E-ISSN : 2733-4538
An investigation of the relation between perceived stress and suicidal ideation of high school students led to two major conclusions. Stress experienced by younger or cognitively immature adolescents could influence suicidal ideation without cognitive processing of the information about the source and the controllability of stress. On the other hand, older or cognitively mature adolescents may try to understand the nature of stress, and if the understanding is unfavorable, the stress may increase suicidal ideation. The second conclusion is that suicidal ideation of Korean high school students may be associated mostly with interpersonal problems involving parents, teachers, and opposite-sex peers. Academic difficulties and dissatisfaction with own physical appearance may greatly contribute to those interpersonal problems. Implications of these findings for the prevention of adolescent suicide were discussed.