristics of Chungcheongbuk-do (Chungbuk) Province.

This study aims to diagnose the current state of adolescent mental health in Chungbuk through public data analysis and in-depth expert interviews 

(Focus Group Interviews), and to propose strategies for establishing a Chungbuk specific adolescent mental health support system. As of 2024, the 

prevalence of moderate or severe Generalized Anxiety Disorder among adolescents in Chungbuk is 15.9%, exceeding the national average of 

14.0% and ranking highest among all 17 provinces and metropolitan cities nationwide.

Perceived stress among Chungbuk adolescents stands at 44.4%, higher than the national average of 42.3%, while the experience rate of depressive symptoms reaches 29.0%, indicating an urgent need for active intervention. The province lacks child and adolescent psychiatrists and 

inpatient psychiatric beds entirely, requiring patients to travel to other regionsduring crisis situations, revealing a critical shortage of medical

infrastructure.

Analysis results show that adolescent mental health problems demonstrate a tendency to worsen with increasing age, and parental mental health 

status, including parental depression and sleep problems, significantly influences the prevalence of mental health issues in their children.

Expert interviews revealed that the age of self-injury and suicide attempts is decreasing, and there is a growing number of vulnerable cases involving "silent children" who exhibit no obvious warning signs, confirming the limitations of existing reactive response approaches.

The current support system is fragmented across multiple ministries including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Ministry 

of Gender Equality and Family, making integrated service delivery difficult, and regional disparities in accessibility exist, particularly in areas outside 

Cheongju City. 

To proactively address the mental health crisis among adolescents in Chungbuk, evidence-based situational assessment and establishment of 

specialized support infrastructure are required. In the short term, routine adolescent mental health surveys in Chungbuk should be institutionalized, 

and legal grounds should be established through relevant ordinance amendments. Additionally, a dedicated adolescent mental health department or 

team should be established within the provincial or metropolitan mental health welfare center. Over the medium to long term, to address the shortage of medical infrastructure, the establishment of a specialized adolescent mental health support center is proposed, operating either as a clinically integrated model in collaboration with psychiatric specialists or as a community integrated model to enhance regional accessibility.

There is a need to strengthen the adolescent mental health safety net by establishing a feedback system that progresses from survey based

program planning through specialized institution operation to performance measurement, creating a comprehensive and sustainable support 

framework.