• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.323-330
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• 2018

The growth of the older population is expected to further increase social problems associated with population aging, such as isolation, poverty, and depression. The emerging issues associated with the older population are also expected to provide further momentum on studies about the dwelling environment as factors that ensure the health of older people as well as improve their quality of life. Therefore, approaches for explaining the issues of the older age group should be diversified using a variety of factors and appropriate analytic tools. Studies on measuring depression have principally focused on assessing an objective self-report questionnaire, usually in a highly structured, textual form which may not reflect the cognitive impairment of older adults. The aim of this study was to define and measure dwelling depression among older adults in Korea. There are two specific hypotheses in this study as follows: (a) there will be statistically significant relationships with dwelling dissatisfaction and depression, and (b) dwelling depression tools containing text and images will be, respectively, assessment tools that have a good construct with content validity and reliability. In the first experiment, to define and measure dwelling depression, 301 people over 65 years old living in single and two-person households were surveyed using a text-based dwelling depression questionnaires from September 1-30, 2017. In the second experiment, to examine whether the projective image questionnaire could serve as a suitable replacement for the text-based questionnaires, the same participants were surveyed from January 22 to February 2, 2018. The results show that depression has a close correlation with dwelling dissatisfaction. In addition, the geriatric dwelling depression index (GDDI) based on the projective image was refined. Additionally, the projective image questionnaire has a close correlation with the text-based questionnaire. Finally, through ROC curve analysis, it was found that the projective image questionnaire can accurately predict a depression group. To this end, this preliminary study examined the validity of the projective image questionnaire in older adults to make this instrument feasible for older populations and to contribute to a profound understanding of geriatric depression due to the living environment. We hope they will provide a basis for further research on psychological diagnoses using projective images.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.221-227
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• 2019

Background Gynecomastia is a common condition that can cause severe emotional and physical distress in both young and older men. Patients in whom symptomatic recalcitrant gynecomastia persists for a long time are potential candidates for surgery. Methods From January 2014 to January 2016, 15 patients underwent correction of gynecomastia through a single 3-mm incision at our institution. Only patients with true gynecomastia underwent surgery with this new technique. Through the small incision, sharp dissection was performed in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction describing two half-circles. Health-related quality of life and aesthetic outcomes were evaluated using a modified version of the Breast Evaluation Questionnaire (BEQ). Results The patients' average age was 23.5 years (range, 18-28 years), and their average body mass index was $23.2kg/m^2$ (range, $19.2-25.3kg/m^2$). One case was unilateral and 14 cases were bilateral. The weight of glandular tissue resected from each breast ranged from 80 to 170 g. No excess skin was excised. Bleeding was minimal. The mean operating time was 25 minutes (range, 21-40 minutes). No complications were recorded. All lesions were histologically benign. The patients' average score was 3.5 (on a 5-point Likert scale) in all domains of the BEQ for themselves and their partners. Conclusions In this study, we demonstrated the safety and reliability of a new technique that allows mastectomy through an imperceptible 3-mm incision. We obtained high patient satisfaction scores using our surgical technique, and patients reported considerable improvement in their social, physical, and psychological well-being after surgery.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.107-117
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• 2021

Background and objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a forest healing program in terms of depression, neuropsychological and physiological benefits for the elderly. Methods: For this purpose, we developed a forest therapy program for the elderly who are vulnerable to dementia and conducted a total of 11 sessions of forest therapy activities in a forest once a week. We measured the changes in depression, resting-state Electroencephalography(EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) before and after the program. There were 60 subjects aged over 65 yesrs old. 30 subjects participated in the forest therapy program, and the other were in the control group. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure the level of depression, neuroNicle FX2 (Laxtha, Korea) was used to measure the resting-state EEG, and photoplethymogram (ubpulse T1, Laxtha, Korea) was used to measure the HRV. Results: The results showed that the depression index of the experimental group improved with statistical significance after the program (experiment group = 3.267 decrease of the mean). In the EEG measurement, the alpha-peak frequency at rest (experimental group = 0.227 Hz increase of the mean) was improved (mean increase = 0.23 in the experimental group, p < .05). The high frequency of HRV, which represents the parasympathetic nerve activity of the body's autonomous response, was also significantly improved (mean increase = 0.396 in the experimental group, p < .05). Conclusion: The results suggest that the forest therapy program can reduce the cognitive, psychological and physical risk factors of dementia for the elderly at risk of cognitive decline. Therefore, forest therapy activities may be suitable for the prevention of dementia in the elderly.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2023

Objective : The 18-item Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) is widely employed to assess symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, this instrument's factor structure does not align with contemporary dimensional models of OCD. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine psychometric properties of the 12-item Korean OCI (OCI-12) on four obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions, in patients with OCD. Methods : A total of 157 patients with OCD and 51 healthy controls completed psychological measures, including the OCI-R, Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), and scales evaluating anxiety and depressive symptoms. Pychometric characteristics of the OCI-12 with three neutralizing and three hoarding items eliminated from the OCI-R, were analyzed. Results : All OCI-12 items registered excellent internal consistency at 0.83. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed strong association between individual items and their proposed latent factors (i.e., subscales). Convergent validity was appropriate. A high correlation was particularly observed for the DOCS score (r=0.71, p<0 .001). Moreover, the OCI-12 was as sensitive as the OCI-R for determining effects of empirically supported treatment for OCD. Conclusion : The OCI-12 is a 12-item measure that adheres to the prevailing 4-factor model of OCD dimensions. Like OCI-R, it possesses good to excellent psychometric properties, including reliability, validity, and sensitivity to treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2023

Objectives: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had various effects on mankind, especially children and adolescents. Because children and adolescents spend a lot of time at school, COVID-19 has had a great impact on school mental health. In this study, we investigated the effect of prolonged COVID-19 on school mental health. Methods: We prepared self-report questionnaires for depression (Children's Depression Inventory, CDI), anxiety (Korean version of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children; Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, GAD-7), and post-traumatic stress (Primary Care Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, PC-PTSD) for administering to students aged between 7 and 18 years, recruited by a COVID-19 psychological prevention support group in the Gwangmyeong Mental Health Welfare Center for 2 years, in 2020 and 2021. Results: For children aged 7-12 years, there was no significant difference between the years 2020 and 2021 in the assessment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Conversely, for adolescents aged 13-18 years, there was a significant increase in the scale scores (CDI, PC-PTSD, and GAD-7). Conclusion: Prolonged COVID-19 might have had a significant impact on the mental health of adolescents who spent a lot of time at school. When comparing the years 2020 and 2021, middle and high school students were more affected by COVID-19 than elementary school students.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.333-340
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find out the effects of plant cultivation activities in the village gardening program hosted by Gyeonggi-do on the psychology and physiology of participants. This study conducted a survey on 20 villagers aged 57.70±9.23 on average and collected their saliva before Session 1 and after the final Session 10. The experiment was conducted by carrying out the village gardening program once a week for total 10 weeks. Psychological assessment was conducted by measuring the level of plant cultivation experience, four elements (repose, fascination, coherence, legibility) of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) and stress levels, and also conducting the Wilcoxon paired signed ranks test. As the result of comparatively analyzing the saliva collected before and after the program, the total cortisol level, which is a stress hormone, decreased with statistical significance after the program (t=14.521, p<.001). The level of plant cultivation activities increased with statistical significance after the program, and the PRS increased with statistical significance in the three elements of repose, fascination and legibility excluding coherence. In addition, as the result of examining the change in the stress level of participants with the sum of all item scores, it was found that the stress level decreased with statistical significance (p<.05) from 17.65 points to 15.30 points after the program. Hence, plant cultivation activities in the village community have positive effects such as attention restoration or stress relief. In addition, the activities can also contribute to mental connection and healthcare of residents.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the exhibition displays and events of the Agro-healing Experience Hall in the Agricultural Technology Exhibition 2018 on satisfaction and revisit intention of visitors. A survey was conducted on visitors of the Agro-healing Experience Hall and the responses of 274 visitors excluding 26 cases with inappropriate responses were analyzed. For psychological measurement, the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), level of plant gardening experience, satisfaction and loyalty were measured. There was a significant difference among age groups in all four factors of the PRS (repose, fascination, coherence, and legibility). In the case of education level, there was a significant difference in the three factors (repose, fascination, and legibility). In addition, average monthly income showed a significant difference among groups in the two factors (fascination and coherence). As a result of analyzing the mood states of visitors for the exhibition events of the Agro-healing Experience Hall, there was a significant difference among age groups only in the case of vigor (p < .05). As a result of analyzing the correlation between the level of plant gardening activities (3 factors) and PRS (4 factors) in the exhibition events of the Agro-healing Experience Hall, plant preference tendency and plant-related event showed a high positive correlation of 0.5 or more with repose of the PRS factors. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of the level of plant gardening activities, PRS and POMS on the satisfaction and loyalty of visitors. As a result, it was found that in terms of relative explanatory power over independent variables affecting satisfaction and revisit intention, fascination had the greatest effect, followed by vigor, fatigue, and occupation (company employee). The results of this study suggest that exhibition events of the Agro-healing Experience Hall affect repose, fascination or vigor of visitors, and thus can be used positively to increase satisfaction and revisit intention of visitors.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2014

Objectives : Homocysteine has been associated with cognitive impairment and various psychiatric symptoms. This study was designed to examine the relationship exists between plasma homocysteine concentration and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD). Methods : 41 subjects with dementia of Alzheimer's type were included in this study. We carried out history taking, physical examination, and cognitive assessment for the diagnosis of dementia of Alzheimer's type based on DSM-IV. We scored the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE), Global Deterioration Scale(GDS), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR), and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Inventory(K-NPI). We also measured levels of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin $B_{12}$ in the plasma. Results : We found statistically significant positive correlations between homocysteine concentration with NPI total score, and with scores of several sub-domains such as delusion, agitation/aggression, depression/dysphoria, and elation/euphoria. No significant correlation existed between homocysteine levels and scores of MMSE, GDS, and CDR. Conclusions : This study shows that plasma homocysteine levels are associated with BPSD. Further research is necessary to identify pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying these relationships.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.97-109
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• 2008

Atopic dermatitis is the fastest growing skin disorder among children from infancy to adolescence in Korea. The side-effects of atopic dermatitis not only include physical discomfort, but also psychological trauma which ultimately affects the developmental growth of children. This study was conducted in order to investigate the behavioral characteristics of an atopic dermatitis sufferer. As part of this research, the relative influence of behavioral problems and, self-perceived competence were analyzed in relation to the social competence of an atopic child. In total, 301 atopic and non-atopic children, between 2 and 6 years of age, and their mothers and teachers participated in the study. From this number, 109 children had atopic dermatitis, while 192 children did not. Mothers were asked to complete a parent-report questionnaire that required information on parental stress, according to the scale parenting methodology of Abbdin(1990) and Cho(1999). Teachers were subjected to teacher-report questionnaires which included topics on social competence, socia-emotional assessment and behavioral problems of an atopic child. Furthermore, children also completed questionnaires on self-perceived competence. According to analysis on K-CBCL, ITSEA, social competence, self-perceived competence and parental stress, children with atopic dermatitis showed higher scores in depression/anxiety and depression/withdrawal, compared to children in the normal control group. In relation to parental stress, daily stress, parental role stress, and stress related disease, mothers with atopic dermatitis children exhibited higher scores. In establishing relationships among the related variables, atopic children who demonstrated more social competence were more likely to suffer less from withdrawal, attention problems, and depression/anxiety. Stress related disease in mothers with atopic children was positively related to attention problems of the child. In terms of relative influences, behavioral problems was the most significant variable, accounting for 23% of variance. Lower behavioral problems was positively related to more social competence. In summation, this study investigated the general characteristics of atopic children. In conclusion, atopic children and their mothers had difficulty in dealing with this disease. It is our belief that an atopic child would not only require physical treatment, but also need appropriate psychological care.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 2009

As Pain is a comprehensive, biopsy chosocial phenomenon, improved understanding and successful management of pain need assessment of health-related quality of life and psychological states. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain severity and pain-related interference to daily lives for patients with non-dental, orofacial pain(OFP) and a possible relation of OFP with psychological morbidity. Relation with such factors as gender, age, pain duration and diagnosis was also assessed. Inclusion criteria was all new patients with non-dental OFP attending the oral medicine.orofacial pain clinic of Dankook University Dental Hospital over 3 months' period, who completed the questionnaires of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Prior to the first consultation, the patients were asked to fill out the questionnaire in the waiting room and were diagnosed through consultation and clinical examination. Total subjects were 163 with M:F ratio of 1:1.5 and mean age of 34.6${\pm}$17.7 years. Mean duration of pain was 13.3${\pm}$26.2 months and all patients were divided into; Trigeminal Neuralgia group (TN, N=8), Neuropathic Pain group (NeP, N=9), Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain group (PIFP, N=8), and Temporomandibular Disorders group (TMD, N=138), subdivided into muscle problem (TMD-m, N=73), joint problem (TMD-j, N=24) and muscle-joint combined problem (TMD-c, N=41). OFP patients showed moderate pain severity and moderate pain-related interference. There was no gender difference in overall pain severity and interference and levels of anxiety and depression. Elderly patients aged ${\geq}$ 60 years showed higher pain severity (p<0.05). Patients with chronic pain ${\geq}$ 3 months reported more increased level of anxiety and depression than those with acute pain (p<0.05). Compared to TMD patients, patients with TN, NeP and PIFP suffered from higher level of pain and pain-related interference and reported higher level of anxiety and depression (p<0.05). Pain interference was closely correlated with their pain severity and with psychometric properties such as anxiety and depression. Pain severity was weakly correlated with levels of anxiety and depression. The results suggest a need for psychosocial assessment and support for successful management of OFP in addition to control of pain itself.