A Study of Relationship between Adolescents, Sexual Development and Problem Behavior and Depression: Focused on middle school students in Kyungki-Do

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the relationship between adolescents' sexual development, and body image, problem behavior and depression. The subjects for this study were 444 students at middle school in Kyung Ki Do. The data were collected during the period from May to November, 2000, and were obtained by use of questionnaires. The instruments used for this study were for sexual development divided by Tanner(1962), for the body image, the Body Cathexis Scale by Secord & Jourard(1953), for the problem behavior, the Child Problem Behavior list developed by Hong Kyung Ja(1986), and for the depression, the Beck Depression Inventory developed by Beck(1978). The data were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, t-test, and ANOVA using the SPSS-Win program. The results of this study are as follows : 1. The mean stages of the sexual development were 2.99(genital development) and 2.76 (pelvic development). The mean score of the body image was 3.32, problem behavior 1.35, and depression 26.81±5.95. 2. As for the male student, there was a significant positive correlation(r=.244, p= .001) between genital development and body image. As for the female student, there was a significant negative correlation(r=-.198, p=.009) between pelvic hair development and body image and as significant positive correlation(r=.273, p=.000) between pelvic hair development and problem behavior. 3. As for the female student, there was a significant positive correlation between sexual development and depression(r=.234, p=.001 ; r=.294, p=.000). 4. For the both of male and female student, body image was negatively correlated to the problem behavior(r=-.211, p=.005 ; r= -.299, p=.000), and depression(r=-.321, p=.000 ; r=-.342, p=.000) and the problem behavior was positively correlated to the depression (r=.665, p=.000 ; r=.781, p= .000). 5. The stage of the genital development (t=-3.70, p=.000) and body image(t=3.49, p=.001) was significantly different according to sex. 6. The level of the problem behavior was significantly different according to family economic status(F=5.71, p=.004), school scores(F=12.81, p=.000), and BMI(F=2.83, p=.039). In conclusion, this study showed different relationships between sexual development and body image, problem behavior according to sex. And the level of the sexual development for the male and female adolescents should be considered in school and the other field. And the depressive mood of delinquent adolescents should also be managed. Research examining the difference in psychological, affective character- istics, and coping strategies according sex is need in order to enhance their health.