• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the staffs' attitudes and opinions toward psychiatry in a hospital. The results of the investigation were taken as a basic data of the education programs of persons who worked in a hospital and community residents. Methods : The subjects of this study were persons who worked in a hospital. The tool used in this study was Attitudes and Opinions toward Psychiatry. Sixty-one persons were studied. Statistically one-way ANOVA or t-test were used. Results : Internal consistency was high, measuring 0.80 for the 26 items. Generally, hospital staffs have positive attitude toward psychiatry. Direct patient contact group scored more higher than indirect contact group, except 'overall merits of the field of psychiatry' and 'efficacy' factor. In factor 'overall merits of the field of psychiatry', and factor 'efficacy' female scored more higher than male averagely. In factor 'role definition and functioning of psychiatrists', 'possible abuses and social criticisms', and 'career and personal reward', direct patient contact group scored more higher than indirect contact group averagely. Conclusion This study results support the hypothesis that the direct patient contact group have more positive attitude toward psychiatry than the other group. It will be necessary to educate for a psychiatric hospital staffs and community residents on psychiatry.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.253-276
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• 2014

The purpose of the present study was to examine psychometric properties of the BSI-18 in Korean adults with mental disorders. This study examined internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and a factor structure of the BSI. The sample consisted of 180 adults with mental disorders, who enrolled in mental hospitals and in a day hospital. Data was analysed using reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Major findings were as follows. The Korean version of the BSI showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, as well as excellent convergent validity. The original three-factor structure of the BSI-18, proposed by Derogatis, 2001, fitted to the data. These findings indicate that the BSI-18 is a reliable and valid measure as a psychiatric assessment tool and a treatment outcome measure.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence of psychiatric symptoms and determine predictors of emotional distress of military hospital surgical patients. Methods : This study examined 104 orthopedic patients admitted to the Armed Forces Military Hospital September-November 2018. For the study, every subject completed self-assessment inventories regarding depressive and anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), sleep problems (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), problematic alcohol and tobacco use (Cut off, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener screening), and psychiatric history. We performed the Student's t-test and the chi-square test for the collected data to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms, including emotional distress. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the risk factors related to emotional distress of hospitalized military personnel. Results : There were no significant differences in socio-demographic and psychiatric symptoms between soldiers and officers. The prevalence of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms (emotional distress) was 21.2% (n=21). In the logistic regression analysis, psychiatric history [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=18.99 ; 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=1.42-253.57 ; p=0.026] and low military life satisfaction (AOR=15.67; 95% CI=1.46-168.11 ; p=0.023) correlated with emotional distress. Conclusion : Soldiers admitted to the military hospital showed similar prevalence of emotional distress as those at general hospitals. Considering military circumstances, it is necessary to detect and intervene regarding soldiers with a psychiatric history and low military life satisfaction to promote mental health at military hospitals.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.11-22
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• 2004

Objects : This study was aimed to investigate relation to the Psychologic factor and Mental disorder of Women. Methods : Research data is based on Booindaejoenyangbang(婦人大全良方) and Dongyipogam(東醫寶鑑). And study the psycho elements in Mental disorder of Women. Results : 1. Psychologic factor have a part in A cause for mental disorder of women, certainly. 2. The weakness is fundamental cause for mental disorder of women and the Wind is an immediate cause frequently. 3. Most mental disorder of women develop severe psychiatric symptoms. 4. Psychologic factor is concerned to causing and symptoms at various diseases of women. Conclusion : The results suggest that women is delicate at the psychologic factor, so mental disorders are taken easily.

• Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.489-493
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• 2018

Objective: This study was to identify whether working memory (WM) can be clearly subdivided according to auditory and visual modality. To do this, we administered the most recent and universal clinical WM measures in a mixed psychiatric sample. Methods: A total of 115 patients were diagnosed on the basis of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and with MINI-Plus 5.0, a structured diagnostic interview. WM subtests of Korean version of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV and Korean version of Wechsler Memory Scale-IV were administered to assess WM. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to observe whether WM measures fit better to a one-factor or two-factor model. Results: CFA results demonstrated that a two factor model fits the data better than one-factor model as expected. Conclusion: Our study supports a modality model of WM, or the existence of modality-specific WM systems, and thus poses a clinical significance of assessing both auditory and visual WM tests.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.232-241
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• 1997

The psychological problems following the experiences of school-violence could be more important than the physical problems. Victims could suffer from fear, depression, anger, lowered self-esteem, suicidal thought, and personality changes. To study the risk factors for school violence and the psychiatric problems after the experiences to school-violence provide us important informations to prevent and solve the problems of school violence. We examined clinical characteristics and psychosocial backgrounds of 13 adolescents who visited the psychiatric clinic after exposures to school violence from September, 1996 to May, 1997. The clinical data included intensity, motivations, durations, and methods of violence, psychiatric symptoms following exposure, findings of psychological test, and treatment course. The socioeconomic data included developmental characteristics of subjects, family characteristics, school life, and peer relationships. Of the 13 adolescents who experienced exposure to violence, 8 have experienced chronic psychiatric disturbances, 5 experienced transient psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, suicidal attempt who eventually returned to home and school life. Of the 8 adolescents who experienced chronic psychiatric disturbances, 4 experienced PTSD and depression lasting 3-6 months more, otherwise 4 showed converted features, such as aggressive behavioral disorder or perpetrator by strong compensatory effects after psychological shock. The subjects who have experienced chronic psychiatric disturbance have clinical characteristics such as physical or emotional abuse, physical illness or handicap, defects of ego functionings, and lack of family support. In summary, victims by school-violence manifested serious psychiatric disturbances, and they had clinically significant risk factors and some of them became perpetrators of school-violence.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 1997

Backgrounds : There has been many studies investigating the causes of farmers' syndrome. In some studies, psychologic stress is related to farmer's syndrome. And the diagnostic criteria of farmer's syndrome is similar to those of generalized anxiety disorder. So we carried out this study to investigate the psychiatric causes of farmers' syndrome. Methods : This study was done in some rural and urban areas of Kyoungsangnam Province, July, August, October and November of 1996. Those who came to free medical service and completed interview, medical examination and laboratory examination and 20-59 years old were 150 persons. And those who came to health center for health examination and completed only interview and 20-59 years old were 94 persons. The questionnaire was composed of sociodemographic factors, health risk factors, farmer's syndrome, work load, BEPSI(inventory to measure stress), Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory, self-rating depression scale. To examine statistical significance, we used X2-test, Mantel-Haenszel test for linear association, t-test, ANCOVA, correlation, multiple regression, logistic regression. Results : The prevalence of farmer's syndrome, adjusted for age and sex with population of Kyungsangnam Province of 1993 was 208 per 1,000(90 per 1,000 in men and 329 per 1,000 in women). In bivariate analysis, farmer's syndrome was significantly related to age, sex, job, income, smoking, alcohol drinking, work load, BEPSI, state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression, body mass index, Hwa-Byung, hypertension, anemia. However, when age and sex were adjusted, job was not significantly related to farmer's syndrome. The score of farmer's syndrome was significantly related to age, sex, work load, BEPSI, trait anxiety by multiple regression. Farmer's syndrome was significantly related to increasing age(odd ratio 1.079, 95% C.I. 1.060 - 1.099), sex(odds ratio of male 0.434, 95% C.I. 0.349 - 0.540), and BEPSI(odds ratio 1.231, 95% C.I. 1.148 - 1.320) by logistic regression. Results of logistic regression analysis of the component symptoms of farmer's syndrome were as follows. Shoulder stiffness was significantly related to increasing age, female sex and BEPSI. Lumbago was significantly related to increasing age, female sex and trait anxiety. Numb limbs and nocturia was significantly related to increasing age and female sex. Breathlessness was significantly related to work load, sleeplessness was significantly related to depression, dizziness was significantly related to job and state anxiety, and abdominal fullness was significantly related to female sex. Conclusion : Farmers' syndrome was related to work load, but was more related to psychiatric factors such as BEPSI and trait anxiety. And the occupation was not risk factor of farmers' syndrome in this study, so further study is needed to investigate the cause of farmers' syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 1994

The purpose of this study was to examine nurses’ perceptions of medication treatment for psychiatric patients and to compare these perceptions with the perceptions held by the patients. The methodology used in this study was a descriptive design with semi-structured and open-ended interviews. This study used a convenience sample of 112 nurses who worked in, and 209 patients who were under psychiatric treatment, in four hospitals attached to a university and one national mental hospital in the city of Seoul. The collected data were analyzed by SAS, using percentages for descriptive purposes, and t-test or x$^2$ for comparing the variables. The results were as follows : 1. There was no significant differences between nurses’ and patients’ perceptions on the extent to which patients complied with their medication treatment. Generally speaking, the mean compliance scores for both nurses and patients was high(nurse : (equation omitted)=3.70, Patient : (equation omitted)=3.76). 2. There was a significant difference in nurses’ and patients’ perceptions on the reasons why patients do not take medication. The nurse group indicated that the patients did not take medication because of the “worry about side effects or habituation(49.53%)”, “boredom from long-term use of medication(26.17%)” and “distrust toward medical staff(12.15% )”, but the patient group indicated that they “did not want to be dependent on medication (25%)”, “forgot to take medication(19.7%) and “worried about side effects or habituation(15.91%). 3. As for the necessity of medication, both groups showed some different responses. Even though both groups were aware of the necessity of taking medication, the patient group(21.53%) showed a more negative response. As (or the effects of medication, both groups (nurses and patients ) showed positive responses. However, the nurse group showed a higher positive response (91.07% ) than the patient group(74.16%), 5. Both the patient and nurse group indicated that the most helpful element for the patient’s life under psychiatric treatment was interviews and conversations with therapists and nurses. However, the nurse group showed a higher response(70.15%) than the patients group(47.15%). According to the patient group, family support for the patient was another important factor for psychiatric treatment and daily struggles. In conclusion, as there were differences between the perception of nurses and patients, the nurse must consider the patients’ subjective perceptions first. They should also revaluate their false belief and prejudice concerning the patients’ perceptions. Such information can provide a base to be applied by the nurses in devloping effective mutual relationships with patients which can in turn help in compliance with medication regimen. As it was confirmed that medication was the most important factor in the patients’ recovery, a thorough education program on the therapeutic effect of medication and the necessity of their continued use after discharge is also needed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.21-30
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• 2018

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood psychiatric disorder. Recently, it has been suggested that brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) may play a role in the pathogenesis of ADHD. Our aim of this review is to understand the physiological functions of BDNF and its potential relationship with ADHD and therapeutic approaches of ADHD. Searches were conducted in Pubmed and Research Information Service System (RISS). In this review, we summarized important literatures for the physiological functions of BDNF in neurodevelopment, change of serum BDNF level in ADHD, association of BDNF polymorphism and ADHD and potential association of treatment of ADHD with serum BDNF level. Further studies are required to more clearly understand the source and the role of BDNF in ADHD and to develop BDNF based-ADHD treatement.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2022

Objectives : This study aimed to examine the moderating effects of reasons for living on the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation among psychiatric patients. Methods : Patients were recruited from the department of psychiatry of university hospital. A total of 137 participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing depression (Beck Depression Inventory), suicidal ideation (Ultra-Short Suicidal Ideation Scale) and reasons for living (The Reasons for Living Inventory). Results : Among 4 sub-scales of the reasons for living inventory, survival and coping beliefs, fear of death and social disapproval, and future expectation moderated the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation. Conclusions : The results suggest that the reasons for living can work as a protective factor on the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation among psychiatric patients.