• Anxiety and mood
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2012

Objective : Cortisol, a product of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), is one of our defensive mechanisms in response to stress. The level of cortisol in the saliva is a major biomarker of the stress response by HPA axis and shows diurnal variation. We measured salivary cortisol level and its diurnal variation to compare the pattern of changes by degree of burn and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) score. Methods : We measured the salivary cortisol levels of 37 subjects hospitalized in the burn center at our facility from March to June 2012. Salivary cortisol levels were measured at 6 : 00 AM and at 7 : 00 PM. All subjects were tested for CAPS to evaluate the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale to evaluate and to control the coexisting depression. Results : Factorial ANOVA test revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in terms of the effect of the interaction between the degree of burn and the patient's CAPS score. Unlike the mild burn group, in the severe burn group, the patients who had a low CAPS score didn't show a normal diurnal variation and the patients who had a high CAPS score showed the normal diurnal variation. After a few months follow up, we found a greater degree of psychiatric complications in severe burn patients that had a lower cortisol stress response. Conclusion : We suppose that the disappearance of the stress response changes in salivary cortisol seen in the severe burn group may be caused by an impaired stress response. Through followed observation of the subjects, this disruption of cortisol response may cause psychiatric problems afterwards.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.119-126
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• 2017

This study is to improve fire-fighter's mental health by examining the relationship between fire-fighter's resilience and PTSD. The research question of the present study are follows. First, is there any relationship between fire-fighter's demographics and PTSD. Second, is there any relationship between fire-fighter's demographics and resilience. Third, is there any relationship between fire-fighter's resilience and PTSD. The instruments for collecting data of the study were KRO-53 and IES-R-K. These tests were administrated to all of the subjects of the study. The results of the study are as follows. First, fire-fighter's demographics except for department have an influence on PTSD. Second, fire-fighter's counselling experience has an influence on resilience. Third, fire-fighter's resilience has an influence on PTSD. Specially, self-regulation of resilience subtypes has an influence on PTSD. From the above results, The study proposed the following; to prevent PTSD, It is necessary to have specific working system, have specific counseling system, consider individual resilience in selecting fire-fighter and placing department.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.889-910
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• 2011

Heracles has been adored as one of the bravest mythical heroes all times and all places because it was thought that he protected his people and lands from invasion, plunder, or enslavement. However, I argue Heracles should be criticized as a war machine of violence and murder. War is homicide itself, which means humans kill humans, unlike other violent and sensual animals such as dogs, apes or pigs. It is ironically ambivalent to celebrate an excellent hero in homicide in this age of nuclear weapons. This irony leads to S. Freud's 'Death instinct' or Malcolm Potts's 'war genes'. Unlike Freud, Malcolm Potts insists that humans' war genes can be changed into peace genes because they were just remains of Stone Age. According to Apollodoros' myth or Euripides' tragedies, he was mad enough to kill his own sons and wife after he had murdered the king Lycos in Thebes. Though Rene Girard says that his madness was derived from contagion of violence and blood, I think that his madness came from horrible experiences of cruel wars as well as Hera's maltreatment in his childhood. It will be demonstrated to be war neurosis, that is, PTSD(Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). In a different way from the modern media in which Heracles is being glorified as a purest macho and war machine, his old myths show the ambivalence of his violence and murder, and his daily misfortunes owing to his madness. In this sense, his myth is a kind of warning to the humans not to kill each other, or to stop wars.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2011

Background: This study aimed to evaluate processes from the mutual maintenance model in relation to daily functioning in patients with both chronic pain and a history of a traumatic experience. The mechanism illustrated the structural relations for daily functioning among pain intensity, hyperarousal, re-experiencing, trauma avoidance, and pain avoidance. Methods: Archival data (N = 214) was used for this study and data were analyzed for 142 chronic pain patients reporting a traumatic experience and seeking treatment at a tertiary pain clinic in Korea. Results: The results indicated that pain intensity, hyperarousal, and pain avoidance had significant direct effects on daily functioning. Also, pain intensity showed significant indirect effects on daily functioning through hyperarousal and pain avoidance; and hyperarousal through pain avoidance. Conclusions: Results suggest a direct contribution of high levels of pain, hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD, and pain avoidance behaviors to reduced daily functioning. Also, elevated pain as reminders of the trauma may trigger high levels of hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. Subsequently, avoidant coping strategies may be used to minimize pain so that the trauma would not be re-experienced, thus inhibiting the activation of hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. However, prolonged use of such strategies may contribute to decline in daily functioning.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.213-215
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• 2010

본 연구의 목적은 소방대원들의 외상사건 경험이 외상후 스트레스장애 증상, 정서적 탈진, 신체증상, 사회 및 직업기능에 미치는 영향을 파악하기 위해 이들 간의 관계를 설명하는 가설적 모형을 구축하고 검증하므로써 소방공무원의 근무여건 개선 및 외상후 스트레스 관리방안 마련을 위한 기초자료를 제공하고자 하였다. 전국의 소방공무원 2,167명을 대상으로 2008년 1월20일부터 2008년 2월 15일까지 이메일을 통한 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 연구 도구는 일반적 특성 및 근무특성 설문, 외상사건경험 설문, 사건충격척도(IES-R-K), 정서적 탈진척도(MBI), 신체증상 측정도구, 사회 및 직업기능척도(SOFAS)를 사용하였다.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2010.05b
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• pp.582-583
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• 2010

본 연구의 목적은 소방대원들의 외상사건 경험이 외상후 스트레스장애 증상, 정서적 탈진, 신체증상, 사회 및 직업기능에 미치는 영향을 파악하기 위해 이들 간의 관계를 설명하는 가설적 모형을 구축하고 검증함으로써 소방공무원의 근무여건 개선 및 외상후 스트레스 관리방안 마련을 위한 기초자료를 제공하고자 하였다. 전국의 소방공무원 2,167명을 대상으로 2008년 1월20일부터 2008년 2월 15일까지 이메일을 통한 설문 조사를 실시하였으며, 연구도구는 일반적 특성 및 근무특성 설문, 외상사건경험 설문, 사건충격척도(IES-R-K), 정서적 탈진척도(MBI), 신체증상 측정도구, 사회 및 직업기능척도(SOFAS)를 사용하였다.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 2021

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the correlation between defense mechanism and posttraumatic stress disorder in burn patients. Methods : We recruit 40 burn patients and we evaluate sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics related to burn, korean version of Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Korean Version of Center for epidemiologic studies depression scale (CES-D) and Ewha Defense Mechanisms Test (EDMT). Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between EDMT score and IES-R score. Results : Factor 2 of EDMT which consists of Ego-expansion subjects was significantly correlate with IER-S score. In factor 2, Controlling (β=-0.299, p<0.05), Sublimation (β=-0.276, p<0.05) is significantly correlate with IER-S score. Conclusions : Some subjects of defense mechanism was significantly correlate with IES-R score. it might be helpful to understand defense mechanism for the posttraumatic stress disorder in burn patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.676-687
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• 2020

Purpose To analyze the altered brain regions and intrinsic brain activity patterns in trauma-exposed firefighters without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Materials and Methods Resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) was performed for all subjects. Thirty-one firefighters over 40 years of age without PTSD (31 men; mean age, 49.8 ± 4.7 years) were included. Twenty-six non-traumatized healthy controls (HCs) (26 men; mean age, 65.3 ± 7.84 years) were also included. Voxel-based morphometry was performed to investigate focal differences in the brain anatomy. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis was performed to investigate differences in spontaneous brain characteristics. Results The mean z-scores of the Seoul Verbal Learning Test for immediate and delayed recall, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) score for animals, and COWAT phonemic fluency were significantly lower in the firefighter group than in the HCs, indicating decreased neurocognitive function. Compared to HCs, firefighters showed reduced gray matter volume in the left superior parietal gyrus and left inferior temporal gyrus. Further, in contrast to HCs, firefighters showed alterations in rsfMRI values in multiple regions, including the fusiform gyrus and cerebellum. Conclusion Structural and resting-state functional abnormalities in the brain may be useful imaging biomarkers for identifying alterations in trauma-exposed firefighters without PTSD.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.69-78
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• 2016

Objective : Disaster causes psychological distress to a large number of people in a short period of time, by both direct and indirect exposure to traumatic events embedded in various realms of disaster experience. Optimal, well-planned treatment interventions should follow from the early acute period to recovery phase, extending up to several months later. In this context, there is an increasing need for systemic review to gain comprehensive insights for disaster interventions. These need to be added to public policy, and for the prevention and treatment of disaster-related psychopathology. Here, we review the published studies on psychological interventions for disaster-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Methods : Specific psychological interventions regarded as effective treatments for have been selected for this review, such as CBT (Cognitive-Behavior Therapy), Exposure Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing), SIT (Stress Inoculation Therapy) and Psychoeducation. In addition, natural disasters, industrial disasters, and accidents involving aircraft and ships were also categorized as disasters, along with war and combat trauma. Results : Cognitive behavior therapy and exposure therapy had the strongest research support for effectiveness, and could be considered as the first-choice treatment for disaster-related PTSD. The second line of treatment is EMDR, although this treatment modality has the advantage of reaching certain treatment improvements in fewer sessions. However, the effects of SIT and psychoeducation to the survivors of disasters, remains unclear at this point. Additionally, we propose the possibilities of using virtual reality component and imagery rescripting as modified forms of traditional cognitive behavior therapy and exposure therapy. Conclusion : Cognitive behavior therapy and exposure therapy, deemed effective treatments for various trauma, are considered to be effective for survivors from disasters. However, the efficacy of other interventions has not yet been examined methodologically in well-designed studies, such as randomized controlled trials. In particular, future empirical studies are needed, since it is difficult to conclude that psychological interventions have similar effects on different types of disasters.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2018

Objectives : Effects of multiple trauma are complex and extend beyond core PTSD symptoms. However, few psychological instruments for trauma assessment address this issue of symptom complexity. The Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40) is a self-report scale that assesses wide range of symptoms associated with childhood or adult traumatic experience. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the validity of the Korean Version of the TSC-40 in a sample of psychiatric outpatients. Methods : Data of 367 treatment-seeking patients with DSM-IV diagnoses were obtained from an outpatient department of psychiatric unit at a university hospital. The diagnoses were anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder, adjustment disorder and others. Included in the psychometric data were the TSC-40, the Life events checklist, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the Zung's Self-report Depression Scale, and the Zung's Self-report Anxiety Scale. Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ for internal consistency were calculated. Convergent and concurrent validity was approached with correlation between the TSC-40 and other scales (PTSD, anxiety and depression). Results : Exploratory factor analysis of the Korean Version of TSC-40 extracted seven-factor structure accounted for 59.55% of total variance that was contextually similar to a six-factor structure and five-factor structure of the original English version. The Korean Version of TSC-40 demonstrated a high level of internal consistency. (Cronbach's ${\alpha}=0.94$) and good concurrent and convergent validity with another PTSD scale and anxiety and depression scales. Conclusions : Excellent construct validity of The Korean Version of TSC-40 was proved in this study. And subtle difference in the factor structure may reflect the cultural issues and the sample characteristics such as heterogeneous clinical population (including non-trauma related disorders) and outpatient status. Overall, this study demonstrated that the Korean version of TSC-40 is psychometrically sound and can be used for Korean clinical population.