Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) Korean Literature and Applied Psychology student Jo Kwan Woo, a researcher at the Kookmin*Twin Institute, has published a paper titled “Genetic and Environmental Influences on Perceived Stress in South Korean Twins” in the latest issue of the SCI journal Twin Research and Human Genetics. 'Twin Research and Human Genetics' is an international journal that publishes articles related to twin research and human behavioral genetics. 

In this paper, Jo Kwan Woo categorized the stress perceived by adolescents and college students into five dimensions: friendship, academic problems, career problems, family conflicts, and household economic problems, and focused on the effects of genetics and environment on each category. The results showed that the genetic factor was very high (57% to 67%) for friendship, academic and career problems, while the family environment factor was almost absent. On the other hand, stress over financial problems at home was 63% due to family environment, and genetics had no effect. Interestingly, stress about family conflicts was caused by both genetics and family environment. This study is expected to contribute significantly to the research on preventive and therapeutic interventions for mental health among Korean adolescents and college students.

Professor Hur Yoon Mi of the College of Liberal Arts (Director of the Kookmin*Twin Research Institute), who led the study, said, “The fact that the researchers were students of the humanities but had a perspective on life sciences was a major factor in this achievement.” “I am glad that the academic passion of Jo Kwan Woo, who has been involved in the research as an undergraduate research student since his third year, has led to good results.” 

“Although I faced many difficulties, I would like to contribute to the improvement of mental health in Korean society by learning more and striving for academic improvement, new research, and challenges,” said Jo Kwan Woo.