Suicide Prevention for Abused Youth in South Korea: A Qualitative Expert Study

Background

Youth victims of abuse and violence face elevated suicide risk due to cumulative trauma. However, current intervention systems remain fragmented and reactive. This study identifies the characteristics of high-risk youth and explores systemic barriers to building an effective public health safety net.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted using Focus Group Interviews (FGIs) with 13 experts from mental health, counseling, and welfare sectors. Data collection occurred between August and September 2025. Three semi-structured FGI sessions were held using maximum variation sampling and analyzed via Grounded Theory with Atlas.ti.

Results

Intervention barriers were identified across three dimensions. At the micro level, a lack of illness insight among youth, their refusal of services, and the uncooperative or avoidant attitudes of guardians frequently obstruct early intervention. At the meso level, service quality is compromised by a shortage of emergency psychiatric beds, significant regional infrastructure gaps, and a rigid administrative culture that prioritizes quantitative performance over qualitative care. At the macro level, the findings highlighted the structural “service cliff” during the transition to adulthood, policy blind spots caused by departmental silos, and legal limitations that hinder intervention without guardian consent.

Conclusions

A paradigm shift toward an organic, preventive support system is essential. Policy must prioritize continuity of care across life stages, foster inter-agency flexibility, and reduce social stigma through stable budgetary support to transform fragmented responses into a comprehensive public health strategy.

Key messages

• Effective suicide prevention for abused youth requires addressing the “service gap” during the transition to adulthood and overcoming guardian-related barriers at the micro level.

• Structural reforms, including the elimination of departmental silos and the expansion of regional mental health infrastructure, are vital for a sustainable preventive system.