ABSTRACT
Objective@#Precarious workers have increased over the past two decades in South Korea. Employment instability, especially among young adults, is considered a serious social problem. The unstable employment status of precarious workers has negative impacts on their mental health, such as suicidal behavior. This study aims to identify the effect of the unstable employment conditions on the suicidal behavior of precarious workers. @*Methods@#An online survey was conducted with a panel sample of South Korean adults (n=797) who were precarious workers aged between 25–34 years. We applied Model 6 of SPSS PROCESS MACRO 3.5 to examine the multiple mediation effects of depression and anger in the relationship between employment instability and suicide. @*Results@#Unstable employment had no direct effect on suicidal behavior. The path of unstable employment to suicidal behavior via depression and anger had a significant indirect effect. However, employment and anger were negatively related. The indirect effect of depression and anger on the relation between unstable employment and suicidal behavior was statistically significant. @*Conclusion@#This study suggests an association between unstable employment and suicidal behavior, mediated by depression and anger. Specifically, a high level of unstable employment status increased depression. In contrast, a low level of unstable employment status increased anger, which ultimately led to an increase in suicidal behavior. These contrasting findings are likely to reflect the heterogeneity of precarious workers. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to identify the causality between precarious employment and suicidal behavior over time.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#Precarious workers have increased over the past two decades in South Korea. Employment instability, especially among young adults, is considered a serious social problem. The unstable employment status of precarious workers has negative impacts on their mental health, such as suicidal behavior. This study aims to identify the effect of the unstable employment conditions on the suicidal behavior of precarious workers. @*Methods@#An online survey was conducted with a panel sample of South Korean adults (n=797) who were precarious workers aged between 25–34 years. We applied Model 6 of SPSS PROCESS MACRO 3.5 to examine the multiple mediation effects of depression and anger in the relationship between employment instability and suicide. @*Results@#Unstable employment had no direct effect on suicidal behavior. The path of unstable employment to suicidal behavior via depression and anger had a significant indirect effect. However, employment and anger were negatively related. The indirect effect of depression and anger on the relation between unstable employment and suicidal behavior was statistically significant. @*Conclusion@#This study suggests an association between unstable employment and suicidal behavior, mediated by depression and anger. Specifically, a high level of unstable employment status increased depression. In contrast, a low level of unstable employment status increased anger, which ultimately led to an increase in suicidal behavior. These contrasting findings are likely to reflect the heterogeneity of precarious workers. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to identify the causality between precarious employment and suicidal behavior over time.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#Limited data exist on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts among psychiatric patients in Korea. In this study,we investigated the clinical characteristics of patients who engaged in NSSI and/or suicide attempts. @*Methods@#We performed a retrospective medical chart review of patients with NSSI and/or suicide attempts at the psychiatric departmentof a university medical center in Seoul between 2017 and 2019. According to their history, patients were allocated to one of threegroups: NSSI only, suicide attempts only and NSSI and suicide attempts group. Groups were compared based on sociodemographic characteristicsand psychological assessments. @*Results@#Overall, 80 patients with NSSI and/or suicide attempts were evaluated. Patients with NSSI and suicide attempts were more likelyto be female than the other two groups. Patients with NSSI and suicide attempts were more likely to suffer from Cluster B personality disorderthan the other groups. And patients with NSSI and suicide attempts scored significantly higher on novelty-seeking in TCI and RC8,RC9 in MMPI-2. @*Conclusion@#Patients with NSSI and/or suicide attempts were more likely to be female, younger, and showed higher levels of psychologicaldisturbances. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and intervention for patients with NSSI.Psychiatry Investig 2020;17(4):320-330