• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2018

Objective : This study aims to identify personality characteristics in female homicide offenders by using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) test. Methods : This study retrospectively analyzed the mental appraisals and MMPI-2 scores of 54 women charged with homicide and 67 women charged with non-violent crimes, who were referred to National Forensic Hospital in Gongju city for psychiatric evaluation between January 2012 and March 2016. Results : Women charged with homicide scored significantly higher on Hs (p=0.018), D (p<0.001), Hy (p=0.002) and Pt (p=0.004) than the women charged with non-violent crimes. The women charged with homicide may have developed the following characteristics: hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria and psychasthenia. In multiple regression analyses, a final regression model including age of crime onset and depression was significant, explaining 16.5% of the variance in homicides committed by females. Conclusion : These findings suggest that personality characteristics in the female homicide offenders might be different compared to the non-violent crime offenders.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2019

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pain catastrophizing, acceptance, and quality of life in relation to chronic low back pain in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. We also analyze the effect of personality in catastrophizing and acceptance. Methods: A total of 52 chronic low back pain patients were enrolled as participants from 2 hospitals in Jakarta (43 females, 9 males, mean age 54.38 years). Participants completed a set of self-reported questionnaires: the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire-Revised (CPAQ-R), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Pain Discomfort Module (PDM). Results: This study showed that acceptance increased the patient's quality of life by giving physical relief from pain. In contrast, pain catastrophizing decreased the quality of life, and increased the patients' tendency to get frustrated, irritated, and anxious about the pain. From a personality perspective, the trait neuroticism may lead to a higher level of pain catastrophizing. Conclusions: This study showed that catastrophizing, compared with acceptance, had a greater impact on the patient's life by reducing its quality.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 1995

The neuropsychiatric sequelae of traumatic brain unjury(TBI) are effects on complex aspect of behavior, cognition and emotional expression. They include psychiatric disorders such as depression, psychosis, personality change, dementia, and postconcussion syndrome. The damage is done not only to the cortex of the brain but also to subcortical and axial structures. The diffuse degeneration of cerebral white mailer is axonal damage that is caused by mechanical forces shearing the neuronal fiber at the moment of impact(diffuse axonal injury, DAI). The DAI and the changed receptor-agonist mechanism ore the most important mechanisms in genesis of neuropsychiatric sequalae by mild TBI. The most important instrument for diagnosis of neuropsychiatric sequalae of TBI is a physician or psychiatrist with experience and knowledge. The most effective therapeutic tool is a professional who understands the nature of the problem.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2002

Alexithymia represents deficits in the cognitive processing and regulation of emotions. It is observed in many cases of psychosomatic disease, anorexia nervosa, panic disorder, depression etc. Many studies have shown that alexithymia is associated with maladaptive styles of emotion regulation, low emotional intelligence, interhemispheric transfer deficit, and reduced rapid eye movement density. Psychotherapies that enhance emotional awareness may be effective in alleviating the difficulties of alexithymic individuals. Aexithymia is useful for constructing the role of personality and emotions in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. It may serve as a bridge between neurobiology and psychology. We review recent alexithymia theory and research and their implications for treatment of psychosomatic disorders.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 1998

The neuropsychiatric sequelae of traumatic brain injury are effects on complex aspect of cognition, emotion and behavior. They include problems with attention and arousal, concentration, executive function, intellectual changes, memory inpairments, personality changes, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, psychosis, apathy, aggression, and irritability. There are many useful therapeutic approaches available for people who have been brain injuries. Although a multifactioral, multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to treatment is proposed, for purposes of exposition the author have divided treatment into psychopharmacological, cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and social interventions.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.489-497
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• 2002

This study was conducted to determine if Mehrabian's eating-related characteristics questionnaire could be effectively applied in predicting obesity and eating disorders among Korean college students by examining the correlations between eating-related characteristics and anthropometry, nutrient intakes, psychological aspects of depression, and personality dimensions. The data were collected from 151 female students in classes of nutrition or psychology in Kyungnam University. Measurements of height, weight and triceps skinfold thickness (TSf) were made by well-trained interviewers, and BMI was calculated. Daily nutrient intakes were obtained from the self-reported three-day dietary records for the kinds and the amounts of foods consumed by the student subjects. The students were also asked to complete three questionnaires : Mehrabian's eating-related characteristics questionnaire, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and the Berk Depression Inventory. The results of the study were as follows : 1) Reliability of factored homogeneous item dimensions (FHIDS) of the translated version of the eating-related characteristics questionnaire showed a similar profile compared with the original. Moreover, the loading values of Cronbach-$\alpha$ for some FHIDs, which were excluded in order to constitute primary-level factors (for example, 'predisposition to obesity' etc) with a high reliability, were much lower than Mehrabian's. Therefore the eating-related characteristics questionnaire could be effectively used for Korean students for predicting predisposition to obesity and eating disorders. 2) With regard to the relationship between anthropometric indices and eating-related characteristics, BMI measurements showed a high and a positive correlation with 'predisposition to obesity' and 'uncontrollable urges to eat', and a negative correlation with a 'predisposition to anorexia'. The heavier body weight and the more fat mass that the subjects had, the higher the probability that the subjects were overeating. 3) The intakes of some minerals (Fe, K, Na) and Vitamin C showed significantly negative correlations with a 'predisposition to obesity' and a 'predisposition to anorexia'. But the intakes of vitamin B$_2$, niacin, and retinol were positively correlated with'uncontrollable urges to eat'. 4) Among personality dimensions, neuroticism had a positive correlation with a 'predisposition to obesity', 'uncontrollable urges to eat', and 'predisposition to anorexia'. 5) Neuroticism was negatively correlated with intakes of calories, carbohydrates, K, Fe, Vitamin C, etc. On the contrary, all personality dimensions were positively correlated with intakes of retinol. In conclusion, the translated version of Mehrabian's eating-related characteristics questionnaire appears to be effective for nutritional or psychological assessments of any predisposition to eating disorders among Korean college students.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2005

Objectives:This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of personality changes and emotional distress using the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in patients with traumatic brain injury(TBI), divided into mild (MTBI) and severe (STBI) groups according to the severity of injury. Methods:The subjects were consisted of 25 patients with MTBI, 25 patients with STBI, and 25 normal controls. They were interviewed with the PAI. The data were analyzed by ${\chi}^2$ test, analysis of variance and Tukey test. Results:The results were the followings. First, Negative Impression in validity scales was elevated above cutoff point(T score 70) in both MTBI and STBI groups. Second, the clinical scales of which scores elevated above the cutoff point were Somatic Complaints, Anxiety, Anxiety-Related Disorders, Depression, and Schizophrenia in the MTBI, and Somatic Complaints and Depression in the STBI. Third, the clinical subscales above the cutoff point were Conversion, Somatization, Health Concerns, Affective Anxiety, Physiological Anxiety, Traumatic Stress, Cognitive Depression, Affective Depression, Physiological Depression, Thought Disorder, and Affective Instability in the MTBI, and Health Concerns, Cognitive Depression, Affective Depression, and Physiological Depression in the STBI. Fourth, Suicide Ideation in treatment scales was the only scale above the cutoff point in the MTBI and the others of the treatment and interpersonal scales in the MTBI and all of these scales of the STBI were not elevated above the cutoff point. Fifth, the scales of which scores showed significant difference between the MTBI and the STBI were Somatic Complaints, Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide Ideation, the subscales were Conversion, Somatization, Health Concerns, Affective Anxiety, Physiological Anxiety, Physiological Depression, and Psychotic Experiences. Conclusion:These results suggest that the patients with MTBI had more somatic and anxiety symptoms, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation than the patients with STBI. These characteristics are generally consistent with clinical observation and findings from previous studies of the patients with TBI, and the PAI seems to be a beneficial adjunctive assessment tool for the evaluation of patients with traumatic brain injury.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.417-426
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• 2021

Background: Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is a common patient complaint imposing great costs on the healthcare system. It is associated with psychological factors such as depression. The aim of the present study is determining depression predictors in NCCP patients. Methods: The participants of this cross-sectional study were 361 NCCP patients. Patients filled out questionnaires concerning their sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors (severity of pain, type D personality, somatization, cardiac anxiety, fear of body sensations, and depression). Results: Based on multiple ordinal logistic regression, lack of physical activity (odds ratio [OR], 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.87), sleep quality (OR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.15-7.69), being a smoker (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 2.41-4.03), present pain intensity (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.11), type D personality (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.47-4.03), and somatization (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.15-1.3) were significant predictors of depression in NCCP patients. Additionally, multiple linear regression showed that being unmarried (β = 1.51, P = 0.008), lack of physical activity (β = 1.22, P = 0.015), sleep quality (β = 2.26, P = 0.022), present pain intensity (β = 0.07, P = 0.045), type D personality (β = 1.87, P < 0.001), somatization (β = 0.45, P < 0.001), and fear of bodily sensation (β = 0.04, P = 0.032) increased significantly depression scores in NCCP patients. Conclusions: Physicians should consider the predictors of depression in NCCP patients which can lead to receiving effective psychological consultations and reducing the costs and ineffectual referrals to medical centers.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2020

Objectives : This study investigate to identify the stability of temperament and personality characteristics of patients including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients. Methods : The number of subjects was 102, of which 33 were PTSD patients and 69 were non-PTSD patients. To demonstrate the change in individual temperament and personality characteristics, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were administered repeatedly on the subjects. Repeated measures ANOVA and simple main effects analysis were conducted. Results : When analysed by dividing the subjects into PTSD groups and non-PTSD groups, the differences between the primary and secondary tests did not appear in the non-PTSD groups, but the differences between the primary and secondary tests were significant in Harm Avoidance (HA), Reward Dependence (RD), Self-Directedness (SD), Cooperativeness (C). In addition, it was noted that the time and group interaction effects of HA, RD, SD and C were significant, and that the main effects of time of HA, RD, SD and C were significant. Conclusions : This study is meaningful in that in the course of experience and recovery of traumatic events, we have clinically confirmed that changes in the temperament, known as stable variables, are possible.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2015

Objectives : The objective of this study was to compare the Korean Personality Rating Scale for Children (K-PRC) profile between children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and typically developing children. We also aimed to investigate the association of K-PRC and ADHD symptoms. Methods : Ninety-nine youth (age $8.3{\pm}2.4$ years, 72 boys) with ADHD and 84 controls (age $9.2{\pm}2.5$ years, 43 boys) were recruited from the Department of Pediatric Psychiatry of the Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital. Diagnoses of ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders were confirmed with the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). The parents of the subjects completed the ADHD rating scale, and K-PRC. Independent t-tests, analysis of covariance, partial correlation analyses, and Mc Nemar test were used for analysis. Results : Children and adolescents with ADHD showed higher K-PRC scores in verbal development, physical development, depression, delinquency, hyperactivity, family dysfunction and psychoticism. Delinquency and hyperactivity were significantly correlated with parent-rated ADHD rating scales and ADHD scores on K-SADS-PL. The hyperactive/impulsive and combined subtypes showed higher scores on hyperactivity and delinquency than the inattentive subtype, and the inattentive subtype showed higher scores on depression and social dysfunction of the K-PRC. Conclusion : Our results suggest that K-PRC could be used to comprehensively evaluate symptoms, combined psychopathologies, developmental delay and family dysfunction of children with ADHD.