• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 2003

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare reliability and validity of three Korean versions of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia scale and to confirm the most reliable and validated Korean translation of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale for both clinical and research purpose in Korea. The first one was a Korean version of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale developed by Lee YH et al in 1996 which was designated as TAS-20K(1996) in this study. This scale had a problem with one item due to the cultural difference regarding the word 'analyzing' between western culture and Korean culture. The second one was the revised version of TAS-20K(1996) on that point by Lee YH et al in 1996 without validation which was designated as TAS-20K(2003) in this study. The third one was a 23-item Korean version developed by Sin HG and Won HT in 1997, which was somewhat different from the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS-20) in the number of total item, the content of some items and the scoring method. This scale was designated as S-TAS here. Methods: 408 medical students were tested with one scale composed of all the different items randomly arranged from the three versions. We evaluated goodness-of-fit and Cronbach $\alpha$ coefficients of three scales for reliability. We used confirmatory factor analysis to compare validity. Results: TAS-20K(2003) showed that it had better internal consistency than TAS-20K(1996), which implied that the cultural difference should be considered in the Korean translation. Both TAS-20K(2003) and S-TAS replicated three-factor structures and had adequacy of fit, good internal consistency and acceptable validity. However, S-TAS had one item with poor item-factor correlation and didn't show high correlation between item 2 and factor 1 as before in 1997. Conclusion: Although S-TAS had added 3 items and changed the content of two items, it didn't show better reliability and validity than TAS-20K(2003). Therefore it is proposed to use TAS-20K (2003) as the Korean version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS-20K) for international communication of results of Alexithymia research. It has good internal consistency and validity and maintains original items, the same construct and scoring method as the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.18-40
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to verify the influence of musical activities on social and emotional behavior of infants, through providing musical activities to the infants who were cared in a nursery and observing the interactions between peer group, or a therapist and an infant derived during them. The subject is 24 infants who are under 2 years of age(25~36months) at two nurseries located in Bundang area, and 13 infants among them are randomly assigned as study group and 11 infants as control group. Pretest and posttest about social and emotional behavior are performed, and ITSEA developed by Brggs-Gowan and Carter(2001) and amended by Shin Ji Yeon(2004) was used as an evaluation tool. Infants' changes of interaction behaviors during musical play were also analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, and for the analysis, infant's social play behavior examination tool developed by Holloway and Reichhart-Erickson(1988) was adopted. Based on time sampling method, each item of this tool was evaluated. Each session was performed for 15 minutes, and 60 times of analysis about interactions per session was conducted at every 15 seconds. The analysis result was showed with a table and a graph, and described qualitatively about behavior changes. When compared social and emotional positive behavior average figures and negative behavior average figures between study group and control group, this study showed that the positive behavior figure of study group was increased and the negative behavior figure was decreased. While concentration and empathy among positive behaviors increased meaningfully, aggression, defiance, separation anxiety and rejection to new things among negative activities also decreased meaningfully. The conclusion of this study is as follows. First, interactions with peers or a therapist based on music and musical experience make an effect on strengthening positive behavior among social and emotional behavior and decreasing negative behavior. Second, music has influence on negative behaviors more than positive behaviors of an infant, and produces a good effect on sub behaviors of negative behaviors specially.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2005

Objectives : This study was conducted to look over the current status of psychiatric consultation in a general hospital. Methods : We analyzed 664 medical records : 317 in 2002 and 347 in 1997, and compared the records of 1997 and 2002. Results 1) The average age of the patients increased from 45.9 years(1997) to 53.2 years of age (2002). Dividing the referred patients into 3 age-brackets as below 40, between 40 and 60, and above 60, the number of patients in the age group above 60 was significantly increased, more prominently in women. 2) Overall consultation rate was 2.29% in 2002 and 2.2% in 1997 .44.2% and 57.1% of the whole referrals were from the department of internal medicine in each year, and the department of rehabilitation medicine was leading in consultation rate in both years. 3) 'Mood disorders' and 'Substance related disorders' were the most frequent diagnoses in 2002 and 1997 respectively. 4) Use of psychotropic drugs was the most frequent recommendations of psychiatric consultation, in both years, and the most frequently prescribed drugs were anti-anxiety drugs in both years. The use of SSRI and atypical anti-psychotics were increased, while the use of typical anti-psychotics was decreased significantly in 2002. Conclusion : In 2002, compared with 1997, the average age of the patients was increased, and the consultation of the patients with the diagnosis of 'mood disorders' and 'cognitive disorders' was done more frequently than in 1997. The recommendation to use psychotropic drugs was well accepted, but the concern to diagnostic procedure was relatively low.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2018

Objectives : The aims of this study were to know the frequency and the nature of cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetics, and to reveal influencing variables on it. Methods : From eighty type 2 diabetics (42 males and 38 females), demographic and clinical data were obtained by structured interviews. Cognitive functions were measured using the MMSE-K (Korean Version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) and the Korean Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) tests. Severity of depression was evaluated by the Korean Version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (K-HDRS). Results : 1) Among eighty type 2 diabetics, 13.75% were below 24 on the MMSE-K, while 38.8% were below 22 on the MoCA-K. 2) The total scores and subtest scores of the MoCA-K including visuospatial/ executive, attention, language, delayed recall and orientation were significantly lower in type 2 diabetics with cognitive dysfunction (N=31) than those without cognitive dysfunction (N=49) (p<0.001, respectively). 3) There were significant difference between type 2 diabetics with and those without cognitive dysfunction in age, education, economic status, body mass index, duration of diabetes, total scores of the K-HDRS, the MMSE-K and the MoCA-K (p<0.05, respectively). 4) The total scores of the MoCA-K had significant correlation with age, education, body mass index, family history of diabetes, duration of diabetes, total scores of the K-HDRS (p<0.05, respectively). 5) The risks of cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetics were significantly influenced by sex, education, fasting plasma glucose and depression. Conclusions : The cognitive dysfunction in type 2 diabetics seemed to be related to multiple factors. Therefore, more comprehensive biopsychosocial approaches needed for diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2002

Objective : Increasing in frequency and success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and improved survival rates have led to growing concerns regarding the psychosocial aspects of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. In this study, we have examined the stress coping strategies and related psychiatric symptom in the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. Methods : In this study, we examined the psychological stress symptoms of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients and differences of psychosocial variables between active coping group and passive coping group. Twenty nine recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation were recruited prospectively and assessed at 2 weeks pretranplant and at 1-2 days posttranplant. Thirty normal controls were recruited. Assessments included a psychiatric interview, a variety of standardized questionnaires (Ways of Coping Questionnaires, Perceived Stress Scale, Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale, Short-Form 36 Health Survey). Results : Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients showed higher degree of depression (p<0.001) and anxiety (p=0.011) symptoms than normal control group. However, no differences of depression and anxiety symptoms between pretransplant and posttransplant status were showed. And, passive coping group showed higher degree of depression (p=0.046) and anxiety symptoms (p<0.001) than active coping group. Conclusions : Our results suggested that many hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients would exhibit severe to moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Also, it seemed likely that passive coping style might influence the development of negative affect such as anxiety and depression. The implications of these findings were discussed in terms of the need to monitor the coping strategies and apply the appropriate psychiatric intervention. And, further prospective studies about long-term survival and psychological adaptive functions of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients are recommended.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.142-153
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• 2002

The authors intended to investigate personality characteristics and those influence on the outcome of cognitive behavioral therapy in patients with panic disorder. 167 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder were assessed by the PDQ-R(Personality Disorder Questionnaire-Revision) and various self-report tools for assessing symptoms of panic disorder. The effect of therapy was measured by the changes of scores and the end state functioning before and after 12-sessions of CBT. The patients with panic disorder were more likely showed obsessive-compulsive, avoidant and paranoid personality disorder and also Cluster C. If is needed when patients were divided into two groups according to total scores of PDQ-R(high or low personality disorder groups), high personality disorder group showed many evidences for increased psychopathology at the start of treatments, this suggested the close linkage between panic disorder and personality disorder. Interestingly, there were no significant differences between both groups in scores of clinical variables and the end state functioning. In conclusion, although patients with high tendency of personality disorder had more generalized problems at the beginning of treatments, they could improve as much as the patients with low tendency of personality disorder. They can be helped by cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder and seem to profit as much as patients with low tendency of personality disorder. If is needed to seek other factors in poor responders for cognitive behavioral therapy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 2020

Purpose: This study identified the relationship between dietary habits and health-related behaviors depending on the Big Five personality factors (extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism). Methods: The NEO-II test was administered to 337 male and female college students in Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, and their dietary habits and health-related behaviors were surveyed. Results: The male participants showed higher scores for extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness compared to that of their female counterparts, while the female participants showed higher scores for neuroticism. As for the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, in the case of men, higher scores for extraversion were related to a lower intake of instant/fast foods and a higher intake of vegetables; higher agreeableness scores were related to a lower intake of fruit; and higher neuroticism scores were related to a heavy intake of high-cholesterol foods. It was found that higher openness scores were associated with a higher intake of burnt fish/meat and a lower intake of animal fat, while higher agreeableness scores were related to a lower intake of burnt fish/meat in women. Also, those subjects with higher openness and agreeableness scores were found to better consider the nutritional balance when having a meal. In the case of the male participants, higher openness scores were related to increased physical activity, while higher neuroticism scores were related to increased smoking and a lack of sleep. As for the women, those with higher extraversion scores smoked more, while those who recorded higher agreeableness scores were involved in more physical activities. Conclusion: Differences were observed in dietary habits and health-related behaviors between men and women depending on personality factors, and the analysis results of some dietary habits according to personality factors were inconsistent with those of the overseas studies. Therefore, to provide customized nutritional counseling when considering each individual's personality factors, more research results from domestic samples should be collected and accumulated.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2005

Objectives : We have studied female patients with either alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia to evaluate psychological aspects, such as anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and characteristic personalities. In addition, we tried to examine the differences in psychological characteristics between these two types of alopecia, where the alopecia areata has been cotroversial on the role of stress in its etiology and the androgenetic alopecia seems to be more influeced by genetic and biological factors. Methods : All participated patients were females with alopecia for more than 1 you. Among them, 52 were with alopecia areata and 33 were with androgenetic alopecia. They were compared with 54 normal healthy controls by using MMPI, BDI, STAI-S, STAI-T, and TAS-20K. Results The average scores of F, Hs, D, Pd, Pa, Sc, Si in MMPI of alopecia groups were significantly higher than that of normal controls, and the androgenetic alopecia group had highest Hy and Pt scores. The average scores of BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T in alopecia groups were higher than the normal controls. 94.2% of alopecia areata patients and 97.0% of androgenetic alopecia patients had severe depression, who scored higher than 23 in BDI. In TAS-20K, the average total scores of alopecia groups were higher than the normal control group, and the average Factor 3 score in androgentic alopecia was higher than the other groups. The alopecia groups scored higher than normal control group in STAI-S and STAI-T. Conclusion : Females with chronic alopecia were more depressed, had higher levels of anxiety, and more alexithymic than normal healthy females. In spite of arguments about etiological role of stress to alopecia, psychiatric interventions are needed for depression, and considerations for personality and psychological defense mechanism were needed in both types of alopecia.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 2001

This study was attempted to investigate the discriminant validity of Korean version of Eating Attitude Test-26(KEAT-26) and to provide the sensitivity, specificity and efficiency according to cutting score, which may be useful to determine the optimal cutoff point on various purposes. The KEAT-26 was administered to 108 female patients with eating disorders, 179 female participants in body slimming center, 120 female athletic college students, 227 female college students, and 183 healthy normal women. Validity was tested by ANOVA and ROC curve analysis. The results revealed that the total score of the KEAT-26 showed a statistically significance between groups and that the score of the KEAT-26 of eating disorders group was significantly higher than that of the other groups in post hoc test. In comparison of the 4 subfactor score of the KEAT-26 between groups, significant differences in main effect within groups were found in all subfactors except factor IV. ROC curve analysis showed 80% of efficiency to discriminate eating disorders group from normal control group using cutoff score on maximum discriminant efficiency and 69% of efficiency to discriminate eating disorders group from high risk groups for eating disorders. Each cutoff score on maximum in efficiency was as follows ; 25 between eating disorders group and participants in body slimming center, 19 between eating disorders group and healthy normal woman, 23 between eating disorders group and athletic college students, 21 between eating disorders group and college students. Using 22(T score 65) of the KEAT-26 as the cutoff score, sensitivity was 54%, specificity was 84%, and overall efficiency was 80%. These results indicate that the KEAT-26 has a good discriminant validity in Korean population and also suggest that the KEAT-26 may be useful assessment tool to screen the disordered eating problems on clinical and epidemiological purposes.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2012

Objectives : The objective of this study is to measure and to compare the rate of depression, anxiety, self-es-teem and the quality of life of the patients with chest pain. Based on the result of this study, the necessity of the psychiatric assessment and treatment of the patients with chest pain is emphasized. This study is a preliminary research for a larger scale investigation to be carried out in the future. Methods : Thirty nine patients with chest pain who visited Cardiovascular Division of Dept. of Internal Medicine Pusan National University Hospital and fourty normal control group(NC) were included in this study. The patients were classified into typical chest pain group(TCP, N=19) and atypical chest pain group(ACP, N=20) based on the cause of the pain. The cause was determined by cardiac computed tomography, exercise stress test, coronary angiography, and questionaires by a cardiology specialist. The patients were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale(RSES) and Korean version of the Smith Klein Beecham 'Quality of Life' scale(KvSBQOL). Results : 1) When the risk factors of cardiac disease is compared, most of the factors(Hypertension, Diabetes, Hyperlipidemia, Cerebral infarction) did not differ significantly among the two chest pain groups, except for the family history, for which TCP group showed higher risk than ACP group did. 2) As for the self-report questionaires scores, BDI score, which indicates the rate of depression, of both ACP group and TCP group was significantly higher than that of NC group in BDI for depression. STAI score, which measures anxiety, was also significantly high in both groups. Especially, STAI score was significantly higher in ACP group than TCP group. 3) In the aspect of self-esteem and quality of life, ACP group scored significantly lower than TCP group and NC group. The scores for TCP group and NC group did not differ significantly. Conclusions : The patients with chest pain showed more depression and anxiety than normal control group, regardless of the cause of the pain. However, TCP group did not show significantly larger drop in self-esteem and quality of life than ACP group did. This result implies that early psychiatric assessment and treatment is needed for the patients with such chest pain, since it is highly likely that the pain would lead to lower quality of life of the patients.