• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.55-60
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• 2017

Objectives : Severe mental illness is a major risk factor for suicide. This study aimed to identify characteristics of patients who died by suicide among subjects who had been received service from a community mental health center. Methods : We searched individuals who had committed suicide in Gwangju Bukgu Community Mental Health Center since 2006. Sociodemographic and clinical data were gathered from medical records and their case managers and they were compared with those of general members in the center. Characteristics of schizophrenia patients who died by suicide were particularly summarized. Results : Twelve person committed suicide between 2006 and 2016. The characteristics of those who died by suicide were male (67%), diagnosis of schizophrenia (75%), aged below 50 (83%), unemployed (92%), past history of psychiatric hospitalization (100%), recent admission within 3 months (67%), past history of suicidal attempt (78%), family history of schizophrenia (58%), poor adherence to medication (58%), and use of daily rehabilitation program (42%). Ten out of twelve (83%) showed warning sign for suicide. All identified method of suicide in patients with schizophrenia was jumping from high building. Many patients with schizophrenia, who committed suicide, suffered from comorbid depressive symptoms (67%) and auditory hallucination (78%). Conclusion : Case managers should pay attention to and carefully manage individuals who showed suicidal warning, particularly with risk factors for suicide, such as unemployment, admission state or recent discharge from psychiatric hospital, poor adherence to medication, family history of schizophrenia, and a history of suicidal attempt.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze Mental health literacy in General population. Methods : We analyze the National Mental Health Literacy and Attitude Survey Data in 2021. We investigate 2016 general population and evaluate sociodemographic characteristics, Mental health literacy and stigma. We utilize 4 Case vignette which consist of Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Alcohol Use Disorder and Suicidal Ideation. Results : Schizophrenia (27.6%) have the lower disease recognition compare to Major Depressive Disorder (43.8%) and Alcohol Use Disorder (61.7%) (p<0.001). The stigma of Alcohol use disorder (52.8%) is highest and the stigma of Schizophrenia (47.2%) is the second highest (p<0.001). Conclusions : The education and overcoming the stigma in Mental health is needed in Schizophrenia and Alcohol Use Disorder.

• Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.190-208
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• 2018

Objectives To initiate and develop a treatment guideline in multidisciplinary approaches for related professions who are either working and/or living with children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders who show behavioral problems. Methods To collect and reflect opinions from multiple professions who assumedly have different interventions or mediations on behavioral problems, a self-report survey and Focus Group Interview (FGI) were conducted for a group of child and adolescent psychiatrists, behavioral therapists, special education teachers, social welfare workers, and caregivers. Results According to a self-report survey and FGI results from multiple professional groups, aggressive behavior is the mostly common behavioral problem necessitating urgent interventions. However, both mainly used intervention strategies and effective treatment methods were different depending on professional backgrounds, such as pharmacological treatment, parent training, and behavior therapy, even though they shared an importance of improving communication skills. In addition, there was a common understanding of necessity to include parent training in a guideline. Lastly the data suggested lack of proper treatment facilities, qualified behavior therapists, and lack of standardized treatment guideline in the field needed to be improved for a quality of current therapeutic services. Conclusion It is supported that several subjects should be included in the guidelines, such as how to deal with aggressive behavior, parent training, and biological aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, it is expected that publishing the guideline would be helpful to above multiple professions as it is investigated that there are lack of treatment facility and qualified behavioral therapists compared to need at the moment.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.427-437
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• 2020

This study investigated perceptions of mental health literacy, mental health status, mental health welfare center, and mental health business of local students. Totally, 388 students visiting the mental health welfare center located in G city were enrolled for the study. Data were collected from October 1 to October 26, 2018 using structured questionnaires, and analyzed by applying the IBM SPSS 24.0 statistics program. The mental health status of subjects was found to be most severely stressed (31.4%). The mental health literacy score of the subjects was 40.99 points, and 45.9% of the respondents had never heard of mental health welfare center. Considering mental health business, 68.3% had never heard of mental health counseling, and the most common way to access information about mental health or mental illness was the internet (58.0%). In addition, 75.3% respondents answered that an increase in the government budget for management of mental health and illness was required. Taken together, our results indicate the necessity to strengthen continuous education, promotion for mental health improvement, and the development of a customized mental health promotion program suitable for the student's level, through involvement of the community mental health welfare center.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate suicidal behaviors and the related psychopathology across the different stages of schizophrenia. Methods: We recruited 131 patients with schizophrenia and categorized them into two groups, according to the duration of illness (DI) as follows: ≤10 years (n=39) and >10 years (n=92). Psychopathology and suicidality were assessed using the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-18) and the suicidality module from the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, respectively. Results: One-quarter of the patients with a DI ≤10 years and nearly one-sixth of the patients with a DI >10 years experienced suicidal behaviors in the previous month. Suicidality scores were significantly associated with the "affect" factor scores of the BPRS-18 in patients with a DI ≤10 years (β=0.55, p=0.003) and with the "resistance" factor scores in patients with a DI of >10 years (β=0.29, p=0.006). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that psychopathological factors were differentially associated with suicidality in patients with schizophrenia according to the illness stage. Our findings suggest that for effective suicide prevention, different approaches are required for the management of each stage of schizophrenia.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.639-650
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of mental health literacy, mental health status, mental health welfare center and mental health business of local public officials. The participants were 762 public officials working in G city. Data were collected from October 1, to October 26, 2019 using structured questionnaires, and IBM SPSS 24.0 statistics program was used for the analysis. As a result, the mental health status of the subjects was the most severe stress 28.1%. The mental health literacy score of the subjects was 40.99 points and mental health status was 1.66 points. And 46.6% of the respondents had never heard of mental health welfare center. As for mental health business, 57.0% had never heard of mental health counseling, and the most common route for gaining information on mental health or mental illness was TV at 65.2%. In addition, 85.0% answered that an increase in the government budget for the management of mental health and illness was necessary. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the continuous education and promotion for mental health improvement and the development of customized mental health promotion programs suitable for the public officials level through of the community mental health welfare center.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.275-285
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• 2019

The purpose of the present study was to investigate perceptions of mental health literacy and mental health services of local public officials in Korea. The participants were 273 civil servants working in three Gangwondo provinces. Data were collected from July 1, 2018 to August 15, 2018 using structured questionnaires, and SPSS Ver. 22.0 was used for data analysis. Results showed mental health literacy of public officials was 101.45 points (range 35-160). Mental health literacy level was found to be significantly dependent on occupation and levels of mental health education, mental health treatment experience, and family mental health treatment experience. Only 39.9% of respondents stated they were aware of mental health welfare centers. The most common condition that caused respondents to seek mental health services was depression (35.9%). In addition, 44.7% of the respondents opined that mental health care was improving due to community changes. An analysis of the relationship between perceptions of mental health welfare centers and mental health literacy scores showed a positive relationship between participant prior knowledge about mental health welfare centers and investment in mental health management (p=.012), suggesting a need for further development of educational programs using mental health nurses to improve mental health literacy among community officials.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.113-138
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• 2016

This study aims to examine whether the relationship between client violence and turnover intentions is mediated by job stress among community mental health social workers. Data of a sample of 1,429 drawn from a study of nation-wide mental health promotion centers in 2013 was analyzed in order to verify both the direct and mediating effects between client violence, turnover intentions, and job stress. The study found that 67.2%(n=961) of the sample experienced client violences in the workplace. Furthermore, the experience of client violences had a direct effect on turnover intentions and job stress had a partially mediating effect on the relationship between client violence and turnover intentions. Based on the results, implications were discussed to reduce the extent of job stress of mental health social workers and to provide a safer work environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.56
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• pp.33-68
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• 2016

This study aimed to explore the experiences of community child center workers about how they have dealt with the mental health of children and adolescents who use such centers. For this study, we used a sample of ten community child center workers, who were divided into two groups and who participated in four focus group interviews. The results revealed four themes and twelve sub-themes: "the reality of facing children's mental health issues," "dealing with children's mental health issues and limitations," "know-hows accumulated from experiences and visible changes," and "remaining tasks--the workers who cannot give all." Based on the results the implications of promoting the mental health of children at community child centers were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2016

Objectives : This article aims to describe the development of smartphone application for the case management of patients with schizophrenia. Methods : Gwangju Bukgu-Community Mental Health Center developed and launched a smartphone application (HYM) for cognitive-behavioral case management and symptom monitoring. The development of the application involved psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and software technicians from a software development company (Goosl Corp.). Results : The HYM application for clients includes six main modules including Thought record, Symptom record, Daily life record, Official notices, Communication, and Scales. The key module is the 'Thought Record' for self-directed cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT). When the client writes and sends the self-CBT sheet to the case manager, the latter receives a notification and can provide feedback in real time. 'Communication' and 'Official notices' are useful for promoting communication between case managers and clients with schizophrenia. Ratings in 'Symptom record', 'Daily life record', and 'Scales' modules are stored in graphic or table form representing changes in them and shared with case managers. Conclusion : The interactive function of this application is the key characteristics that distinguishes it from other mobile self-treatment tools. This smartphone application may contribute to the development of a youth- and customer-friendly case management system for individuals with early psychosis.