ArticlePsychiatry investigation2026
Evidence for Mental Health Promotion and Prevention in Korea: A Narrative Review.
Article in Psychiatry investigation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
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Abstract
objectiveThis review critically evaluates internationally indexed evidence on mental health promotion and prevention interventions in Korea and examines whether the growing national infrastructure is underpinned by a scientific foundation that meets global standards.
methodsA narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify peer-reviewed quantitative studies published from database inception to August 8, 2025. Eligible studies evaluated programmatic or policy-level interventions explicitly designed to promote psychological well-being or prevent mental disorders among Koreans. Interventions were categorized according to the Institute of Medicine prevention framework and synthesized narratively.
resultsA total of 135 studies were included. Research targeting adolescents was relatively sparse, with a marked lack of promotion-focused interventions. Although research activity increased sharply after 2020, the evidence base remains uneven in methodological rigor. Only 23.7% of studies employed randomized controlled designs. A structural disconnect was evident in the research pipeline, where pilot studies rarely progressed to full-scale efficacy trials. Furthermore, interventions delivered through core community mental health institutions were frequently bypassed in research, with recent studies shifting heavily toward digital and web-based platforms.
conclusionWhile research volume has expanded, the field lacks the methodological and structural maturity required to guide national policy effectively. Establishing a robust scientific foundation is a prerequisite for transforming current national endeavors into a system delivering genuine population-level benefits. Future initiatives must prioritize rigorous evidence generation to align Korea's mental health promotion and prevention strategies with global standards.
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