• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1999

This study was designed to evaluate anxiety & depression symptoms and pressure pain threshold in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder(n=23) and to find out the relationship between the affective symptoms and the pressure pain threshold scores. And this was compared with healthy control subjects(n=18). The scores of pressure pain threshold were checked with algometer. The results were as follows : PTSD patients showed higher scores of anxiety & depression symptoms than that of the control group. In contrast with our hypothesis, pressure pain threshold in PTSD patients presented statistically significant higher scores than that of the control group. These results may be derived from following factors. First, chronic depression has influenced the pain perception of patients with PTSD rather than anxiety symptoms, second, abnormal state of the opiate system in PTSD patients, third, the sick role of the PTSD patients, fourth, the socio-environmental factor of the PTSD patients. In conclusion, affective symptoms, especially depression, were related to the chronic pain in patients with PTSD, however, the causality of elevated pressure pain threshold was uncertain in this study. To understand more clearly the relation between affective symptoms and chronic pain, it will be necessary to control the other specific factors.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2008

Objective : Evidence from recent studies supports the role of genetic factors in the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The primary aim of this study is to investigate the association between the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) TaqI A polymorphism and PTSD. The second aim is to examine the association between the DRD2 TaqI A polymorphism and clinical symptoms in patients with PTSD. Methods : We recruited 189 Vietnam veterans for participation in this study, among whom 99 were PTSD patients and 90 were control subjects. The presence of the DRD2 TaqI A polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Several standardized research scales were used in the clinical assessment of PTSD, including the Combat Exposure Scale (CES), Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Results : There was no significant difference in the distribution of the DRD2 genotype, frequency and prevalence of the A1 allele, or the frequency of heterozygotes between the patients with PTSD and the controls. In the PTSD group, the patients with the A1 allele (A1A1, A1A2) scored higher on the CAPS-total (p=0.044), CAPS-avoidance symptoms (p=0.016) and BDI (p=0.024) than those without the A1 allele (A2A2). Conclusion : We could not find an association between the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) TaqI A polymorphism and PTSD. However, the A1 allele of DRD2 seemsto influence avoidance symptoms in patients with PTSD.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2024

Objectives: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent mental health condition, and techniques using sensory stimulation in processing traumatic memories have gained attention. The Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a psychotherapy that combines tapping on acupoints with exposure to cognitive reframing. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of EFT as a treatment for PTSD by answering the following research questions: 1) What is the compliance and completion rate of patients with PTSD with regard to EFT protocol? Is the dropout rate reasonable? 2) Is the effect size of EFT protocol for PTSD sufficient to justify a future trial? Methods: Thirty participants diagnosed with PTSD were recruited. They received weekly EFT sessions for five weeks, in which they repeated a statement acknowledging the problem and accepting themselves while tapping the SI3 acupoint on the side of their hand. PTSD symptoms were evaluated using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) before and after the intervention. Results: Of the 30 PTSD patients (mean age: 34.1 ± 9.1, 80% female), 96.7% showed over 80% compliance to the EFT sessions, and 86.7% completed the entire study process. The mean PCL-5 total score decreased significantly after the intervention, with a large effect size (change from baseline: -14.33 [95% CI: -19.79, -8.86], p < 0.0001, d = 1.06). Conclusion: The study suggests that EFT is a feasible treatment for PTSD, with high session compliance and low dropout rates. The effect size observed in this study supports the need for a larger trial in the future to further investigate EFT as a treatment for PTSD. However, the lack of a control group and the use of a self-rated questionnaire for PTSD symptoms are limitations of this study. The findings of this pilot study can be used to plan a future trial.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.149-162
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the differences in quality of sleep, job stress, fatigue, job satisfaction, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the type of work in fire-fighting officers. Methods: This study used an online questionnaire. The participants were 322 fire-fighting officers. The data were collected from May 2 to 20, 2018. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Results: According to the work styles of fire fighting officers, job stress, job satisfaction, and PTSD showed significant differences. However, There were no differences in sleep quality and fatigue. There were significant differences in job stress, job satisfaction, and PTSD in those in roles of fire suppression and rescue emergency medical technicians and this result suggests a way to improve the quality of sleep, job stress, job satisfaction and fatigue for fire-fighting officers who suffer from PTSD. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, mental health of fire-fighting officers will be improved through basic data for psychotherapy which can overcome the quality of sleep, job stress, fatigue, job satisfaction and PTSD according to the work style of fire-fighting officers.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.458-463
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• 2007

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.277-289
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• 2018

Background: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), the subject of this evaluative research document employs 1400 people. 80% of employees are operational firefighters and officers whom operate across a range of duty systems and support functions, providing prevention, protection and emergency response to the communities of Lancashire. Methods: The overarching purpose of this epidemiological study is to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst operational LFRS personnel and to analyse the effects upon those who may be suffering from it, whether brought about by a single traumatic event or by repeated exposure to traumatic occurrences over a period of time. A combination of primary and secondary research was carried out. Primary data was collated using two recognised clinical questionnaires and statistical analysis was conducted with the aid of the software package SPSS. Results: The findings and statistical analysis showed that out of the 100 people surveyed, 30% of respondents had signs of probable distress. Of this quota, 4% showed symptoms of PTSD. The study considers how an organisation can recognise and manage PTSD and provides recommendations to assist in better recognising and managing the associated risks. Conclusion: Based upon the findings, the authors conclude that the level of PTSD within LFRS is slightly lower than those found in other studies undertaken within the Fire and Rescue Service sector. The paper provides recommendations for future studies and a series of actions for consideration by LFRS senior management to improve PTSD support services for employees.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2009

Purpose : This study aimed to analyze the posttraumatic stress research trends in Korean and foreign firefighters. Method : Total 63 published international articles were searched by Pub Med internet site and total 17 published Korean articles were searched by Korean Medical Database internet site using 'PTSD in firefighters'. These articles were analyzed by published time, domains of journal, research designs, key words and research subjects. Result : 1) By the published time, there were 29 disaster-related researches(46.0%) and 34 job-related researches(54.0%) among 63 international articles. However, there were 16 disaster-related researches(94.1%) and 1 job-related research (5.9%) of Korean 17 articles. 2) By the international research domain, 9 researches(14.3%) were published in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. Among domestic research domain, there were 9 researches(52.9%) consisting of 6 master's degrees and 3 doctor degrees. In major analysis of Korean domain, the highest portion is 4 psychology researches. (23.5%) 3) In the term of the international research design, quantitative research methods were highly used in both 23 disaster-related researches (36.5%) and 30 job-related researches(47.5%). In domestic research, quantitative research methods were mostly used in 14 job-related researches(82.3%) and Q methodology was only used in 1 disaster-related research(5.9%). 4) Looking on the research content trends according to the key words, 9 researches (31.0%) done on posttraumatic stress and coping had the most research and was followed up by posttraumatic stress symptom. Among these researches, key words for PTSD(Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) and PTS(Posttraumatic Stress) were mostly used. Moreover, there was 1 domestic study done on verifying the trends of Posttraumatic Stress in disaster-related research with PTS as the key word. In job-related research, the relationship between the Posttraumatic Stress and other factors had the most with ten studies (62.5%). Among these researches, key words for 5 PTSD(31.3%) were mostly used. 5) According to the international research subjects, the Posttrau consist the most subjects with 16 cases each for disaster and job related stress ; however, domestic research had 16 studies(94.1%) only using firefighters and 1 (5.9%) with their families as subjects. Conclusion : Although the studies of Posttraumatic Stress on Korean firefighters had started later than those on Foreign firefighters, first used for crucial topics show research development in various fields of study and should be tested for studies like those done in abroad regarding multiple topics and methods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between psychosocial factors and the severity of musculoskeletal pain in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: A total of 60 subjects were recruited from among the veterans with musculoskeletal pain at D Veterans Hospital. PTSD was evaluated by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition; severity of pain was measured by using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ); depression and anxiety were measured by using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revision; and the quality of sleep was measured by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. All data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software for Windows. RESULTS: The averages cores of pain intensity ($7.48{\pm}1.67$), SF-MPQ-sensory ($13.84{\pm}7.52$), SF-MPQ-affective ($4.41{\pm}3.79$), depression ($19.30{\pm}11.37$), anxiety ($13.39{\pm}7.99$), and quality of sleep ($10.05{\pm}5.89$) were obtained in veterans with PTSD. SF-MPQ-sensory measures sleep quality (r=0.346, p<0.01), SF-MPQ-affective measures depression (r=0.318, p<0.01) and anxiety (r=0.404, p<0.01), and these showed a statistically significant positive correlation in veterans with PTSD. Pain levels were observed to be higher in veterans with PTSD. Moreover, in these subjects, physical pain had a significant influence on the anxiety variable among the psychosocial factors. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that musculoskeletal pain provides meaningful information about depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder in veterans with PTSD. Our data suggest that musculoskeletal pain may need to be addressed as part of the health management process of veterans.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2014

Reactive disorder is a group of diagnosis with a definitely known etiology and whose etiological factor is essential to the diagnosis. In DSM system, such reactive disorders are listed as adjustment disorder, acute stress disorder, brief psychotic disorder with marked stressor and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, a growing number of individuals is suffering from a prolonged feeling of embitterment after exceptional negative life events and this condition could be diagnosed neither PTSD nor adjustment disorder nor depressive disorder in the context of DSM-IV diagnostic system. This clinical condition can be described as 'posttraumatic embitterment disorder' (PTED). PTED is a reactive disorder triggered by exceptional, though normal negative life events such as conflict in the workplace, unemployment, death of a relative, divorce, severe illness, or experience of loss or separation. The common feature of such events is that they are experienced as unjust, as a personal insult, accompanied by psychological violation of basic beliefs and values. The central psychopathological response pattern in PTED is a prolonged feeling of embitterment. In particular, the core emotion of embitterment can lead to the rejection of treatment. Therefore, "wisdom therapy" as a new treatment approach specifically designed for PTED has been developed. It is assumed that many patients suffering from PTED are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. This review would help to introduce PTED into the clinical field in psychiatry.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2017

Objective : The PTSD Checklist (PCL) is a self-report screen for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can be scored for both diagnostic assessment and symptom severity measurement. The most recent revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) contains a number of changes to the definition of PTSD, and the aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the PCL for the DSM-5 (PCL-5-K). Methods : The participants were 204 Korean veterans of the Vietnam War who completed the PCL-5-K, the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), PTSD module of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, Research Version (SCID5-RV PTSD module), Korean version of Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R-K) and Combat Exposure Scale (CES-K). Results : The PCL-5-K demonstrated good internal consistency (${\alpha}=0.972$) and test-retest reliability (r=0.96); the suggested cut-off score for PTSD diagnosis was ${\geq}37$ with 0.88 sensitivity and 0.96 specificity. The PCL-5-K scale correlated highly with the IES-R-K and CES-K. Factor analysis identified only one factor. Conclusion : Among elderly Korean veterans of the Vietnam War, the PCL-5-K demonstrated similar psychometric qualities to those of both the original PCL and subsequent versions. It is expected that the PCL-5-K will be a useful PTSD screening tool.