Mental Health Status of North Korean Refugee Adolescents Living in South Korea: A Comparative Study with South Korean Adolescents.

UNLABELLED: The refugee population is increasing worldwide, and in South Korea, the refugee population, including children and adolescents, is also rapidly increasing. This study aimed to compare the psychological problems of North Korean refugee adolescents with those of South Korean adolescents and to evaluate their mental health characteristics.

METHODS

This cross-sectional comparative study assessed psychological problems using the Korean version of the Youth Self-Report Scale (K-YSR) among 206 South Korean adolescents and 130 North Korean refugee adolescents enrolled in middle and high schools in Gyeonggi Province. The inclusion criteria included adolescents aged 13-18 years at middle or high school and residing in South Korea for at least 6 months (for North Korean refugees). Data were collected in October 2025.

RESULTS

North Korean refugee adolescents showed significantly higher scores of anxiety/depression (F = 11.304, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.033), somatic symptoms (F = 20.997, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.060), social immaturity (F = 11.083, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.032), rule-breaking behavior (F = 12.851, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.037), and aggressive behavior (F = 50.386, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.132). Notably, the largest effect size (η2 = 0.132) was observed in the aggressive behavior domain, while the somatic symptoms also showed a moderate effect size (η2 = 0.060). In the ANCOVA analysis, controlling for gender and age as covariates, female students scored higher in the anxiety/depression and somatic symptoms domains, while male students scored higher in the rule-breaking behavior and aggressive behavior domains.

CONCLUSIONS

North Korean refugee adolescents experience various psychological difficulties during their adaptation to South Korean society. These results can be used as basic data to detect mental health problems in North Korean adolescent refugees early and develop customized support plans.