• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to find out the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of elderly suicide attempters visiting emergency room, compared to non-elderly adult suicide attempters. Methods : We enrolled suicidal attempters who were treated in the emergency room of the Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital between June 2013 and July 2015. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 336 suicidal attempters, and compared sociodemographic and clinical characteristics between elderly and non-elderly adult suicide attempters. Results : During the study period, 336 patients visited the emergency room of the medical center after suicide attempts. Among these, there were 71 elderly(21.2%) and 265 non-elderly adult(79.8%) suicide attempters. The suicidal methods among elderly were poisoning(73.3%), hanging(19.7%), cutting(5.6%), and jumping(1.4%). Those in non-elderly were poisoning(73.2%), cutting(17.0%), hanging(6.8%), and jumping(3.0%). The elderly suicide attempters had the tendency to choose more dangerous methods and showed higher lethality compared to adult suicide attempters(20.6% vs. 1.9%, ${\chi}^2=34.565$, p<0.05). On the other hand, premorbid psychiatric disorders had been more commonly diagnosed in non-elderly adults than elderly suicide attempters(49.8% vs. 26.8%, ${\chi}^2=12.024$, p<0.05). Conclusions : The results provide evidence of different sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of elderly suicide attempters compared to non-elderly ones visiting the emergency room. Through this study, it can be seen that the suicide attempt in the elderly tends to be severer than in the non-elderly, but only a small portion of them seek for help from psychiatric intervention. Further study is required to provide effective suicide prevention programs for elderly population.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2019

Objectives : The goals of the study are how to establish the cohort systems for the children and adolescents victims with sexual abuse in Korea and to identify the risk and protective factors that influence mental health in child sexual abuse (CSA). This is initial assessment data based on the analysis of cohort variables for baseline evaluation of subjects. Methods : We constructed the cohort systems for CSA victims recruited by Seoul Sunflower Children Center, CSA victims protection center. The initial assessment data which consisted of demographic and psychological inventories of CSA victims and their parents/families, psychiatric diagnoses were the results of statistical analysis of 65 subjects under 19 years old for 3 years 7 months. Results : The initial data were followings : female participants, N=56; mean age, 11.6 (SD=4.5); the most sexual assault, molestation 71.8%; victims, family and acquaintance 87.1%; 61.5% of the subjects diagnosed with psychiatric disorder; 29.2% diagnosed with PTSD and 23.1% diagnosed with depression. Mean duration for abuse to report is 1.5 years. Mean score of IES-R-K, TSCYC-avoidant and CBCL-problematic behavior were increased above clinical cut-off. Conclusions : CSA victims tend to have high risks in mental health problem. The cohort study could provide the risk and protective factors of CSA in mental health, and construct the predictive model for mental illness in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2018

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate correlation between degree of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and neurocognitive function along with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Korean patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods : Participants were 115 elderly subjects diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment in this retrospective study. WMH in brain MRI were rated with standardized visual rating scales (Fazekas scales) and the subjects were divided into two groups according to Fazekas scale. Cognitive function was evaluated with Korean version of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K), and BPSD was evaluated with Korean neuropsychiatric inventory (K-NPI). Independent t-test was performed to analyze the relationship between the degree of WMH and neurocognitive functions & BPSD. Results : Especially, the group with high severity of WMH showed significantly lower language fluency (p<0.05). In addition, the group with high severity of WMH showed significantly higher score in K-NPI. Conclusions : There was a significant association between WMH and neurocognitive test related with executive function. Moreover, WMH seems to affect BPSD severity. Evaluation of WMH would provide useful information in clinical settings.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2019

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between insufficient sleep and visuospatial memory in adolescents using a computerized neurocognitive function test. Methods: A total of 103 high school students (26 males and 77 females; mean age $17.11{\pm}8.50years$) without a serious psychiatric problem was recruited. All subjects were requested to complete a self-report questionnaire about weekday total sleep time and weekend total sleep time. The epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and the beck depression inventory (BDI) were administered to measure daytime sleepiness and symptoms of depression. Seven subsets of the Cambridge Neuropsychological test automated battery were examined to assess visuospatial memory. Results: After controlling for age, sex, ESS, and BDI, longer weekend total sleep time was correlated with poor performance on delayed matching to sample (r = -0.312, p = 0.002) and immediate recall on pattern recognition memory (r = -0.225, p = 0.025). Increased weekend catch-up sleep time was correlated with poor performance of delayed matching to sample (r = -0.236, p = 0.018), immediate recall on pattern recognition memory (r = -0.220, p = 0.029), and delayed recall on pattern recognition memory (r = -0.211, p = 0.036) after controlling for age, sex, ESS, and BDI. Conclusion: This study showed that increased weekend catch-up sleep time reflecting insufficient weekday sleep were associated with poor performance in delayed recall tasks of visual memory. This finding suggests that insufficient sleep during adolescence might produce a decline of visuospatial memory.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2020

Objectives : This study looked at the effects of chronic IPV on suicide ideation among married women in the country. Methods : This study used data from the five-year-old Korea Welfare Panel and analyzed using questions about verbal and physical violence, depression and suicide ideation that were investigated every year. Age, education, and economic levels, drinking, religion, chronic disease, satisfaction with family relationship, satisfaction with social relationship, were included as variables. Results : The five-year cumulative score of verbal violence had a statistically significant effect on the depressive symptom, and the relative risk was 1.180. The relative risk of five-year-old cumulative score of verbal violence in suicidal ideation was 1.276, and it was also significant even if they exclude the effects of depressive symptom. On the other hand, the five-year cumulative score of physical violence was found to have no significant impact on suicide ideation if they excluded the effects of depressive symptom. Conclusions : Unlike previous studies, this study found that chronic verbal IPVs increase suicide ideation, even though they do not contain effects of depression. Such findings suggest that intervention in IPV in married women may help reduce the nation's suicide rate.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.157-165
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of general use of English literary works. It will be helpful for both general English learners and college students majoring English Education in ESL or EFL context. English literature is very useful pedagogical tool in the language class due to its unique valuable characteristics including authenticity, cultural and linguistic value, and personal enrichment, which impact on fostering English ability of EFL students. For this reason, it is unavoidable to develop a theory and practice regarding using English literature as an educational resource for college students in Korea. In this study several considerations will be discussed in terms of selection of the literary works to be applied for language learning purpose in the classrooms of universities in Korea. Such attentions will include fours skills of English such as reading, writing, listening and speaking. Finally, some effects and implications of using literary text as a pedagogical tool in the EFL language classrooms will be discussed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.401-411
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• 2018

This study includes three students' whose country origin is of a political and economic success, therefore the pursuit to learn English is important. The participants evaluated in this study are two students of Korean descent and one Chinese student. The purpose was to evaluate their overall language learning experiences outside of their home country. While the participants in this study share similar cultures and learning styles their process towards second language readiness is different. The internal factors (readiness) that motivated them to study abroad were synonymous. However, the classroom situations (assessment), social settings (environment), and strategies used were disparate. The methodology of this paper used a holistic approach with a snowball sampling technique. The responses were collected by a prepared questionnaire and unstructured interviews, then later analyzed by the inductive reasoning process. The 3 specific categories identified were despondency, culture and communication conflict. The present study revealed that the participants' earlier preparation from their home country plays a significant contribution to their success abroad.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.47-65
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• 2021

Objectives : An accurate judgment of prognosis when treating diseases is crucial. While the 『Shanghanlun(傷寒論)』 deals with the prognosis of the Three Yin Diseases with great importance, full-scale studies have been lacking. This paper aims to study the Three Yin Diseases with a focus on prognosis analysis. Methods : Among the Three Yin Disease verses, those that could provide clues to prognosis were selected and analysed. Conclusions & Results : When Yang pulse patterns such as long(長脈)·floating(浮脈)·rapid(數脈) pulses and Yang symptoms such as fever, vexing heat, mild perspiration, thirst, warmth in hands and feet are present in Yin disease, it could be taken as signs of Yang Qi restoration. In these situations, Yin Cold pattern such as diarrhea and reversal cold disappear and the prognosis is positive. However, despite Yang pulse patterns and symptoms, there are cases where diarrhea happens as a result of cold dampness being eliminated due to Yang Qi restoration. Also, when Yang Qi starts communicating smoothly after its restoration in the Three Yin Diseases, perspiration can happen. When diarrhea and reversal cold, which are patterns of Yin Cold get worse, with pulse patterns such as unfelt(脈不至)·replete(實脈)·fulminating(脈暴出) pulses, false heat symptoms such as fever and hot flashes happen, accompanied with Yang Qi depleted symptoms such as inability to lie down due to agitation, continuous perspiration, sore throat, dyspnea, and exaggerated breathing happen. When fast pulse, fever, and perspiration are present due to depression and stagnation of ministerial fire, symptoms such as bloody stool with pus, purulent abscess, sore throat, and inability to lie down due to agitation show, which signal negative prognosis. In bad cases of Reverting Yin Disease, there is continuous diarrhea and bloody stool with pus, which can be due to either Kidney Yang deficiency or depression and stagnation of ministerial fire. It could also be caused by excessive heat.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between vasomotor symptoms and factors such as sociodemographics, health behaviors, medical condition, depression, stress, anxiety, attitude toward menopause, and quality of life. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study in peri- and post-menopausal women enrolled by the Korean Association of Health Promotion. Subjects submitted self-report questionnaires about vasomotor symptoms and other clinical symptoms. Associations between vasomotor symptoms and clinical variables were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analyses. Results : 1951 women completed self-report questionnaires and 1022 women were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of vasomotor symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women was 63.9%. Variables showing significant differences between subjects with vasomotor symptoms and subjects without them were score of Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean Version, proportions of clinically significant depression(Beck Depression Inventory ${\geq}16$), Menopausal rating scale, attitude towards menopause, the 4 subscales of World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF(Physical health, psychological, social relationships, environment), and a History of Premenstrual syndrome/Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean Version, Menopausal Rating Scale, and the Psychological subscale of World Health Organization Quality of Life -BREF show associations with vasomotor symptoms. Conclusions : Menopausal vasomotor symptoms are associated with various psychological factors, especially with depression. Midlife women suffering vasomotor symptoms should therefore be screened for depression. Future prospective studies where clinical subjects are diagnosed using structured interviews, focusing on the causal relationship between depression and vasomotor symptoms are necessary.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2018

Objectives : Clozapine is a widely prescribed antipsychotic drug for schizophrenia and is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease due to its metabolic side effects. However, little is known about the effect of clozapine on the platelet activation, another important factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. In this study, we tried to investigate the effect of clozapine on platelet activity in patients with schizophrenia by comparing the mean platelet component (MPC) values before and after the clozapine administration. Methods : A retrospective review of medical records of patients with schizophrenia, who newly started clozapine treatment from September 1st, 2003 to April 30th, 2007 at the Department of Psychiatry, Konyang University Hospital in Republic of Korea was performed. The final statistical analysis included 14 participants. Bayer ADVIA $120^{(R)}$ system was used to measure MPC. Results : Among the 14 participants, five subjects were males (28.60%), and ten subjects were females (71.40%). The mean age of participants was $37.50{\pm}11.64years$. Average of duration of illness was $91.00{\pm}93.96months$, with the mean dosage of clozapine taken by participants at the time of the last blood test was $337.50{\pm}109.52mg$. The mean MPC measurement before and after receiving clozapine was $26.12{\pm}2.22g/dL$ and $25.14{\pm}2.08g/dL$ respectively. Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that there was a statistically significant decrease in MPC levels after clozapine administration (V=16, p=0.024). Conclusions : Decreased MPC levels after clozapine administration implies that clozapine may increase platelet activation which could have an adverse effect on the occurrence of thromboembolic disease. Our findings also suggest that careful monitoring of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, such as platelets activity, is necessary when administering clozapine.