Drug abuse has been widely linked to suicide risk. We examined the factors that affect adolescent drug users' suicide attempts in South Korea. This study analyzed the data of 311 adolescents who had used drugs such as inhalants, psychotropic drugs, and marijuana (195 males and 116 females). Among 311 subjects, 109 (35.0%) had attempted suicide during the last 12 months. After adjusting for other variables, depressive mood (OR=19.79) and poly-drug use (OR=2.79), and low/middle levels of academic achievement compared with a high level (OR=3.72 and 4.38) were independently associated with increased odds of a suicide attempt, while better perceived health (OR=0.32) was independently associated with reduced odds of a suicide attempt. For adolescent drug users, preventive work should be directed toward the active treatment of drug use, depression, and physical health and reinforcing proper coping strategies for academic and other stress.
Adolescent* ; Cannabis ; Depression ; Drug Users ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Psychotropic Drugs ; Risk Factors ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Suicide* ; Suicide, Attempted

OBJECTIVES: To initiate and develop a treatment guideline in multidisciplinary approaches for related professions who are either working and/or living with children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders who show behavioral problems. METHODS: To collect and reflect opinions from multiple professions who assumedly have different interventions or mediations on behavioral problems, a self-report survey and Focus Group Interview (FGI) were conducted for a group of child and adolescent psychiatrists, behavioral therapists, special education teachers, social welfare workers, and caregivers. RESULTS: According to a self-report survey and FGI results from multiple professional groups, aggressive behavior is the mostly common behavioral problem necessitating urgent interventions. However, both mainly used intervention strategies and effective treatment methods were different depending on professional backgrounds, such as pharmacological treatment, parent training, and behavior therapy, even though they shared an importance of improving communication skills. In addition, there was a common understanding of necessity to include parent training in a guideline. Lastly the data suggested lack of proper treatment facilities, qualified behavior therapists, and lack of standardized treatment guideline in the field needed to be improved for a quality of current therapeutic services. CONCLUSION: It is supported that several subjects should be included in the guidelines, such as how to deal with aggressive behavior, parent training, and biological aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, it is expected that publishing the guideline would be helpful to above multiple professions as it is investigated that there are lack of treatment facility and qualified behavioral therapists compared to need at the moment.
Adolescent* ; Autistic Disorder ; Behavior Therapy ; Caregivers ; Child* ; Developmental Disabilities ; Education, Special ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Negotiating* ; Neurodevelopmental Disorders* ; Parents ; Problem Behavior* ; Psychiatry ; Social Welfare

This correction is being published to correct the degree of the author Maehwa Oh, in the article.