• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.636-645
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• 2004

Purpose. A natural disaster negatively affects children's emotional and behavioral adjustment. The purpose of this paper was to examine the prevalence, symptoms, and correlates of PTSD after the occurrence of Typhoon Rusa. Method. 261 elementary school children living in Kimcheon, which was a devastated rural area in South Korea by Typhoon Rusa, were selected. Data were collected 4 months after the disaster using the PTSD Reaction Index categories recommended by Frederick, severity of PTSD. Results. 12.3% of the children had either moderate or severe PTSD symptoms; 22.7% reported mild symptoms; and the remaining 65% had sub-clinical symptoms of PTSD. The most frequent symptom was recurrenct fear(67.0%). 13% to 17.2% of children exhibited difficulty in concentration, sleep disturbance, and guilt feeling. The regression model of severity of PTSD was composed of the level of exposure to traumatic experiences, grade in school, gender, negative coping style, and social support, and explained 34.3% for PTSD symptoms. Exposure to traumatic experiences was the strongest factor of all predictors. Conclusion. Emotional support from friends and coping style were correlated with PTSD severity. School-based interventions that emphasizes coping with disaster related problems and problem-solving may prove to be useful, and may aid in building close and supportive ties with teachers, classmates, and friends.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.79-97
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of music for alleviating PTSD symptoms among North Korean resettlers. Out of 80 initial responses from North Korean resettlers living in Seoul metropolitan area, 78 surveys were analyzed. The questionnaire focused on traumatic events encountered, PTSD symptoms experienced, and the use of music in relation to the symptoms. The analysis revealed that all participants had been exposed to traumatic events either directly or indirectly, and 32% of the responders have experienced at least one of the PTSD symptoms in the last one month. Most of the participants perceived music to be necessary in everyday life as well as for managing PTSD related symptoms. On the other hand, only 38% actually use music in everyday life whereas 75% use music for managing PTSD symptoms. They mainly listen to music but also engage in singing, utilize music from both North and South Korea, and they perceive the most important reason for using music to be for emotional comfort and transition. The analysis provides additional information that are valuable for the therapeutic use of music for North Korean resettlers living with PTSD symptoms.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2019

Objectives: Suicide is the most frequent cause of death among Korean adolescents, and adolescents who have experienced trauma have an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and suicide attempts. However, resilience and self-esteem are protective factors. We examined the effects of resilience and self-esteem on the relationship among traumatic experiences, PTSD symptoms, depression, and suicidal ideation. Methods: Middle-school students (n=403) completed questionnaires assessing traumatic experiences, PTSD symptoms, depression, suicidal ideation, resilience, and self-esteem. Path analysis was performed to investigate the mediating effects of PTSD symptoms, resilience, self-esteem, and depression on the relationship between trauma exposure and suicidal ideation. Results: Traumatic experience was positively correlated with PTSD symptoms, depression, and suicidal ideation. PTSD symptoms and depression were positively correlated with suicidal ideation. The relationship between traumatic experiences and suicidal ideation was mediated by PTSD symptoms, which had both direct and indirect effects on suicidal ideation; the indirect effect was mediated by resilience, self-esteem, and depression. Conclusion: Korean adolescents who had experienced trauma were more likely to develop PTSD symptoms, increasing their risk of depression and suicidal ideation. However, self-esteem and resilience may help protect against depression and suicidal ideation. Our findings could inform suicide prevention initiatives.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2017

Children exposed to potentially traumatic events are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the subsequent developmental course of posttraumatic stress symptoms appears to vary considerably. In this regard, some PTSD symptoms resolve without significant interventions, while for many children and adolescents, they persist until the patient receives appropriate treatment specifically designed to address PTSD and other trauma related symptoms. Evidence-based psychotherapies represent the standard of care for children with PTSD and, while psychopharmacologic interventions are utilized for many youth with posttraumatic stress symptoms and PTSD, there is little data available to guide the use of these medications in this population. However, given the structural challenges involved in disseminating and delivering evidence-based psychotherapies in all settings, prescribing clinicians should be aware of the medications whose use in children with pediatric PTSD has been studied. Herein, we review the PTSD assessment modalities, as well as the use of pharmacologic interventions in PTSD, including antiadrenergic agents, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other medications.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.215-237
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• 2017

Most research on medical accidents is related to medical disputes and malpractice of relief system. Therefore, there is a lack of research which explores the psychological experiences of patients injured by medical accidents. The purpose of this study was to investigate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) of patients harmed by medical accidents and to examine the moderating role of social support on the relationship between clinicians' explanation and attitude and PTSD symptoms. A total of 180 patients were drawn from a medical accident organization and online communities related to medical accidents. Results showed that 171 (95%) of the subjects experienced full PTSD symptoms and their severity of the PTSD Symptoms was as high as those who experienced other severe traumatic events. Though the main effect of clinician's explanation and attitude on PTSD symptoms was not significant, the moderating effect of social support was significant in the relationship between clinicians' explanation and attitude and PTSD symptoms. In other words, when the level of social support was low, the poorer the explanation and attitude of clinicians, the more severe the symptoms of PTSD. Drawing from these results, psychological, social, and institutional strategies were suggested to alleviate and prevent PTSD symptoms of patients injured by medical accidents. Finally, limitations of this study and suggestions for future research were discussed.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

Objective : This study aimed at investigating the relationship between exposure frequency of job related trauma types and the PTSD symptoms severity of firefighters, in relation to the moderating effect that anger rumination plays in the association between those of them. Methods : We examined data from 116 firefighters from Gyeonggi-do. The following instruments were applied: the Life Events Checklist (LEC), the Korean version of the Anger Rumination Scale (K-ARS) and the Primary Care PTSD screen (PC-PTSD). Results : A higher exposure frequency of job related trauma types was associated with severe PTSD symptoms; we discovered, however, that anger rumination exacerbated their relationship. Conclusion : This study showed that anger rumination is one of the variables to exacerbate PTSD symptoms in firefighters. Therefore, the study emphasizes the need to consider the level of anger rumination when running a program to predict or mitigate PTSD symptoms in firefighters.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.82-93
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and the effect of PTSD on quality of life (QoL) among coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Methods: The participants were 135 CAD patients who visited outpatient clinics in a university hospital in B city of Korea. Their PTSD symptoms and QoL were measured by structured questionnaires and analyzed with multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Among the 135 participants, 20.7% were classified as moderate risk, and 3.7% as high risk for PTSD. PTSD symptoms were significantly higher in participants who were diagnosed with CAD within 6 months (t=26.02, p<.001). The physical component of health-related QoL was influenced by gender (${\beta}=-.25$, p =.003), recurrence of CAD (${\beta}=.21$, p =.008), and PTSD symptoms (${\beta}=-.33$, p <.001). The mental component of health-related QoL was influenced by religion (${\beta}=-.17$, p =.044), body mass index (${\beta}=.17$, p =.033), and PTSD symptoms (${\beta}=-.37$, p <.001). Conclusion: Patients who had had a CAD diagnosis for less than 6 months were found to be vulnerable to PTSD, and PTSD was found to have a negative impact on the physical and mental components of their QoL. It is necessary to develop an intervention program for the effective prevention and management of PTSD symptoms in patients with CAD.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2020

Objective : Heart rate variability (HRV) is known to reflect autonomic nervous system activity. Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are reported to have lower HRVs. We attempted to find HRV indices with head up tilt position that reflect the symptoms well in order to evaluate PTSD symptoms. Methods : Sixty-seven patients with PTSD and 72 patients without PTSD were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. HRV was measured in the head-up tilt position. We collected data regarding heart rate (HR), standard deviation of the NN intervals (SDNN), the square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD), log low-frequency (LNLF) and log high-frequency (LNHF). Results : The value of LNHF was different according to presence or absence of PTSD after head-up tilt position. In the findings of the association between PTSD symptoms and HRV indices as based on head-up tilt, LNHF had a significant correlation with the total score of PCL-5. Conclusion : The reduction of the high-frequency component of HRVs in the PTSD group might reflect more PTSD symptoms.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2011

Objectives : The three symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are reexperience, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Alcohol use disorders frequently co-occur with PTSD, and possible functional correlations are suspected. Scholarly evaluation of the differences between the symptoms of PTSD and those of alcohol problems may be useful in understanding the pathophysiology of the comorbidity. Methods : We recruited Vietnam veterans with PTSD (n=97) and without PTSD (n=132). The alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT), and clinician-administered PTSD scale (CAPS) were administered to participants. The PTSD group was divided into two categories: those with PTSD only (n=57) and those with concurrent alcohol-related problems (n=40). Results : The PTSD group showed higher AUDIT scores compared to the control group. In the PTSD group, participants with alcohol problems had a severer symptoms of recurrent dream and sleep disturbance symptoms compared to the PTSD only group. No significant differences were found in the three major symptom clusters of PTSD. Conclusion : These findings support the proposed existence of a functional correlation between PTSD and alcohol use disorder. Clinicians should carefully evaluate and treat comorbid alcohol use disorder in patients with PTSD.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2019

Objective : To determine predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in burn injured patients and evaluate factors for identifying high risk group of PTSD. Methods : This study examined sixty one patients aged in the range of 19-65 years with burn injuries. All subjects completed self-assessment inventories about PTSD (The PTSD Check List for DSM-5. PCL-5), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, PHQ-9), embitterment (Posttraumatic embitterment disorder self-rating scale, PTED scale) and meaning of life (Meaning in Life Questionnaire, MLQ). Stepwise multiple regression and ROC curve analysis were the tools used for analysis. Results : The results revealed higher depression, embitterment and lower presence of meaning in life predicted severe PTSD symptoms. ROC analysis indicated PTED scale and PHQ-9 were useful for discriminating high risk group of PTSD. Conclusion : The present study established that the need to consider embitterment, depression and meaning of life for alleviation and prevention of PTSD symptoms in burn patients.