청년의 외로움과 사회적 고립 유형, 정신건강의 관계 -서울 청년의 이주 경험 차이를 중심으로-

This study categorizes loneliness and social isolation among young adults, which have been recently raised as social problems, and analyzes the impact of loneliness and social isolation on young adults’ mental health. To do so, this study utilized data from the Seoul Young Adult Panel Study(SYPS), categorized loneliness and social isolation through K-cluster analysis, and analyzed the impact of loneliness and social isolation on mental health. In the process, we further analyzed the relationship between loneliness, social isolation, and mental health according to the experience of moving to Seoul of the young adults. In the end, loneliness and social isolation were categorized into seven groups. Controlling for demographic characteristics, older age, female gender, high school graduate or less, single-person households, lower income group, and poorer health group were more likely to be in the higher loneliness and social isolation group. Loneliness and social isolation were found to significantly increase the depression scores and the odds of suicidal ideation even after controlling for demographic characteristics. This study is significant in that it confirms that the concepts of loneliness and social isolation can be more accurately understood when applied separately, and analyzes the impact of different types of loneliness and social isolation on the mental health of young adults in the context of increasing mental health risks for young adults in transition. Based on the findings, suggestions are made for research and promotion of young adults’ mental health.