• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.320-327
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• 2022

Neurodevelopmental disorders are complex conditions that pose difficulty in the modulation of proper motor, sensory and cognitive function due to dysregulated neuronal development. Previous studies have reported that an imbalance in the excitation/inhibition (E/I) in the brain regulated by glutamatergic and/or GABAergic neurotransmission can cause neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric behavioral deficits such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). NMDA acts as an agonist at the NMDA receptor and imitates the action of the glutamate on that receptor. NMDA however, unlike glutamate, only binds to and regulates the NMDA receptor subtypes and not the other glutamate receptors. This study seeks to determine whether NMDA administration in mice i.e., over-activation of the NMDA system would result in long-lasting behavioral deficits in the adolescent mice. Both gender mice were treated with NMDA or saline at early postnatal developmental period with significant synaptogenesis and synaptic maturation. On postnatal day 28, various behavioral experiments were conducted to assess and identify behavioral characteristics. NMDA-treated mice show social deficits, and repetitive behavior in both gender mice at adolescent periods. However, only the male mice but not female mice showed increased locomotor activity. This study implies that neonatal exposure to NMDA may illicit behavioral features similar to ASD. This study also confirms the validity of the E/I imbalance theory of ASD and that NMDA injection can be used as a pharmacologic model for ASD. Future studies may explore the mechanism behind the gender difference in locomotor activity as well as the human relevance and therapeutic significance of the present findings.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.141-149
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• 2023

Objectives: Most developmental screening tests have been built as parent-performed questionnaires. However, they often do not guide parents on how to answer the questionnaire. This study aimed to develop easily applicable parent guidelines. Methods: We implemented the Delphi procedure with 20 panelists. The development of the initial questionnaire was based on the results of two surveys of parents and experts provided by a policy research report that investigated the item adequacy of the Korean Developmental Screening Test. Round one included 33 items comprising all possible measurements in six categories that were identified as difficult to understand or confusing. Round two merged and modified some items and included 32 items. We defined consensus as a median agreement value of one or less and convergence and stability values of 0.5 or less. The subjective usefulness of the parent guidelines was examined based on their previous test experiences. Results: Consensus was reached after the second round, reflecting the items with the highest level of accuracy in each category. Of the 167 parents who participated in the survey, 113 (67.7%) affirmed the usefulness of the guidelines, while 10 (6.0%) answered that they were not useful. Items that recommended a different scoring strategy in answering the questionnaire from their previous measurements were found to be more useful by the parents. Conclusion: The parent guidelines, composed of five bullet points, drew on the consensus of the experts. Further studies are required to assess whether these guidelines improve the accuracy of screening tests in clinical settings.

• Human Ecology Research
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.565-583
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• 2023

This study sought to examine the effects of current single-parent family policies on the psychological adaptation of family members in single-parent homes, while also confirming that visitation and child support are indeed in the best interests of children in such cases. An online survey was conducted in 2021 for divorced single mothers and their children (aged 11 to 19) living in metropolitan regions (Seoul, Kyunggi, and Incheon). A total of 171 dyads, comprised of single mothers and their adolescent children, participated in this study. Using the collected data, descriptive statistical analysis and structural equation modeling were performed. The major results of this study are as follows. First, visitation with fathers was not significantly associated with self-esteem, aggression, or life satisfaction among the participating adolescent children. On the other hand, when child support was paid, aggression among adolescents was lower than when child support was not paid. Second, neither visitation nor child support was significantly associated with single mothers' levels of depression and life satisfaction. The enforcement of child support guarantees the welfare of children and conforms to the principle of promoting the best interests of minor children. Therefore, child support should be continuously encouraged and supported by agencies in accordance with current law. In order for the implementation of visitation to be in the best interest of the child, the amount and quality of visitation should be secured so that the child can still recognize their non-custodial parents as "caregivers."

• 대한통합의학회지
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.103-112
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• 2017

Purpose : This study was conducted to improve cognitive oral healthcare care by analyzing the correlation between oral health behavior and oral health status Korean adolescents. The subjects were 65,528 youths in 798 schools monitored in the Twelfth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in 2016. Methods : The general characteristics consisted of 9 items including sex, grade, and academic performance. The academic performance and economic status were restructured into "upper, middle, lower". Subjective health perception and subjective oral health perception were reorganized as "health", "normal", "no health". The sub-areas of oral health behavior include five times of daily brushing during the day yesterday. The number of brushing times was "0", "1-2", "3", "more than 4" After lunch at school, brushing was restructured as "always," "sometimes," "not." The oral health status subscale consisted of 6 items including tooth breakage and toothache at the time of eating. Result : Tooth fracture(43.7 %), pain in mastication(43.7 %), tooth tingling(47.4 %), gum pain and bleeding(45 %), pain in buccal mucosa(43.8 %) and halitosis(46.6 %) were rare in adolescent having healthy oral health status cognitively(P<.001). Nosymptom adolescents without dental sealant showed low tooth fracture(0.64 times), pain in mastication(0.67 times), tooth tingling(0.59 times), gum pain and bleeding(0.84 times), pain in buccal mucosa(0.76 times), and halitosis(0.90 times). Nosymptom adolescents without scaling showed low tooth fracture(0.88 times), pain in mastication(1.03 times), tooth tingling(0.82 times), gum pain and bleeding(0.64 times), pain in buccal mucosa(0.70 times) and halitosis(0.82 times). Conclusion : This study revealed that oral health status is correlated with oral health behavior. Development of educational media and program, and aggressive promotion required to establish oral health Korean adolescent.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.104-111
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• 2015

Objectives : The aim of this study was to develop computerized attention tasks using smart devices for preschool aged children for assessment of auditory attention, visual attention, and attention shifting abilities. We then evaluated their construct and concurrent validity of them. Methods : Sixty-seven 5- to 7-year-old children attending kindergarten were recruited. Newly developed computerized attention tasks and existing standardized attention tests such as Advanced Test of Attention (ATA) and Children's Color Trails Test-2 (CCTT-2) were successively administered. To examine the concurrent validity of these tasks, correlation coefficients between the participants' scores on the newly developed tasks and the scores on well-known measures were calculated for assessment of each component construct. We also examined the construct validity of the tasks using the developmental trend of the auditory attention, visual attention, and attention shifting abilities with age. Results : Significant correlations were observed between the scores of computerized attention tasks using smart devices and corresponding scores of ATA-auditory task, visual task, and CCTT-2. And there were significant linear increasing trends of correct scores with age from 5 to 7 years. Conclusion : This study provides promising evidence for the utility of computerized attention tasks using smart devices for preschool-aged children.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.47-61
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• 2004

Purpose: The goal of this paper is to offer practical suggestions for developing, implementing, and maintaining a successful school mental health program based on the model of a school mental health program for middle school students at the Namgu Hyosarang adolescent Mental Health Center. The model will be divided into six areas and the challenges and future direction of this program: creative approach to funding, creative staffing, education, training, needs assessment & resource mapping, collaboration and partnerships in a school mental health program, and developing an outcome evaluation research. Method: This is a descriptive study of the school mental health program model for middle school students of Namgu Hyosarang Adolescent Mental Health Center implemented over a four year period. Conclusion: Within this paper, a blueprint that can guide the development and implementation of school mental health programs has been offered. The actual application of this model will vary depending on the structure and goals of individual programs and schools. This model of our center has been identified as an effective school mental health program and the actual application program in regular learning times to middle school students. Establishing guidelines about the types of activities necessary for the successful implementation and sustainability of a school mental health program constitutes the first step in standardizing this process, and the school mental health movement continues to receive national recognition as a viable services delivery model for adolescents in need of mental health services. The recommendations outlined indicate that a school mental health program is more effective and necessary than the clinical service of a psychiatric hospital for adolescents' emotional/behavioral problems.

• 한국학교ㆍ지역보건교육학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.1-13
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• 2008

Objectives: Literature has shown the relationship between the use of harmful media and sexual behaviors among adolescents. Laws and regulations of violent and sexual mass media are getting stricter, but young children reported that they were still accessible to these harmful materials. It might be due to the development of new techniques in media delivery and new trends of game addict among Korean adolescents. Since there were very few studies on recent harmful media available to young children, the authors explore the usability of harmful media and identify related factors that can predict adolescent sexual attitudes and activities. Methods: This study was conducted secondary analysis using the internal data that were drawn from National Youth Committee's survey of adolescent harmful environment in 2007. The self-reported questionnaires were administered to 13,721 adolescents who were randomly selected based on strata of geography, school, and gender. Results: Adolescents accessed mostly to NC-19(No Children under 19) TV programs(35.8%) and AO(Adult Only) games(35.5%). Most of them reported that they did not have difficulty in the contact of these harmful media. The factors that can predict adolescent sexual intercourse are male adolescents, attending high school, not being satisfied with family life and school, contact with phone-advertising of sex, AO games and other online games, viewing adult videos, or reading adult books. Conclusions: When sex education is designed, an instructor considers not only students' demographic characteristics but also the strategies to deter the use of harmful media especially for game materials.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.19-24
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• 2013

Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine the association between the children's psychopathology and age, intellectual quotient, and parental psychopathology in children with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: The emotional and behavioral problems of 35 children with PTSD (23 boys, 12 girls, mean age, $10.26{\pm}2.47$ years) were investigated by retrospective chart review. Their parents' anxiety and depression symptoms were also investigated. We examined the correlations between children's psychopathology and their parents' anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as their age and IQ. Results: There were positive correlations between maternal trait anxiety and depression, and children's emotional problems. State and trait anxiety of children with PTSD were positively correlated with age, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms were negatively correlated with age. Conclusion: Our results suggest that psychiatric manifestation of children who experienced trauma could differ according to the development stage, and the treatment of children with PTSD should involve parental education about the effect of maternal emotional states on children.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.47-53
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to develop the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-After School Checklist (ASK) to evaluate the severity of ADHD symptoms and self-management ability in children and adolescents in South Korea. Additionally, we evaluated the reliability and validity of the scale. Methods: We developed the ASK to evaluate the effect of ADHD psychopathologies on self-management and interpersonal impulsivity. We investigated the reliability and validity of the scale with 1349 parents (male 56.9%; 1202 parents of non-ADHD children, 147 parents of children with ADHD) in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, Korea. Results: According to the construct validity test using principal constant analysis with the varimax rotation method, two factors explained 60.7% of the cumulative variance in ASK scores. Cronbach's alpha for the whole scale was 0.71. There was no statistical difference between mean ASK scores at test and retest. Mean total ASK scores of the ADHD group were significantly higher than those of the non-ADHD group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The ASK can be used as a reliable and valid tool to evaluate not only self-management capability of children and adolescents with ADHD in their academic and everyday life, but also their impulsiveness in interpersonal relationships.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.57-65
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• 2003

Purpose: This study was intended to present basic data of a more effective drug free education program by examining and analyzing the needs of drug and health education in the adolescent. Method: The study subjects were 480 students from six high schools in Pusan. The data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire between June 1 and June 10, 1999. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test in SPSS program were used for data analysis. Result: The scoring rate of knowledge for drug abuse of the subjects was 26.8％. For the scores of knowledge according to the type of drug, cigarettes were the highest at 38.4％, and for the scores of knowledge according to items, the abuse part was 59％, also the highest. The needs of drugs and drug education for the subjects had an average of 19.59. For the score of needs according to the items, plans to maintain and improve health was 1.72, the highest, methods to control anger and stress was 1.66, toxicity of drugs was 1.51, and medicinal use of drugs was 1.44. For the characteristics of the subject and characteristics relating to drugs, and the comparison of needs of drug education, consisted of students who said they liked or disliked their school life, those who have had drug education at school, who having received drug education by various kinds of materials, all had high needs for the education. Conclusion: It is necessary that drug free education plans including plans to maintain and improve health on the basis of the needs of drug education for the adolescent and other contents such as the methods to control anger and stress are established. Development of various kinds of audio-visual materials, publicity booklets and educational programs for parents etc. are needed in order to make the adolescent have an interest in drug free education, and recognize its importance.