Projects

• Role: Co-Investigator (Co-I)

• Partner & Sponsoring Organization: Trauma and Psychological Health Institute, Sungkyunkwan University; National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)

• Focus Population: Korean Youths (9-24 years old)

• Timeline: 2024–2027 (Phase II of the Multi-Phase Project)

This multi-phase national research project aims to advance the prevention and early intervention of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide by developing a Korean-contextualized biopsychosocial pathway model and translating it into a technology-enabled assessment and intervention platform. Adolescents’ self-harm and suicidal behaviors are shaped by complex, dynamic interactions among biological, psychological, and social factors, yet existing prevention approaches often rely on static assessments that fail to capture real-time risk processes.

In its early phases, the project focuses on identifying mechanisms and predictive pathways of NSSI and suicidal behavior among Korean adolescents through integrated literature reviews, psychological autopsy studies, and longitudinal qualitative and quantitative research. These findings inform the construction of a culturally grounded biopsychosocial pathway model that reflects adolescents’ lived emotional, cognitive, and relational contexts.

Within this multi-phase project, Isak Kim’s research contribution focuses on the empirical examination of the associations among trauma exposure, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, and related psychosocial risk factors among Korean adolescents and adults. Drawing on longitudinal and multi-method data, this work examines underlying mechanisms and developmental pathways linking adverse experiences to self-harm and suicidality. Particular attention is given to trauma-related processes, contextual influences, and individual differences that shape risk trajectories over time. These analyses inform the refinement and empirical grounding of the Korean-contextualized biopsychosocial pathway model, contributing theoretically and methodologically to the broader research agenda while providing an evidence base for subsequent assessment and intervention efforts.

Profiles of Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) Methods among Korean Youths with a history of NSSI

Reference: Kim, I., Park, G., Jung, H., & Lee, D. (2025). Patterns of Non-Suicidal Self Injury Methods among Korean Youths: Associations with Sociodemographic, Psychosocial, and Clinical Characteristics. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-13.