• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.3-12
• /
• 2013

Most preschool children in Korea attend kindergarten (KG) or a child care center (CCC). CCCs, which focus on caring for the child, belong to the ministry of health and welfare. On the other hand, KGs are responsible for education, and belong to the ministry of education, science and technology. In order to resolve the decline in population due to low birthrates, the government is expanding the free child care and education policies. CCCs and KGs are combined together to form the 'NURI curriculum' and supporting funds have been increased in both governmental departments. In addition, economic support is provided for homeschooling households. Because this is a nationwide policy and applies to every single household, thorough preparation regarding the effect and side effects must be made. This policy is currently being implemented, and as child and adolescent psychiatrists, great consideration should be given to the influence on the population. Therefore, the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry intends to investigate the effects and problems of the nationwide policy by analyzing the current condition of Korea's free child care and education and foreign policies. In the current paper, we reviewed the developmental process of Korea's free child care and education policy, as well as suggested future directions.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.451-463
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study examined the reciprocal relationships between depression and income, and gender differences in these relationships among older adults in South Korea. Methods: Using 2015 to 2019 of the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS), we studied 6,070 older adults (2,394 men and 3,676 women) aged 60 years over in 2015. The generalized estimating equation was employed to explore the effect of an individual income on depression and the reverse causal link-that of depression on income. Results: The study found the reciprocal relationships between income and depression. Income has a significant impact on depression. Higher-income was linked to decreased risks of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scores among older adults (B = - 0.121, p < 0.001). Estimates of the reverse causal link show that higher CES-D scores were also linked to income reduction among Korean older adults (B = - 0.007, p < 0.001). In addition, we also observed gender differences in the impact of income on depression but not in the reverse causal link. Income has more detrimental to psychological consequence for older men (B = - 0.108, p < 0.001) than older women (B = - 0.057, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The finding implies that both psychological and social protection policies for the elderly are needed in view of gender perspective.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.67 no.1
• /
• pp.55-81
• /
• 2015

With the psychological autopsy, an analytical method of backward reasoning for individual case of suicide, this study aims to investigate the causes and route of individual suicides in Korean rural areas, which has long had a bad reputation of world-wide high rate of suicide. The compound approach of the study which combines the psychological and socio-cultural aspects concerning suicide simultaneously, is able to make this study clearly distinguished from existing related inquires and results. Analysis of 25 suicide cases could make clear the typical characters of risky group of suicide in rural area and elucidate the obvious socio-cultural impact on suicide respective of several suicide type, for example, male and female elderly, homecoming youth etc. Then, the psycho-social interactive model to account for rural area suicide adequately could be established as a final result of the study. In addition, based on the findings of the study, several counter-plans to prevent the suicide-committing of the risky groups are suggested in short-term and long-term bases as well.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.231-242
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the personal factors affecting the ideation of suicide to identify the risk factors of suicide and to provide basic data for suicide prevention. The study subjects were 260 elderly people aged 65 or older who use the elderly general welfare center, the elderly classroom, and the senior club living in Jecheon City. The results of this study showed that personal factors affecting the idea of suicide in the elderly were significant in psychological factors such as stress, depression and loneliness. This means that the higher the stress, depression, and loneliness, the higher the elderly's suicide thought. In addition, the most influential factors in the idea of suicide of the elderly were stress, followed by loneliness and depression. Based on these findings, first, psychological treatment and prevention programs are needed to prevent suicide in the elderly. Second, it is necessary to expand the mental health support system, education and service for the elderly. Third, it is necessary to develop and disseminate stress coping, easing and arbitration programs.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.114-122
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the effect of integrated nursing using cognicise and neurofeedback on cognition and α waves among elderly individuals. Methods: This quasi-experimental single group pretest-posttest study included 29 Korean adults aged 65 years or older who participated at a senior welfare center in Y city from February to May 2019. Each integrated nursing session consisted of cognicise (10 minutes) and neurofeedback (20 minutes). Subjects participated twice a week for 10 weeks. Structured questionnaires to assess participants' general characteristics and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination for Dementia Screening (K-MMSE-DS) were applied. Alpha waves were measured using BrainMaster. Results: Following the integrated nursing program, alpha waves improved in F3 (t=2.41, p=.023), C3 (t=3.00, p=.006), C4 (t=2.60, p=.015), P3 (t=2.43, p=.022), O1 (t=2.30, p=.029), T3 (t=3.05, p=.005), T4 (t=2.28, p=.030), T5 (t=2.91, p=.007), Fz (t=2.30, p=.029), Cz (t=2.73, p=.011), and Pz (t=2.23, p=.034). Most subjects experienced improvement in concentration after participating in the intervention. Conclusion: This study provides evidence for the use of a neuroscientific approach including brain wave measurement to improve cognitive health among community-living elderly people.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.11 no.9
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of alcohol use, depression, and self-esteem on suicidal ideation of older adults. Community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older were recruited from three welfare centers. A total of 245 older adults was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korean (AUDIT-K), Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form-Korea Version (GDSSF-K), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI). Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis were performed using the SPSS WIN 19.0 program. Higher depression, lower self-esteem, no religion, and poorly perceived health were statistically significant determinants of higher level of suicidal ideation in older adults. To prevent or reduce suicidal ideation of older adults, health care providers should consider the determinants identified in this study.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.69 no.3
• /
• pp.241-265
• /
• 2017

This study was conducted to propose anti-stigma strategies by verifying the social stigma on behavioral addiction under the premise that social stigma is a main obstacle to the treatment of addiction. A research model was constructed by applying the attribution affection theory and the modified attribution affection theory, which are very useful for explaining emotional and behavioral responses to the persons with mental illness. In other words, when attributing the causes of behavioral addiction to the personally controllable things such as personality, will and lifestyle, social distance can be increased by the mediate of anger. However, when attributing the causes of behavioral addiction to biological factors that can not be controlled by an individual, there can exist two pathway, one is the arising of helping behaviors by the mediate of sympathy (the attribution affection theory), and the other is the aggravation in the social distance due to rising fear (the modified attribution affection theory). In order to verify the research model, 383 adult subjects mainly in South Gyeongsang Province were randomly presented with the vignettes of gambling addiction and internet game addiction, and asked about the causes of the problems and their emotional, prejudicial, and behavioral responses to them. As a result, all pathway had statistically significant predictive effect. Therefore, in the case of attributing to personal causes, social distance increased by the mediate of anger. In the case of attributing to biological causes, both pathway had significant predictive effect, but the indirect effect of the pathway predictive of the helping behavior by the mediate of sympathy was greater. Researchers suggested that anti-stigma strategies, which emphasize that behavioral addiction is a mental health problem requiring treatment, are necessary.

• Korean Journal of School Psychology
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.269-290
• /
• 2021

This study was conducted to examine the moderated mediation effect of self-esteem through internet overdependence on the effect of academic stress on depression and anxiety. Surveys were conducted as part of the 13th wave of the Korea Welfare Panel Study. The survey included academic stress, internet overdependence, depression and anxiety, and self-esteem scales. A total of 383 middle school students completed surveys. Data was analyzed using SPSS 21.0 and SPSS PROCESS Macro. There were three major results. First, internet overdependence partially mediation the effect of academic stress on depression and anxiety. Second, self-esteem moderated the relationship between internet overdependence and depression and anxiety. Third, self-esteem also moderated the mediating effect of academic stress on depression and anxiety through internet overdependence. These results indicate that self-esteem is a protective factor against the negative effects of internet overdependence on mental health and of academic stress on depression and anxiety in middle school students. This paper discusses the implications of these results, this study's limitations, and suggestions for future studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.143-152
• /
• 2019

PURPOSE: This examined the effects of a sling exercise based on music on the cognition, physical performance of patients with dementia. METHODS: Thirty subjects with dementia volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects were allocated randomly to either the experimental group or control group, with 15 subjects in each group. All subjects underwent the exercise program for an average of 60 minutes per day for 16 weeks. The experimental group performed sling exercise based on music, and the control group performed the general exercise program. Assessments were made using the Korean version of mini-mental state examination (MMSE-K), 10 m walk test (10MWT), Tinetti mobility test (TMT), and Katz's Index of Independence in activity daily living (KIIADL) to detect changes in the cognitive level and physical performance before and after the 16-week training period. A paired t-test was conducted to compare the within-group change before and after the intervention. An independent t-test was performed to compare the between-group difference. The statistical significance level was set to α=.05 for all variables. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant within-group changes in the MMSE-K, 10MWT, TMT, and KIIADL (p<.05). The control group showed a significant change in only the KIIADL (p<.05). A significant difference was observed between the experimental group and the control group regarding the change in MMSE-K and KIIADL after the interventions (p<.05). CONCLUSION: A music-based sling exercise program effectively improves cognition, physical performance, and ADL in patients with dementia. Further studies with a wider range of subjects and scientific equipment will be needed to strengthen the results of this study.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.24-31
• /
• 2020

Objective : The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between job stress and depressive disorder among emotional laborers in a city. Methods : A total of 677 emotional laborers living in Jeonju-city participated in this study. The participants completed survey questions regarding demographic characteristics, job stress (using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-24, KOSS-24), and depression (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, PHQ-9). Logistic regression was performed to estimate the association between job stress and depression. Results : Our results indicated that 34.9% of the participants had a high risk of total job stress and 21.7% of participants had depression. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (OR=1.66, 95% CI=1.01-2.72) and total job stress (OR=3.84, 95% CI=2.57-5.75) were significantly associated with depression after adjusting for confounding factors. Among the subscales of job stress, job demand (OR=3.06, 95% CI=1.99-4.72) and occupational climate (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.19-2.97) were significantly associated with depression. But insufficient job control, interpersonal conflict, job insecurity, the organizational system and lack of rewards were not. Conclusion : Among the emotional laborers, job stress, particularly job demand and occupational climate, were major contributing factors associated with depression. Early screening and preventive strategies focusing on job stress could reduce the impact of depression in emotional laborers.