• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 1995

A comparison was made between the effect of subjective stress and that of objective stress on immune function in male medical college students. Interaction between perceived stress, psychopathology and natural killer-cell(NK) activity was assessed during an exam period, non-exam period, and vacation. No significant difference was found in NK activity among these three periods, but scores of perceived stress related to unusual happenings during an exam period and related to interpersonal relationship during vacation were found to have significantly positive correlation with NK activity, respectively. In psychopathology, only scores of anxiety during an exam period had significantly positive correlation with NK activity. These results suggest that immune function is more likely to be affected by subjective stress than objective stress and that subjective stress such as some perceived stress and subclinical level of anxiety may positively affect immune function.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 1995

To evaluate body image disturbance in Korea, the Body Image Scale(BIS) was developed and it's reliability and validity was tested. The BIS was administered to 33 subjects of normal controls and 64 patients consisting of mainly neurotic patients. The correlation coefficient, of test-retest reliability with an interval of 2 weeks was 0.88 and internal consistency coefficient Cronbach's alpha, was 0.80. Discriminant validity test indicated that there were significant differences in total BIS score between normal control group and psychiatric patients group after controlling the effects of age, sex, and educational level. Factor analysis showed two distinct dimensions, namely 'physical appearance' and 'physical health and strength'. The BIS appears to be a reliable, internally consistent and valid scale which can be used for assessing body image in Korea pupulations.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.107-112
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• 1994

The authors tried to look into the process of the individual psychotherapeutic experience of a 18-year-old male diagnosed as somatoform pain disorder or chronic pain syndrome. The patient had showed strong resistance to acceptance of his psychological problems. Some issues such as indications of psychotherapy for chronic pain, changing the mode of the treatment some problems around changing the therapist secondary gain and parents' attitude were discussed considering their relatedness to the outcome. The psychotherapy had lasted about 2 years and the result was estimated as fair.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.218-222
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• 1997

Before the dressing and debridement of the wounds, patients received hypnosis and were taught self-hypnosis. They were instructed to let the burn areas being worked on "become relaxed and numb" in the trance. The author encouraged them to imagine wound-healing. Result of this hypnoanalgesia as an adjunct treatment for burn pain proved it most effective and facilitative. Theoretical and practical implications and future research directions were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 1994

Objective : Cosmetic surgery, as a psychosocial intervention, is unique in that its foundation rests solely on the individual motivations, internal or external, of the patient We investigated the ego-identity in women who seek double eyelid operation, to understand one aspect of internal motivation for cosmetic surgery. Methods : Subjects of this study were 47 young women, visited to plastic surgery clinics in Kwangju from June 1993 to October 1993, and 58 women who did not want double eyelid operation were chosen as controls. Each subject's ego-identity was scored using Dignan's ego-identity scale. Results : The total and stability subscale's scores of ego-identity of double eyelid operation group were significantly lower than those of control group. Conclusion : More psychosocial research on the ego-identify of patients seeking double eyelid operation is required to understand the psychological motives for requesting surgery.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 1998

The importance of psychological factors in dermatologic disorders has been recognized for several decades. However, there have been few reports on the management of psychodermatologic disorders. Psychodermatologic conditions can be divided into three broad subgroup in the dermatologic point of view ; first, psychiatric disorders manifesting as dermatological symptom, second, dermatoses mainly caused by emotional factors, i.e., stress, or determined by complex psychophysiological mechanism, and third, psychological symptoms secondary to dermatological conditions, i.e., anxiety or depression. This article describes first two major categories of psychodermatologic disorders and attempts to provide brief guideline for each psychodermatologic condition in view of the clinical interface between dermatology and psychiatry.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.193-209
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• 1998

The author conducted a literature review to better characterize the current state of knowledge regarding the relationship between psychological and behavioral factors and cardiovascular disease. This review focus on several problems : Hypertension, coronary artery disease such as myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. We describe model for understanding the relation-ship of psychological factors to the disease, review the results of relevant research studies and provide recommendation for further research.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.57-61
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• 2010

The complex regional pain syndrome(CRPS) is a painful and disabling disorder that can affect one or more extremities. Unfortunately, knowledge concerning its natural history and mechanism remains very limited. Many current rationales in treatment of CRPS are mainly dependent on efficacy originate in other common conditions of neuropathic pain. This article introduces various treatments for CRPS, but few studies of high methodological quality have been carried out into the effects of those treatments. I think early recognition and a multidisciplinary approach to management seems important in obtaining a good outcome.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2009

Psychiatric disorders are quite common in surgical patients. However, surgeons are less likely to refer patients to psychiatrists than other physicians, who also have a tendency to under-recognize psychiatric disorders among their patients. Therefore, a large proportion of psychopathology in surgical patients is either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and not optimally treated, if treated at all. This column focuses on common psychiatric issues that generally arise in surgical patients and reviews psychiatric issues specific to specialized surgical settings and patients (eg, burn units, obesity surgery).

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1993

The author reviewed the general principle in the use of psychotropics for patients with renal diseases. who have psychiatric problems. Durgs which are dialyzable and metabolized or eliminated by kidney should not be used for patients with renal failure. However, lithium can be effectively used in a single dose$(300{\sim}600 mg/day)$ after each dialysis. though lithium has the double negative components. It is recommended that serum lithium level should be frequently monitored and the dose of lithium should be gradually increased to minimize its side effect Most of other psychotropics such as benzodiazepine anxiolytics tricyclic or tetracyclic antidepressants, and neuroleptics are metabolized in the liver, and they can be used in renal patients. The dose of these drugs should be reduced in two-thirds of the standard dose. In addition. it is necessary for liaison psychiatrists and other physicians to understand the interactions between psychotropics and drugs often used for treatment of renal diseases in order to prescribe psychotropics safely and effectively in renal patients.