• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.78-91
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• 2002

Objective : The purpose of this study was to develop the somatization rating scale (SRS), and then to use the scale in clinical pracitice. Methods: First, a preliminary survey was conducted for 109 healthy adults to obtain 40 response items. Second, a preliminary questionnaire was completed by 215 healthy subjects. Third, a comparison was made regarding somatization responses among 242 patients (71 with anxiety disorder. 73 with depressive disorder, 47 with somatoform disorder, and 51 with psychosomatic disorder) and 215 healthy subjects. Results : Factor analysis yielded 5 subscales : cardiorespiratory and nervous responses, somatic sensitivity, gastrointestinal responses, general somatic responses, genitourinary, eye and muscular responses. Reliability was computed by administering the SRS to 62 healthy subjects during a 2-week interval. Test-retest reliability for 5 subscales and the total score was significantly high, ranging between .86-.94. Internal consistency was computed, and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ for 5 subscales ranged between .72-.92, and .95 for the total score. Convergent validity was computed by correlating the 5 subscales and the total score with the total score of the global assessment of recent stress (GARS) scale, the perceived stress questionnaire (PSQ), and the symptom checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R). The correlations were all at significant levels. Discriminant validity was computed by comparing the total score and the 5 subscale scores of the patient and control groups. Significant differences were found for 5 subscales and the total score. Only the depressive disorder group was siginificantly higher than control group in all the subscale scores and total scores of SRS among 4 patient groups. In somatic sensitivity, only depressive disorder patients were significantly higher than the normal controls, whereas in general somatic subscale, depressive disorder and somatoform disorder groups were significantly higher than the normal controls. In total scores of the SRS, female subjects were significantly higher than males. Conclusion : These results indicate that the SRS is highly reliable and valid, and that it can be utilized as an effective measure for research in stress- and somatization-related fields. The depressive disorder and somatoform disorder groups showed more widespread somatization than the anxiety and psychosomatic disorder groups.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.805-822
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• 2009

This study aims to investigate the mental health level of the elderly people living alone and examine the difference in mental health level by socio-demographic factors and analyze the factors impacting on mental health level. The study subjects were 131 elderly people living alone who lived in "G" city. Symptom Check List-90-Revision(SCL-90-R) was used to measure mental health level. The results of this study were as follows. First, the study subjects' mental health level(3.53, 5 rating scale) was very severe and this means the mental health level of elderly people living alone is more severe than the mental health level of general elderly people. The study subjects showed depression symptom most seriously and also had severe somatization symptom. Second, there was significant difference in mental health level by gender and education level among socio-demographic factors. Third, in the final regression model, statistically significant factors impacting on the mental health level of the elderly people living alone were life satisfaction, ADL, IADL, welfare service support, informal support, contact frequency with children, duration of living alone, subjective state of economy. And comprehensive(macro and micro) implications were recommended.

• Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.692-696
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• 2018

Background and Objectives This study investigated the relationship between reflux symptom index (RSI) and psychiatric problems such as depression, somatization, and anxiety. Subjects and Method We prospectively analyzed 231 patients with symptoms with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) using the RSI and the reflux finding score. Results Seventy nine patients (34.2%) were diagnosed with LPR. A significant correlation was detected between the RSI and depression ($18.4{\pm}8.3$ vs. $12.3{\pm}7.0$, p<0.001), anxiety ($19.5{\pm}8.5$ vs. $13.0{\pm}7.3$, p<0.001), and somatization ($19.2{\pm}9.1$ vs. $13.6{\pm}7.5$, p<0.001). A multivariate analysis confirmed a significant association between heartburn and depression [odds ratio (OR): 1.241, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.003-1.537, p=0.047], choking and anxiety (OR: 1.747, 95% CI: 1.297-2.352, p<0.001), and choking and somatization (OR: 1.707, 95% CI: 1.248-2.336, p=0.001). Conclusion Our preliminary results suggest that patients with high RSI may need to be carefully evaluated for psychiatric problems.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.271-279
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• 2004

Purpose: The object of this study Is to investigate sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, psychology, self-esteem and quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy and to provide useful information for therapeutic approach to cancer patients on radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 36 patents who had been treated with radiation therapy and 20 normal people. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics of cancer patients on radiation therapy were investigated, and symptom checklist-90-revised, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale for self esteem, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument for quality of life were administered to subjects. And Spearman's correlation analysis was used among these. Result : The tendency of somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility in cancer group were significantly higher than normal group. Self esteem and quality of life in cancer group were significantly lower than normal group. No significant difference was found in comparison of psychology, self esteem and qualify on life according to sociodemographic variables. Among clinical characteristics, in the presence of metastasis in cancer patients, the scores of anxiety, phobia and paranoid ideation were higher In patients with pain, the score of somatization was higher And in case of weight loss, the score of somatization was higher. The higher score of depression, anxiety and hostility were significantly associated with lower self-esteem. And higher score of somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility were significantly associated with lower quality of life. Conclusion: Understanding and management of psychological symptoms, such as somatization, depression, anxiety, and hostility, and pain control are necessary to improve quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.309-314
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the psychological characteristics of hepatic malignancy patients before interventional procedures and assess associations with related factors. Methods: Two hundred and thirteen patients requiring interventional procedure for hepatic malignancy were asked to complete a survey of health knowledge and psychological symptom on health knowledge questionnaire and SCL-90 before interventional procedure. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the association of various demographic, clinical and health knowledge factors with the presence of psychological symptoms in patients. Results: Eight psychological symptom scores, i.e. somatization, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, paranoid ideations and psychotic states, were significantly higher than the normal range (P< 0.001). Of 213 cases in the study, 49 families (23.00%) concealed the diagnoses of hepatic carcinoma from patients; 135 patients (63.38%) described the prognosis of the disease correctly. It was demonstrated that the correlations between psychological symptoms and related factors, i.e. age, gender, education, interventional procedure times and health knowledge, were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Psychological distress is severe in hepatic malignancy patients before interventional procedures. Age, gender, education, interventional procedure times and health knowledge are associated with psychological symptoms which are significant different from the normal range in Chinese.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.829-838
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• 2003

Purpose: In South Korea, as growing the need of psychological support in disaster situation psychological assessment on stress after disaster is important to find out the factors affecting coping, and to plan intervention in the community. Method: The volunteers of Korea Redcross who live around K city, and the research team visited all homes at Jirye town, one of the high-impact area, 4 month after the typhoon. One of the family members who is over 18 years old, answered the self-report questionnaire composed of disaster experience, damage, exposure to traumatic event, and posttraumatic stress with IES-K (Impact of Event Scale-korea) He also, described his family members symptom related to re-experiencing, hyper-arousal, and avoidance. Six hundreds households were surveyed. Result: The prevalence of moderate to severe PTSD symptom was 36% of the subjects. The severity of PTSD was affected by gender, economic status and affected by damaged property, physical injury, worsening existing disease, getting infectious disease, amount of experienced traumatic event before disaster, warning, taking shelter, and subjects revealed differences in somatization as severity of PTSD. According to the description, community members had re-experiencing, hyper-arousal and avoidance. Conclusion: At a rural area, South Korea, community members have suffered from psychological distress after disaster. So psychological interventions are required as affecting factors and also to plan for warning and shelter in disaster situation is needed for preventing PTSD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.219-222
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• 2009

Various somatic symptoms are known to be related to stress in a general population. Korean red ginseng has been used as a therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of many diseases in Oriental medicine. There exist no data, however, on the effect of Korean red ginseng on somatic symptoms in a general population. In this study, 21 normal subjects were randomly assigned to the Korean-red-ginseng group, and 18 subjects to the placebo group. The subjects took 3 g Korean red ginseng or placebo every day for three weeks. After the three-week treatment, there was a interaction effect of a greater reduction in the Symptom checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) somatization score (p=0.04) in the Korean-red-ginseng group. This study suggests that Korean red ginseng is effective for the management of somatic symptoms in a general population.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.213-222
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare stress and psychological status between a stroke and a fracture patient's caregivers. Methods : Data was collected from September to December 2018 and participants of this study were 60 stroke and 61 fracture patient's caregivers. Stress was evaluated with the Global Assessment of Recent Stress scale-Korean Version and psychological status was measured with the Symptom check List-90-Revision. Results : The stroke patient's caregivers scored significantly higher than the fracture patient's caregivers in stress relevant to interpersonal, change in relationship, sickness or injury, financial, change/no change in routine (p<.05). The stroke patient's caregivers scored significantly higher in somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism than the fracture patient's caregivers (p<.05). Conclusion : It was found that the severity of mental health in the stroke patient's caregivers is necessary to develop a customized mental health improvement program for stroke patient's caregivers.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2002

Objectives : As medical science develops, survival rate of cancer patients rises. Therefore, psychologic understanding and improving quality of life in cancer patients is getting greater significance. The Object of this study is to investigate sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, psychopathology, self esteem and quality of life in cancer patients and to provide useful information for therapeutic approach to cancer patients. Methods : The subjects were 41 patents who had been treated by radiotherapy and 20 normal people. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics of cancer patients were investigated, and SCL-90R for psychopathology, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale for self esteem, WHOQOL-BREF for quality of life were administered to subjects. The results of both groups were compared and analysed, and correlation between variables were evaluated. Results : 1) The tendency of Somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, psychosis in cancer group were higher than normal group. Especially, somatization and anxiety in cancer group were significantly higher than normal group. 2) Self esteem and quality of life in cancer group were significantly lower than normal group. 3) No significance were found in comparison of psychopathology, self esteem and quality of life according to sociodemographic variables. Among clinical characteristics, higher somatization was shown in case of more weight loss, and higher somatization and lower quality of life was shown in the presence of pain. 4) Higher anxiety was significantly associated with lower self esteem, and Higher somatization and anxiety was significantly associated with lower quality of life. Conclusion : Cancer patients had various kinds of psychopathology, low self esteem and low quality of life. In particular, somatization and anxiety, self esteem and pain were found to be important factors to quality of life of cancer patients. Therefore, management of psychopathology, improving self esteem, pain control is necessary to improve quality of life in cancer patients.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.149-162
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• 2006

Objectives : This study examined psychopathology, abuse history and the relation of them in sheltered runaway adolescents. The purpose is to investigate characteristics of adolescents who are in shelters according to abuse type and then to offer basic data which are needed in establishing comprehensive protection policy for runaway adolescents. Methods : One hundred twenty eighty adolescents who stay in the runaway shelters were asked to complete self-report questionnaires including basic sociodemographic data, Korean Youth Self Report (K-YSR), Minnestota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and then examined the correlation of psychopathology and abuse in runaway adolescents. Results : In abused runaway adolescents, social performance scale of K-YSR was higher than school performance sealer and among scales of behavioral problem syndrome delinquent scale was highest. Scales of behavioral problem syndrome showed relatively significant correlation with abuse history. In MMPI scale of psychopathic deviate scale was highest, social introversion showed significant correlation with emotional abuse, and psychopathic deviate and hypomania showed significant correlation with physical abuse, neglect and sexual abuse. In SCL-90-R somatization scale was highest. Scales of somatization, hostility, and paranoid ideation scale were significantly high in adolescents with emotional abuse and neglect history, and scores of anxiety and depression scale were significantly high in sexually abused adolescents. Conclusion : Runaway adolescents who had abuse experience showed significantly higher level of psychopathology than general adolescents and there were various interrelations between them according to the presence and the type of abuse. More precise psychiatric evaluation and detailed treatment intervention for runaway adolescents are needed.