To examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and differentiate factors associated with them in urban and rural areas by applying the Ecological Models of Health Behavior.

We employed a cross-sectional design and convenience sample of 460 female adolescents. The instruments included the Adolescent Mental-Health Problem-Behavior Questionnaire (AMPQ-II) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Depressive symptoms were confirmed in 15.7% of urban adolescents and 22.9% of rural adolescents (p<.05). In the urban group, perception of health and stress associated with school performance were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. In the rural group, aca-demic/internet related problems and rule violations were significantly associated with depressive symptoms (p<.05). General life happiness, worry/ anxiety, and mood/suicidal ideation were common factors in both urban and rural areas (p<.05).

Multiple factors were associated with depressive symptoms, and those significant factors differed between urban and rural female youths. Accordingly, tailored approaches are required considering urban and rural differences. The approaches should include intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational levels of interventions.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of smartphone apps applying BodyThink program on BMI, percentage of body fat, skeletal muscle rate, body image, and self-esteem of adolescent girls.

Sixty-eight high school girls with a BMI of over 25kg/m² were recruited to participate in this study. Girls from four schools were divided into two groups: the experimental group, which used the smartphone apps applying BodyThink program, and the control group, which used smartphone apps and small group counseling. The experimental group received the BodyThink program 6 times, scheduled once a week, with each session lasting 40~50 minutes. Test measures were completed before and after the 6 week intervention period for all participants. Collected data was analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk test, descriptive statistics, χ² test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program.

The girls in the experimental group significantly improved their results in BMI(Z=-1.67, p=.042), percentage of body fat (Z=-3.01, p=.001), skeletal muscle rate (t=-3.50, p<.001), and self-esteem (t=2.66, p=.005) after the program, compared to the girls in the control group.

Mobile applications applying psychological and emotional intervention programs have the potential to be effective alternative methods to improve the body composition and self-esteem of obese adolescent girls.

This correlational study was performed to identify the impacts of maternal child rearing attitudes on the menstrual attitudes and the determinants of positive menstrual attitudes in female middle school students.

With convenience sampling, 198 middle school female students were recruited living in one major city and its surrounding areas in Korea. Data was collected using a self administered questionnaire including menstrual attitudes and maternal child rearing attitudes from April 1 to July 15, 2008.

Among the Maternal child rearing attitudes, affectionate, achievement oriented and rational attitudes had positive correlations to a positive menstrual attitude, and an autonomous attitude had a negative correlation to a negative menstrual attitude. As determinants of positive menstrual attitudes, feeling of menarche, mother's response at first menstruation, and rational maternal child rearing attitudes were delineated and their explained variance for a positive menstrual attitude was 18.5%. There was no difference on menstrual attitudes by K clustering in terms of maternal child rearing attitudes.

These results support the critical role of the mother. Especially desirable maternal child rearing attitudes in relation to a positive menstrual attitude would be affectionate, achievement oriented and rational for early adolescent girls. In further studies, considerations are needed for menstruation related education and research for early adolescents and active involvement of the mother & daughter together.