노인 1인가구의 자살 생각에 미치는 영향요인 연구

A Study on the Factors Influencing Suicidal Ideation of Single Elderly Households: Focusing on the Mediating Effect of Social Capital

(Purpose) This study examines factors that impact suicidal ideation among the single-person elderly households in South Korea, with the aim of using the findings to offer policy and practical suggestions regarding suicidal ideation and suicide prevention among this population group, and to provide basic data for improving life-respect consciousness. (Design/methodology/approach) In this end, this study conducted a survey on 400 senior citizens living in Gyeonggi-do Province, South Korea. The survey was carried out for approximately three months from September 1 to November 30, 2022, and a total of 336 copies were used for analysis. Using the collected data, a reliability test, descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis were performed. To test the research hypotheses, path coefficients were presented by structural equation using AMOS 27.0 to examine the mediating effect of social capital on the relationship between the independent variable (loneliness) and the dependent variable (suicidal ideation). (Findings) According to the analysis results, the reliability of all variables was relatively high, and the validity evaluation also showed that all the variables met necessary criteria. In addition, the correlation analysis of related variables determined significant correlation among all variables. Finally, social capital was found to have a partial mediating effect on the influence of loneliness on suicidal ideation, based on a structural equation model. (Research implications or Originality) The findings of this study demonstrate that loneliness has a direct effect on suicidal ideation and an indirect effect on suicidal ideation through the mediation of social capital, and social capital has a partial mediation effect on the influence of loneliness on suicidal ideation. These outcomes suggest the need for policy and practical efforts to reduce loneliness and increase social capital to prevent suicide among single-person elderly households.