• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2013

With Korea's rapid entry to aged society, elderly population has become a major age group both in the whole society and medical field and its importance will be constantly stressed out. Elderly population is also important in the field of oral medicine which deals with chronic and recurrent diseases in the orofacial region of non-dental origin but there exist few studies indicating epidemiology of elderly patients in this regards. This study aimed to investigate change of age distribution of new patients in a university-based dental hospital and oral medicine clinic for last decade and to investigate clinical epidemiology of elderly patients (${\geq}$ 65 years) of oral medicine clinic. This study was performed retrospectively using medical records of the new patients in Dankook University Dental Hospital in 2001 and 2011. According to the study, percentage of elderly new patients increased in both dental hospital and oral medicine clinic and degree of the increase was greater in oral medicine clinic than in the whole hospital (p=0.000). 13.5% of adult patients ${\geq}$ 18 years of oral medicine clinic were elderly patients ${\geq}$ 65 years. 83% of elderly patients were suffering from one or more systemic diseases. Although TMD was the most common reason for elderly patients who visited oral medicine clinic, oral soft tissue diseases, dry mouth, burning mouth syndrome and oromandibular dystonia was more frequently diagnosed in elderly patients compared to adult patients aged 18 to 64 years. Pain severity and interference of Brief Pain Inventory and depression and anxiety scores of Hospital Anxiety Depression Scales were higher in elderly patients than in the adult patients (p<0.05). Increase of elderly patients with chronic oral diseases and pain needs more attention of dentists and specialists of oral medicine to improvement of assessment and development of tailored management because large portion of the elderly patients have systemic diseases, polypharmacy and impaired communication, possibly restricting treatment options.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2008

Background : It was not uncommon authors as psychiatrists faced women patients with somatoform disorders who expresses their symptoms has been started after the poor adherence to 'Doing the month' practices (DMP). DMP is known as a traditional ritual for Korean postpartum women. Aims : This study is an cultural approach to explore the practices of Korean women during the postpartum period are related with the formation of somatoform disorders. Methods : 41 multipara women with somatoform disorders diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria and 91 healthy normal control were enrolled. Subjects were given scales of SOM scale of SCL-90R, Somatic Symptom Scale-Korean version, Korean 'Doing the month' practices Scale(40 items), Postpartum Sick Scale(14 items), Beck Depression Scale and State Anxiety Scale. Results : 1) The period of DMP less than one week were prevalent in the patients group(43.9%) compared to the control group(7.9%, p<0.01). 2) The period of DMP after the abortions showed no difference between two groups. 3) Subjective rate for their poor DMP was significantly high in the patients group(73.2%) compared to the control group(33.0%), and the patients group showed high score in Postpartum Sick Scale as well(4.1, 1.6 respectively). 4) Poor DM was negatively correlated with SOM scale of SCL-90R(correlation coefficient r=-0.47, p<0.01). Conclusion : Poor DMP may make a crucial role for their heath condition after the deliveries and which would be one of the major factors of the somatoform disorders in Korean women. And postpartum physical symptoms after the poor DMP could be last long enough to be diagnosed as somatoform disorders. By understanding the cultural nature of the somatization phenomena the doctor-patient relationship could be enhanced.

• Journal of the HCI Society of Korea
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

This is to develop a new way of testing self-esteem by adopting DAP(Draw a Person) test and to make a platform to digitalize it for young people in the adolescent stage. This approach is to get high effectiveness of the self-esteem measurement using DAP test, including some personal inner situations which can be easily missed in the large statistical analysis. The other objective of this study is digitalize to recover limits of DAP test in the subjective rating standard. It is based on the distribution of the figure drawing expressed numerically by the anxiety index of Handler. For these two examinations, we made experiment through 4 stages with second grade middle school 73 students from July 30th to October 31th in 2009 during 4 months. Firstly, we executed 'Self Values Test' for all 73 people, and divided them into two groups; one is high self-esteem group of 36 people, the other is low self-esteem group of 37 people. Secondly, we regrouped them following D (Depression), Pd (Psychopathic Deviate), Sc (Schizophrenia) scales of MMPI; one is high self-esteem group of 7 people, the other is low self-esteem group of 13 people. Thirdly, we conducted DAP test separately for these 20 people. We intended to verify necessity and appropriateness of direction of 'Digitalizing Measurement System' by comparing and analyzing relation between DAP and Self-esteem following evaluation criteria which has similarity in 3 tests, after executing DAP to reflect peculiarity of adolescents sufficiently. We compared and analyzed result abstracted by sampling DAP test of two groups; One is high self-esteem group of 2 people, the other is low self-esteem group of 2 people; to confirm whether we can improve limitation that original psychological testing has by comparing mutual reliance of measurement test. Finally, with DAP test gained from correlations between self-esteem and melancholia following as above-mentioned steps, we discovered possibility of realization to get a concrete and individual criteria of evaluation based on Expert System as a way of enhancing accessibility in quantitative manner. 'Digitalizing Measurement Program' of DAP test suggested in this study promote results' reliability based on existing tests and measurement.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2009

Objectives : Prevalence of postpartum depressive disorders reaches approximately 10-15% of childbearing women. This preliminary study was intended to explore the relationships between postpartum depressive disorders and family adaptability and cohesion. Methods : Childbearing women(n=24) were assessed for risk factors for postpartum depression before and after childbirth prospectively. At gestational age between 36th and 40th week, the questionnaire about various factors before childbirth, Edinburgh postnatal depression scale(EPDS), Family adaptability-cohesion evaluation scale (FACES), and Beck anxiety inventory(BAI) were assessed. After childbirth, for the diagnosis of postpartum depressive disorders, a structured diagnostic interview according to MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview was performed, furthermore, the questionnaire about various factors after childbirth, EPDS, and BAI were assessed at 4-6 weeks postpartum. Results : Among various factors and scales, family adaptability and cohesion, mood symptom and change during pregnancy were associated with postpartum depressive disorder in comparison with non-postpartum depressive disorder subjects. In addition, low family adaptability and cohesion and mood change during pregnancy were significantly associated factors with postpartum depressive disorder using logistic regression analysis. Conclusion : The results suggest the postpartum depressive disorder could be related with prenatal low family adaptability and cohesion. This preliminary study, however, includes only a few subjects, so that further large-sized study will be needed to replicate our results.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.224-239
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• 2000

This descriptive study was conducted to understand the contents and degree of parental stress level in the NICU patients, and to give a baseline data in developing nursing intervention program. Subjects were the 62 mother of hospitalized newborn in NICU of 1 University Hospital in Taejon City from May 1st, 1999 to November 30th, 1999, who agreed to take part in this study. The instrument used in this study were Parental Stressor Scales : NICU(PSS:NICU) developed by Miles et al. and validated by 3 NICU practitioners and 3 child health nursing faculties. The questionnaire has 4 dimensions and 45 items; sight and sounds of NICU(5 items), babies' appearance and behavior(19 items), parental role alteration and relationship with their baby(10 items), communication with health team(11 items). The questionnaire asks parents to rate each item on a five-point Likert type scale that ranges from (1) to (5). Total scores representing overall stress from the NICU environment are calculated by summing response to each item. A high score indicates high stress. A subscale score is calculated by summing the responses to each item in the subscale. Cronbach's α coefficients were .93. The data was analyzed as average, Frequency, Standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient by use of SPSS/PC+. The results of this study is summarized as follows ; 1. The total perceived stress level score of mothers was slightly high(3.6±.7). The highest scored dimension was 'appearance and behavior of the baby'(3.9±1.5), and next were 'relationship with their baby and parental role change'(3.5±1.4), 'communication with health team'(3.4±.9), 'sight and sounds of NICU'(3.2±.8). 2. Two variables were statistically significant with PSS:NICU total scale ; mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition (r=.482, P=.002) and mother's religious attendance(t=2.83, P=.01). The more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe, the higher the total stress score. There were high stress score noted in the mother of no religious attendance. 3. Four variables were statistically significant with NICU environment subscale ; mother's educational background(F=3.45, P=.04), religious attendance(t=2.28, P=.04), sex of the baby(t=2.83, P=.01) and NICU patients' hospital day(r=.359, P=.004). That is mother with high educational background and girl baby were high NICU environment subscale score. 4. Four variables were statistically significant with appearance and behavior of the baby subscale ; when first saw baby(F=3.52, P=.04), incubator care(t=2.83, P=.01), mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition(r=.303, P=.017), number of NICU visit(r=.441, P=.002). That is, seeing the baby first in the NICU and recieved incubator care was very stressful. Also, the more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe and more NICU visit, the higher the appearance and behavior of the baby subscale stress score. 5. Four variables were statistically significant with relationship with their baby and parental role change subscale ; when first saw baby(F=3.37, P=.04), sex of the baby(t=2.36, P=.03), incubator care(t=5.60, P=.00), mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition(r=.401, P=.001). That is, seeing the baby first in the NICU and girl baby was very stressful. Also, the more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe, the higher the relationship with their baby and parental role change subscale stress score. 6. Three variables were statistically significant with communication with health team subscale ; mother's educational background (F=3.63, P=.04), incubator care(t=4.24, P=.00), gestational age(r=-.394, P=.047), and birth weight(r=-.460, P=.004). That is, mother with high educational background and receiving incubator care were high communication with health team subscale score. Also, the shorter the gestational age and smaller the baby's birth weight, the higher the communication with health team subscale score. In conclusion, information about physical environment of NICU, the mother's perceived severity of baby's illness state, maternal role change related variables and the knowledge of characteristics of NICU patients must be included in nursing intervention program of mother's of NICU patients in reducing the maternal stress and anxiety level.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2002

Objectives: In a number of simulated night shift studies, timed exposure to bright light improves sleep quality and work performance. We evaluated the effect of bright light on adaptation to night shift work with a field study. Methods: Five female nurses working shifts at Korea University Hospital were recruited for participation in this study. We investigated two series of six consecutive shift rotations comprising three day and three night shifts, using wrist Actigraphy, the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Visual-analogue scales, STIM and tympanic membrane temperature for daytime sleep quality, alertness, subjective feeling, attention performance, and temperature rhythm. The subjects were exposed to bright light (2,500 lux) from 24:00 to 04:00 a.m. on three consecutive night shifts during the second series, whereas they worked under normal lightening (650 lux) conditions during the first series. Results: Actigraphic assessment of daytime sleep showed no significant difference between the first and third night shift in both baseline and light exposure phase. The mean lowest temperature shifted earlier during baseline phase but not during the light exposure phase. Also, the score for subjective feelings of depression, anxiety, physical discomfort and sleepiness was significantly higher in the third night shift than the first during baseline phase but not during the light exposure phase. Attention and attention switching ability was significantly improved in the third night shift compared to the first night during the light exposure phase but there were no significant changes during the baseline phase. Conclusion: This result suggests that there were no significant differences between the two phases in measures of quality of daytime sleep, but subjective feelings, attention and alertness were enhanced during light exposure. Although some placebo effects and learning effects might influence this result, bright light exposure between midnight and 4:00 a.m. may improve adaptation to night shift. In future, further controlled studies with a larger sample size, including melatonin measurement, are needed for real shift workers.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.57-81
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of life of musically talented students as measured by their external experiences (e.g., activities, companions) and internal experiences (e.g., flow, emotion). The participants in this study were 33 musically talented students (10 males, 23 females) aged 13 to 19. Study data were collected for 7 consecutive days using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), which employs a cellular-phone as a signaling device. The results were as follows: First, in response to the 1625 random signals, musically talented students reported that 40.9% of their time was spent on productive activities. An additional 33.4% of time was used for maintenance activities and the rest of their time was spent on leisure/social activities. Also, musically talented students reported that 48.5% of their time was spent alone. When they were alone, they spent a lot of time engaging in productive activities (44.3%). Second, in order to measure the flow of their life, two methods were used. One used a 4-channel flow model (i.e. apathy, boredom, flow, anxiety) and the other used 8 dimensions and conditions of the flow experience (i.e. concentration, self-consciousness disappears, action and awareness merge, distorted sense of time, freedom from worry about failure, clear goals, immediate feedback, balance between challenges and skills). According to the former, when engaged in music-related activities, musically talented students usually reported flow (54.0%), while they felt apathy (41.3%) for daily routines activities. According to the latter method, musically talented students experienced flow for most productive activities, while they experienced flow least for maintenance activities. Emotional variables of ESF are comprised of 10 semantic scales (i.e. happy-sad, strong-weak, active-passive, sociablelonely, proud-ashamed, involved-detached, excited-bored, clear-confused, relaxed-worried, cooperative-competitive). Musically talented students reported experiencing the most positive emotion for social activities and experiencing the most negative emotion for maintenance activities. Results of this study assert that musically talented students had to trade off immediate enjoyment for developing their special gifts. They could not afford as much time for socializing with friends, and they had to spend more time alone compared to their peers without such gifts. Consequently, they were found to deprive themselves of the spontaneous good times that teenagers usually thrive on. They were helped in this respect by their autotelic personality traits, especially their strong need for achievement and endurance. The downside, however, is that the moment-to-moment quality of their moods suffered. The argument concerning musically talented students applies for all adolescents. The choices that talented students must make between immediate gratification and long-term development, and between solitude and companionship, are the same choices every young person must make, regardless of her or his level of talent. All of us have gifts that are potentially useful and worthy of being appreciated. But to develop these latent talents we must cultivate them, and this takes time and the investment of mental energy. The lifestyle that musically talented students develop can show us some of the choices all of us must make in order to cultivate our gifts.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.685-698
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• 2023

This study aimed to identify binge-eating behavior and food addiction in Korean population and to determine their associations with obesity, eating behaviors, mental health and cognitive characteristics. We collected clinical questionnaire scores related to eating problems (e.g. binge eating, food addiction, food cravings), mental health (e.g. depression), and cognitive functions (e.g. impulsivity, emotion regulation) in 257 Korean adults in the normal and the obese weight ranges. Binge-eating and food addiction were most frequent in obese women (binge-eating: 46.6%, food addiction: 29.3%) when we divided the participants into 4 groups depending on gender and obesity status. The independence test using the data with propensity score matching confirmed that binge-eating and food addiction were more prevalent in obese individuals. Finally, we constructed the logistic regression models using forward selection method to evaluate the influence of various clinical questionnaire scores on binge-eating and food addiction respectively. Binge-eating was significantly associated with the clinical scales of eating disorders, food craving, state anxiety, and emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal) as well as food addiction. Food addiction demonstrated the significant effect of food craving, binge-eating, the interaction of obesity and age, and years of education. In conclusion, we found that binge-eating and food addiction are much more frequent in females and obese individuals. Both binge-eating and food addiction commonly involved eating problems (e.g. food craving), but there was difference in mental health and cognitive risk factors. Therefore, it is required to distinguish food addiction from binge-eating and investigate intrinsic and environmental risk factors for each pathology.