This study tried to explore methods that help develop program for influence of academic stress and improving mental health of elementary school students by knowing moderating effect of emotional recognition clarity in the relationship between academic...
This study tried to explore methods that help develop program for influence of academic stress and improving mental health of elementary school students by knowing moderating effect of emotional recognition clarity in the relationship between academic stress and mental health, and identifying interrelation among academic stress, mental health, and emotional recognition clarity - elementary school students in upper grade were attended in this study.
This study carried out the questionnaire survey for 505 students in the fifth and sixth grade of elementary school in Incheon metro city.
The materials collected were processed by SPSS WIN 15.0 and AMOS 7.0. To know demographical characteristic of the attendants, frequency and percentage were obtained and to know the overall characteristic of the materials, average and standard deviation each variable were obtained by reviewing different figures and regularity of the materials based on technological statistic analysis. To verify reliability each variable, Cronbach's Alpha was reviewed and to review the relation among academic stress, mental health, and emotional recognition clarity, Pearson correlation analysis was conducted. And the two phases method of Ping was applied progressively and then moderating effect was verified.
The study results are summarized as follows.
First, there was a significant positive correlation between academic stress and mental health. This means that the higher academic stress is, the higher mental health(interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, anxiety, depression) are.
Second, there was a significant negative correlation between emotional recognition clarity and mental health. That is, the higher emotional recognition clarity level is, the less mental health(interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, anxiety, depression) are.
Third, In the relation between academic stress and mental health for elementary students, Structural Equation Modeling was introduced to verify moderating effect of emotional recognition clarity. Through this verification, it is identified that measured variables about the three potential variables of academic stress, mental health, and emotional recognition clarity are composed reasonably. And routes to mental health from academic stress, emotional recognition clarity, and interaction term of academic stress and emotional recognition clarity are all statistically significant. Especially in the interaction term, because the route to mental health which is dependent variable was statistically significant, it would be said that there is moderating effect.
This study has a meaning that the moderating effect of emotional recognition clarity as a mechanism affecting mental health was verified by clearly recognizing academic stress and student's emotion which are major stress factors for our country's youth - nowadays elementary school students with various difficulties because of problem in mental health are increasing. This study implies that counselling and instruction making children with academic stress not to suppress or deny negative emotion but recognize their emotion cannot cause problem in mental health like interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, anxiety, depression etc. - current Korean educational situation does not allow to fundamentally get rid of academic stress.