• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.243-255
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and examine the effects of a psychosocial adaptation program for North Korean adolescent defectors. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with 28 North Korean adolescent defectors who were recruited through alternative schools. The experimental and control groups consisted of 14 participants each. A program was conducted across eight sessions, each lasting about 90-120 minutes. The data were analyzed using the x² test, t-test, paired t-test, and analysis of covariance. Results: No significant differences were observed in the score changes for psychosocial adaptation (t=0.25, p=.808), post-traumatic stress symptoms (t=0.32, p=.749), cultural adaptation stress (t=0.05, p=.957), and self-efficacy (t=0.35, p=.726) in either group before and after the intervention. No intergroup differences were observed for psychosocial adaptation (t=0.12, p=.902), post-traumatic stress symptoms (t=0.07, p=.946), cultural adaptation stress (t=0.01, p=.994), and self-efficacy (t=0.58, p=.570). Conclusion: These findings suggest that psychosocial adaptation, stress, and self-efficacy cannot be improved by a short-term intervention program alone. It was also determined that the cultural characteristics of the North Korean adolescent defectors were not sufficiently considered before implementing the program. Therefore, it is essential to provide an in-depth orientation for the participants before implementing the program.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.435-443
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• 2022

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disease that develops following exposure to a traumatic event and is a stress-associated mental disorder characterized by an imbalance of neuroinflammation. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is the herbal supplement that is known to be involved in a variety of pharmacological activities. We aimed to investigate the effects of KRG on neuroinflammation as a potential mechanism involved in single prolonged stress (SPS) that negatively influences memory formation and consolidation and leads to cognitive and spatial impairment by regulating BDNF signaling, synaptic proteins, and the activation of NF-κB. Methods: We analyzed the cognitive and spatial memory, and inflammatory cytokine levels during the SPS procedure. SPS model rats were injected intraperitoneally with 20, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day KRG for 14 days. Results: KRG administration significantly attenuated the cognitive and spatial memory deficits, as well as the inflammatory reaction in the hippocampus associated with activation of NF-κB in the hippocampus induced by SPS. Moreover, the effects of KRG were equivalent to those exerted by paroxetine. In addition, KRG improved the expression of BDNF mRNA and the synaptic protein PSD-95 in the hippocampus. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that KRG exerts memory-improving actions by regulating anti-inflammatory activities and the NF-κB and neurotrophic pathway. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KRG is a potential functional ingredient for protecting against memory deficits in mental diseases, such as PTSD.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.407-412
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• 2023

When a traumatic subject experiences extreme stress, various psychiatric problems, including PTSD, can occur if they do not respond appropriately. In addition, non-war soldiers who experience life-threatening events while serving in the military may experience severe and chronic PTSD symptoms. However, there are still insufficient domestic studies on what traumatic events soldiers are exposed to and how much PTSD symptoms they experience. Therefore, this study provides a method that can be used as basic data for PTSD and psychological support of military service personnel by identifying trends in domestic research. Furthermore, it studies PTSD not only of soldiers but also of 'civilians' who have experienced combat, and provides symptomatic treatment and relief programs to civilians according to the difference in PTSD between general trauma and war trauma. It is expected that these studies will increase military confidence and enable the military to play a leading role in war trauma PTSD research and prevention, treatment and mitigation.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.673-683
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• 2018

The accident of Sewol Ferry is a disaster that provoked serious mental shock to the Korean people way beyond the level of generally-perceived catastrophic aftermaths. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between vicarious disaster experiences through media and post-traumatic stress(PTSD) symptoms of media users related to the accident. The responses of 417 people consisted of college, middle and high school students, and adults in a metropolitan area were collected for 12 days from the April 28, 2014 right after the accident. The results showed that the level of PTSD of social media users were higher than that of traditional media (newspapers or TV news) users on the accident. Also, the amount of use of disaster news information and social media revealed positive correlations with PTSD. Implications of this study are to demonstrate possible mechanisms of psychological trauma mediated by media on a disaster and its empirical data and to facilitate further research.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 2015

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that usually occurs after suffering from a psychological trauma that can not threatening events, which is one of the individual's subjective pain and their families and the larger society due to the chronic disease burden results. Treatment with a medication, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, prolonged exposure therapy (PE), eye-movement desensitizing, and reprocessing (EMDR) are preferentially performed, including psychotherapy. Korean medical psychotherapy consists of a wide range of manual therapy, but it does not have systematically screening limits. This study was developed by Korean medical psychotherapy program for PTSD, and it was carried out as a preliminary clinical trial for validity. The Korean medical psychotherapy program for PTSD consists of four stages as follows: building chapter of safety, flow and send, accept, and integration. Based on this preliminary clinical study of PTSD, seven patients were treated for 2 hours per week for 5 weeks. We report the meaningful results gained by observing the changes in IES-RK points, questionnaire on five-faceted mindfulness, quality of life, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hwabyung scale, HRV, and EEG, before and after the Korean medical psychotherapy program.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.134-145
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• 2015

It has been 1 year since Sewol Ferry disaster occurred in the Gwanmaedo sea of Jindo, Jeollanamdo, on Apr. 16, 2014. The Sewol Ferry Disaster which took 304 lives and had some victims still missed has become the largest tragic accident in Korea since 2010. Although one year has passed since the disaster, there is no psychological communication research on the trauma of the victims' families. This study first investigated the actual state of the Sewol Ferry victims' parents suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after their losses of children by the disaster. This study revealed that the victims' families suffer from physical and psychological the PTSD but neglect treatment. The PTSD still influences their daily life. It was observed that the victims' families have a lot of difficulties with interpersonal relationship, relationship with co-workers, residence, values, and other kinds of daily life. Given that the victims' families have a great deal of PTSD after the disaster, the academic circle needs to make discussions of the issue actively in order to heal the pains of the Sewol Ferry victims' families who are unattended in our society.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 2020

In this study, we suggested indirect evidence of whether Sasang constitution(SC) could be a risk factor for Post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) among soldiers who participated in Vietnam war. The number of 199 subjects joined this study. We surveyed SC with KS-15 and PTSD with Korean Version of Impact of Event Scale-Revised questionnaires. A Chi-square test and a one-way ANOVA were performed according to SC type, and multiple logistic regression was used to produce odds ratios(ORs). Significant p was .05. The number(rate) of Taeeumin(TE), Soeumin(SE), and Soyangin(SY) types were 131(65.8%), 33(16.6%), and 35(17.6%) respectively. The score of PTSD in SE type(8.78±8.61) was significantly higher than those of SY(4.00±6.5) and TE types(3.65±6.78)(p=.001, SE>TE, SY, Scheffe). SE type was associated with increased PTSD prevalence compared with TE [OR 4.338; 95% CI 1.525-12.335, p<.01], and it was still associated with increased PTSD prevalence [OR 10.658; 95% CI 1.296-87.661, p<.05] after adjusting for age and weight. This study suggests that SC, particularly the SE type, might be significantly associated with PTSD and could be considered as a risk factor for PTSD.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and clinical characteristics of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in North Korean defectors (NKD). Methods : The study population consisted of 300 NKDs registered in the multi-regional adaptation center (Hana Center), within three years of settling in South Korea. We conducted in-person interviews and a survey with each subject, based on the North Korean version of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (NK-CIDI) and various clinical scales. Results : Lifetime prevalence of PTSD in NKDs was 15.3%, approximately nine times higher than South Koreans (1.7%). Although experiencing broader type of traumas with higher rate than South Koreans, NKDs revealed lower odds of PTSD in most type of trauma (p<0.05). Conclusion : NKDs are at higher risk of experiencing different types of trauma than the general population in South Korea, and it is further validated that prevalence of PTSD is also higher. Careful evaluation for comorbid psychiatric symptoms and type of traumas prior to PTSD treatment for NKDs is necessary to facilitate more appropriate intervention for each subject, according to personal experience.

• 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.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.10-19
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate that the prevalence of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and occupational environmental factors that contribute to the developing of PTSD in workers who worked in emergency room in Korea. Methods: This study is a multicenter cross-sectional study that was conducted in three emergency rooms. Data was collected by self-response method through questionnaire. The Impact Event Scale-Revised was used to screen the high-risk group of PTSD. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the developing of high-risk group of PTSD. Results: Total 211 subjects responded to the questionnaire. Of these, 170 subjects experienced psychological trauma event (PTE) in the working environment. And 60 subjects classified as high risk group of PTSD, so a prevalence of high risk group for PTSD was 28.4%. Factors related to the high risk group of PTSD were the frequency of psychological trauma events experienced over the past 1 year and the high score of QIDS-SR16. Conclusion: The prevalence of high risk group for PTSD among emergency room workers in Korea is very high. This may adversely affect the safety of patients, so early screening and intervention are necessary.