• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.109-123
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• 2013

The discovery of the mirror neuron system (MNS) is one of the most important neuroscientific achievements in the 20th century. Some researchers had reported that MNS dysfunction was discovered in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Finally, the 'broken mirror' theory of ASD was announced in the mid 2000's. According to this theory, ASD cannot simulate the mind and behavior of others due to MNS dysfunction; therefore, they cannot imitate the behaviors and empathized with the mind of others. However, ASD does not always show imitation problems. The researchers who have criticized the 'broken mirror' theory proposed the 'social top-down response modulation (STORM)' theory. On STORM theory, the medial prefrontal cortex or temporo-parietal junction, brain areas related with mentalising, might modulate MNS according to social context. We compared the strengths and weaknesses of each theory.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2011

Alcohol is so-called "a magic bullet" affecting on the various organs and central and peripheral nervous systems and causes mental illness as well as physiological and psychological dependence. Also, alcohol problem is related with serious social problems including family violence, suicide, loss of job and crimes. Because alcohol use disorder is a common cause of consultation and liaison in general hospital, we could consider alcohol use disorder of one of psychosomatic disorder. Thus, I reviewed the prevalence, rate of consultation, and general consultant and treatment issues in treating patients with substance use disorder in a psychosomatic medicine.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.325-351
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• 2019

The present study examined patterns of co-occurrence between DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic growth(PTG) among Korean populations(n= 860). Latent profile analysis was used to identify subclasses and suggested that the 3-class model fit best: (1) Low PTSD/Mild PTG group (2) Low PTSD/High PTG group; (3) High PTSD/High PTG group. Class membership was predicted by demographic variables, social isolation, and frequency of traumatic experiences. Classes also differed with respect to self-destructive behaviors(binge eating, non-suicidal self-injury, and problem drinking). These findings contribute to future research about the coexisting patterns of PTSD and PTG, and to identify high-risk individuals who suffer from trauma-related problems in clinical practice.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.123
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• pp.281-307
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• 2012

In the modern society, we have come to recognize human emotions such as anxiety, fear, pain, anger, sadness, longing, desire and pleasure as important topics of philosophy. How shall we study the 'problem of emotions', or in a bigger sense, the 'problem of empathy'? With this critical mind, the research into empathy can be called as a starting point for studying the deepest feelings and thoughts of human beings in connection with the feelings of other people. Most of all, in order to understand other people and to understand human being itself, the role of sympathy or empathy has been emphasized among the problems of emotions, and this trend is especially distinctive in the philosophy of psychology. I definitely acknowledge that empathy or sympathy takes loneliness and agony away from a human being and therefore it is the starting point of communication between people. However, the very fundamental question of 'what are human beings, and who are they?' is once again reminded. In other words, this thesis focuses on the fact that humans are viewed not only as the existence with a soul or heart, but also as a "unique existence" containing something "material-, life- and spiritual", and in that sense, this world is an ecological organism that contains organic connections of humans, material things, plants and animals, which should be the point of view for approach. And it is also emphasized in this study to approach the question about human beings from the religious spirituality point of view that the society with true love for neighbors could be achieved through religious practices that provide principles and value.

• Water for future
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.415-415
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• 1989

자연재해연구는 인간.자연환경 관계를 연구하는 학문이다. 금세기초 환경결정론, 환경가능주의, 그리고 인지에 의한 행동과학주의로 연구 Paradigm이 변화.발전되어 오며서 지리학에서도 이러한 이론적 방법론의 바탕위에 인간-자연환경 관계를 설명하려고 노력했다. 1920년대 초 Barrow가 인간생태학 개념을 발표, 1950, 1960년대 이에 영향받은 White, Kate와 Burton 같은 미국의 자연재해지리학자들은 미국에서 홍수재해문제를 인간적응, 특히 "인식"의 역할에 중점을 두어 재해지역에서 자원이용과 이의 관리문제를 연구하였다. 1970년대 들어오면서 재해의 양상, 적응방법등이 연구되고, 또한 적응의 여러 비교연구가 있었으며, 사회성과 관련 사회학적 연구 접근과 다양한 레벨의 케이스 Study 또한 이루어졌다. 오늘날의 자연재해연구는 일반재해연구로 발전하여 핵반응, 각종산업.교통재해, 화학물질 및 환경오염문제, 각종 소음공해, 폭발물 사고 등 참으로 여러 종류의 사회문제가 재해연구의 대상이 되었고, 근래에는 약물중독, 성폭행, 그리고 복잡한 현대사회에서 제기되는 정신질환까지 일종의 재해문제로 다루어 지리학내에서 연구되고 있다. 이와같이 연구의 많은 변환.발전과 함께 처음 Academic한 연구로 시작된 재해문제 연구가 이에 관심을 같는 여러분야 즉, 경제.사회, 심리학자, 토지이용개발자, 보험, 은행, 부동산업자 재해와 관련있는 민간단체, 정부기관, 정책실행기관등이 참여하는 공동연구가 활발히 행하여지고 있다. 최근에는 "세계 자연재해 감소 10개년 계획"이라는 Program을 미국이 주동이 되어 국제적인 기구로 만들어 관심있는 여러국가의 과학자, 재해연구가, Engineer, 정부관계자들이 참여 서로 정보와 지식의 교환, 세계의 개발.재개발에 대한 계획, 재해감소의 교육훈련등 다채로운 Project을 가지고 세계 자연재해 감소를 위하여 공동연구의 노력을 하려는 움직임이다. 세계의 권위있는 재해통계에 의하면 한국이 매년 자연재해로 인하여 100만명당 1,000명이 희생되는 나라로 방글라대시, 이란, 중남미와 페루, 과태말라, 동남아시아의 뉴기니와 나란히 중진개발도상국으로 몇안되는 나라의 하나로 들어있는 것을 볼 때 유감이 아닐수 없다. 우리나라는 하루빨리 이러한 자연재해로부터 아까운 생명과 재산을 잃어버리고 있는 고통과 문제를 해결하려는 민간.정부차원에서 관심을 기울이고 우선 기본적인 연구의 기틀을 마련하는 제도적 장치와 분위기가 아쉽다고 않을 수 없다.와 분위기가 아쉽다고 않을 수 없다.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2001

Objectives：Few studies have examined the psychiatric properties or child developmental problems associated with inversion of chromosome 9. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychiatric properties of child patients who have inversion of chromosome 9, focused on behavioral problems and child developmental problems like motor or language developmental delay, intellectual impairment, and growth retardation. Methods：1) The authors examined the cases referred for cytogenetic examination from 1984 to 2000 at Seoul National University Hospital in Korea. The cases with the examination result of inversion of chromosome 9 were collected and informations about the departments which referred and the main reasons for referral were also checked. 2) 12 child subjects with inversion of chromosome 9 and their parents underwent psychiatric interview and parent questionnaire(child and adolescent past history questionnare, CBCL). 45 normal students whose sex and age were matched to patients were selected as a control group. Results：1) There were 165 cases of inversion of chromosome 9. The major departments which referred were Obstetrics and Gynecology(47.3%), Pediatrics(23.6%) and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry(17.0%). The major reasons for referral from the Pediatrics and the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry department (67 cases total) were intellectual impairment(35.8%), language or motor developmental delay(31.3%), suspected Fragile X syndrome(23.9%), and growth retardation(20.9%). 2) Compared to normal control group, the rate to be included in the clinical range with regard to the social problems profile was higher in patient group according to the CBCL results. The patient group had language and motor developmental delay. Conclusion：There is a possibility of inversion of chromosome 9 to be associated with child developmental problems or behavioral problems. This study is the first approach to evaluate the developmental aspects associated with inversion of chromosome 9.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.168-176
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• 2020

Objectives : Loneliness and poor sleep quality are common phenomena in old age and are associated with negative physical and mental health. However, little is known regarding the relation between loneliness and sleep quality. The aim of this study was to examine the association of loneliness and sleep quality among the elderly living alone. Methods : This is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 1,090 subjects who are the community-residing elderly living alone. Sociodemographic status, medical condition, cognition, mood disorder, sleep quality and levels of loneliness were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and a specific semi-structured interview conducted by trained nurses. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data regarding sociodemographic variable and loneliness. Univariate and Multivariate regression analyses were applied to examine the association between loneliness and sleep quality after adjustment for multiple confounding variables. Results : The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) mean score of "lonely group" (9.2±4.2) was significantly higher than that of "not lonely group" (7.3±3.7) (student-t test, p<0.001). Loneliness was significantly associated with PSQI (standardized β=0.065, p=0.025), sleep disturbance (standardized β=0.086, p=0.005), use of sleep medication (standardized β=0.065, p=0.034) after adjustment for possible confounding variables including sex and mood disorder. Conclusions : Loneliness was associated with sleep disturbance and this finding implied negative impact of loneliness on sleep quality of older adults. Public health promotion efforts to reduce loneliness may improve sleep quality and mental health in the elderly living alone.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.122-140
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• 2000

Somatization disorder is a chronic condition characterized by multiple somatic complaints that are not due to any apparent organic illness. Somatization disorder is related historically to hysteria and hysteria has been defined by the existence of somatic complaints for which no organic reason can be found. Therefore most theories of somatization have focused on the psychodynamic and sociological perspectives. However, the concept that the somatic presentation of emotional distress or psychiatric illness might have a neurobiological basis has also aroused considerable interest. Relative to this perspective, the case of Anna O. which has been considered the prototype of hysteria, was reformulated from a neuropsychological perspective. Several neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies, studies concerning hemispheric differences in symptom presentation of the patients with hysteria have been shown the evidences for the biological basis of somatization. Moreover, recent neuroimaging studies in somatization disorder also show that brain dysfunction in somatization. The author reviewed several candidate theories which could help to explain the process of somatization in the perspective of biological basis and proposed the new neuropsychological model of somatization. The author also examined the possible application of this model to the treatment of somatization disorder and discussed it's limitation and the future directions in this field.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-132
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• 2001

Depression in the medically ill is a common clinical problem that primary physicians and psychiatric consultants encounter. Treatment of such patients begins with a careful evaluation of the patient's medical and psychiatric conditions. The assessment of depression in the medical patients requires a multidimensional approach. Psychological instruments are also used as a method of assessment in these patients. First of all, what the therapists have to do is to find and remove organic causes. Psychosoical treatment includes dealing with the patient's resistance and despondency relevant to physical diseases. For biological treatment, it is important to select appropriate antidepressants. Therapists should be familiar with the side effects of the antidepressants as well as the patient's primary depressive symptoms, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the available agents. In addition, special attention should be paid to the potential for drug-illness and drug-drug interactions. Tricyclic antidepressants can be still effectively used for patients with pain disorder, although a variety of new antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), bupropion and venlafaxine could have more benefits in depression of the medically ill. However, electroconvulsive therapy can be recommended for refractory cases of depression in patients with medical illness.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.192-217
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• 2001

Object：This study was carried out to classify adolescents in runaway shelters by evaluating their psychopathology. And the ultimate purpose is to offer basic data for preventing adolescents‘ runaway and for diversifying runaway shelters suitable for the problem of individual adolescent. Method：128 adolescents who stay in the runaway shelters were asked to complete self-report qeustionnaires including basic sociodemographic data, Child Behavior Check List(CBCL), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory(MMPI), and Symptom Check List-90-Revised(SCL-90-R). Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(K-WAIS)[or Korean Educational Developmental Institute-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children(KEDI-WISC)] and Bender-Gestalt test(BGT) were also done by clinical psychologists. Results：The most common age of the subjects were 15-year-old, and they dropped out their schools in the middle school most commonly. Mostly they were from middle class family and their parents' educational level were high school graduates. The first runaway episode was most common in the middleschool period, and their runaways were repeated. The most common frequency of runaways were more than 10 times. About 10% of them abused drugs and about 80% of them abused alcohol. One third of them had experiences of illegal problems and 10% of them engaged in sexual activity for money. 95 adolescents(83%) in CBCL, 42 adolescents(36%) in SCL-90-R, and 70 adolescents(69.3%) in MMPI showed clinical significance. In intelligence test, 22 adolescents(22%) were mentally retarded. In BGT, 35 adolescents(39.4%) manifested brain dysfunction signs. Conclusion：Runaway adolescents in the shelters have variable and severe psychopathology. Their psychopathology is classified as follows；The behavior disorder group, the mood disorder group with anxiety/depression, the somatic disorder group with somatic symptoms, and the psychosis group with possibility of severe psychopathology. Therefore it is very important to evaluate psychiatric problems of runaway adolescents, and specific therapeutic interventions according to their problems are required.