소아 청소년 자살기사에 관한 내용분석

A Study on Child and Adolescent Suicide Cases Reported by Newspaper

This study was carried out to search for basic characteristics of child and adolescent suicides. The author analysed child and adolescent suicide cases reported on daily newspaper, Dong-A Ilbo，from 1981 to 1990. The total number of cases were 144，including 94 boys and 50 girls. The cases were devided into three age groups • early(l— 14)，middle(15 — 17)，and late(18ᅳ 24) age group. The results of the study were as follows * 1) The suicide cases were more frequent in male. The ratio of male to female was 2: 1. The peak age was 18(13.2%). Increasing the age, suicidal behavior was more frequent in male than in female. 2) Suicides in child and adolescent were reported most frequently in 1981. But until 1989, sucide cases has not been increased. 3) In occupation and education status, the student was the most frequent group(63.2%). Among them, high school adolescents(22.9^) were most common. 4) Suicides were found to occur most commonly during spring, followed by summer, autumn and winter. But difference was not found on the day of week. Suidides were committed more frequently betwen 12 M D ᅳ 6 P.M. This trend was more common in child. 5) The most frequent place of suicide was the home(48.6% ). This trend was more common in female and early age group. 6) The most common methods of suicide were by hanging(25.7%), followed by drug(25.0 %) and jum pingC lQ ^^). In male suicide was committed by more lethal methods, such as hanging, jumping, weapon firing, but in female the most common method was drug. In early age group, more frequent means of suicide was drug(50%) and hanging(33.3%) but in late age group, the means of suicide were variable. 7) The most frequent motivation of suicide were emotional problem and school problem. Demonstration was more frequent motivation in famale. The friend was the most common partner in joint suicide.