만성적 재가출 청소년들의 가출 위험요소와 보호요소에 관한 분석 연구

Abstract

청소년 가출은 한번의 가출로 끝나지 않고, 만성적인 재가출로 이어져 다양한 비행행동으로 연루된다는데 큰 위험을 지니고 있다. 본 연구에서는 과거에 가출한 경험은 있으나 현재 학교로 돌아온 중․고등학교 재학생 집단(249명)과 주로 만성적인 가출을 일삼는 쉼터거주 가출 청소년 집단(172명)을 비교하여 단순 가출에서 끝나는 경우와 만성적인 재가출로 계속되는 경우에 어떠한 차이가 있는지를 비교, 분석하였다. 가출행동 특성의 경우, 쉼터 청소년들이 재학생 집단보다 어린 나이에 가출을 시작하고, 보다 장기 가출을 하며, 가출 횟수도 의의 있게 많은 것으로 나타났다. 가출관련 위험요소와 보호요소에 있어서는 쉼터집단이 재학생 집단에 비해 가정차원의 위험요소에 의의 있게 많이 노출되어 있으며, 반면 가정차원의 보호요소는 의의 있게 낮은 것으로 나타났다.

The present study was an attempt to explore the factors related to repetitious/chronic runaway among Korean youths. Research participants were 249 students who had runaway experiences in the past, but now returned home, and 172 runaway youths who are residing in shelter and still having chronic runaway problems. We first compared runaway behaviors regarding frequency and length of runaway, the on-set age, the reasons for runaway, and the parents' reaction to their runaway and return. The results indicated that the youths with chronic runaway problems(YWCRP) began runaway in their earlier ages, had more frequent runaway experiences, and stayed longer outside home in their run aways. In terms of the reasons for runaway, the YWCRP were shown to runaway to escape from family conflict. The parents of the YWCRP seemed to use less effective strategies to stop the youth' runaway problems. We also compared the risk factors and the protective factors related to the runaway between the chronic runaway youth group and the non-chronic runaway youth group. The results suggested that the YWCRP had more risk and less protective factors in family compared to their counterparts. We suggested that various types of shelters should be provided to the YWCRP who cannot help escaping from the serious family problems rather than sending them back home without any change. Also, it is suggested that a more systematic approach should be develop to prevent chronic runaway problems.