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Association Between Unmet Educational Aspirations and Depressive Symptoms in Working Young Adults
Woorim Kim1, Soon Young Lee2,3,4, Yeong Jun Ju2,3
1Cancer Knowledge and Information Center, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, ncc.re.kr.
Background:
Depression poses a significant burden among young adults, making it crucial to investigate factors associated with depressive symptoms. This study examined the association between unmet educational aspirations and depressive symptoms in working young adults.
Methods:
Data from the 2021 Seoul Young Adult Panel Study (SYPS) were used. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D 11) scale. The association between unmet educational aspirations and depressive symptoms was analyzed using multivariable linear regression analysis. A subgroup analysis was conducted based on job satisfaction level.
Results:
Of 3402 participants, 392 (11.5%) reported unmet educational aspirations for personal reasons and 412 (12.1%) for circumstantial reasons. Compared to individuals without unmet educational aspirations, those with unmet educational aspirations due to personal (β: 0.77, p = 0.017) and circumstantial (β: 2.17, p < 0.001) reasons had higher CES-D 11 scores, indicating higher levels of depressive symptoms. This increase was particularly pronounced among participants who reported circumstantial unmet educational aspirations and had low job satisfaction.
Conclusions:
Young adults with unmet educational aspirations, whether for personal or circumstantial reasons, showed higher levels of depressive symptoms. The findings suggest the importance of considering educational aspirations in addressing the mental health of young adults.
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