• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2003

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference of cognitve function among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder according to severity of symptoms. Methods: The subjects were 90 psychiatric inpatients and outpatients with posttraumatic stress disorer(by DSM-IV criteria) after traffic accident. The severity of symptoms was assessed by MMPI subscales; depression, psychasthenia, schizophrenia. The impairment of cognitive function was assessed by Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale(K-WAIS). Based on scores of the MMPI subscales, the patients were divided into high group(above 70 percentile) and low group(below 30 percentile). We estimated the difference of the K-WAIS score and subtest score in the low group and high group of the MMPI subscales by indedpendent t-test. Results: The scores of high group is significantly higher in the subtests of information, vocabulary, similarity, picture completion, and picture arrangement than the low group for psychasthenia subscale of MMPI. And the score of high group is significantly higher in full scale I.Q., verbal I.Q., performance I.Q., verbal subscales except digit span and simiarity, and performance subscales than low group for schiozphrenia subscale of MMPI. Conclusion: It was found cognitive function was more impaired in the group of PTSD with severe symptom compared to the group of PTSD with mild symptoms. We suggest that psychiatrist should consider various cognitive approaches as well as pharmacotherapy in the management of PTSD.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2010

Objectives : Indirect contact with trauma may occur when a person empathically listens to detailed descriptions, exposing the person to intense emotional pain from trauma victims. Although less severe than direct trauma, indirectly traumatized persons may experience the same fear, rage, and despair as direct trauma victims. This phenomenon has been variously termed vicarious trauma, traumatic countertransference, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. Using a psychiatric symptoms questionnaires, this study investigated the effects of indirect exposure to co-worker's trauma on the mental health of firefighters who had not directly experienced traumatic events in the previous year. Methods : We administered self-report questionnaires, such as the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IESR) and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), to firefighters working at two fire stations in a metropolitan city. We analyzed 188 of 232 collected surveys, after excluding falsely entered data (28 cases) and questionnaires by directly-traumatized victims (16 cases). Results : Alcohol consumption and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as determined by the AUDIT and IES-R, were significantly higher in the indirectly-traumatized group. The ratio of high-risk members scoring higher than 23 in IES-R was larger in the indirectly traumatized group, although this was not statistically significant. Conclusion : Alcohol consumption was significantly higher in the indirectly traumatized group. This group also included more members at high risk for PTSD. Further research, with a larger group of indirectly traumatized firefighters and ongoing investigation of PTSD development and other psychiatric symptoms, is needed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.256-265
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• 2009

Objectives : The aims of this study were to assess a) the prevalence of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) in schizophrenic patients and b) the differences in symptomatology and outcome after 1year treatment between those with and without PTSD. Methods : Twenty eight schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Life Stressor Checklist-Revised(LSCL-R), Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale(CAPS), Dissociative Experiences Scale(DES), Hamilton Psychiatry Rating Scale for Depression(HAM-D), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale(RSE). Results : Twenty six patients(92.9%) had at least one trauma in their life time. Eleven patients(39.3%) were diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD group had significantly higher scores on HAM-D and DES but lower scores on RSE. PTSD group also had significantly lower score in the baseline PANSS Negative score. Higher CAPS scores were significantly correlated with lower baseline PANSS Negative score and greater change after 1year of PANSS Negative score. Conclusion : These results showed that the prevalences of trauma and PTSD are high in schizophrenic patients and suggested that PTSD and trauma-related symptoms affected the symptomatology and treatment outcome. More research is warranted to better understand the effects of PTSD in schizophrenic patients.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2013

Objectives : Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is classified as an anxiety disorder. PTSD occurrence is known to be increased in middle-aged and older people, female, and individuals with a previous history of psychiatric disorders, lower education levels, low socioeconomic status, and severely injured patients. Anxiety symptoms are also related to later development of PTSD. In this study, we investigate the influences of injury severity and sociodemographic factors on severe anxiety in PTSD patients with no previous history of psychiatric disorders. Methods : Forty-one PTSD patients without previous history of psychiatric disorders were recruited from the psychiatric clinic at Chosun University Hospital. Subjects underwent psychiatric and physical examinations including the Injury Severity Score (ISS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (K-WAIS). We defined severe anxiety as a BAI scores of 30 or more. Logistic regression analyses and multi-step model selection were applied to identify predictive factors for severe anxiety. Results : In univariate analysis, age, ISS, and socioeconomic status were found to be significant factors. Through multivariate logistic regression analyses and a stepwise model selection, we found the combination of age and ISS to be the best-fitted model for affecting severe anxiety in PTSD patients without a previous history of psychiatric disorders. Conclusion : Our findings suggest that the combination of age and ISS could develop severe anxiety in PTSD patients with no previous history of psychiatric disorders.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.63-68
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was designed to estimate the effects of Oriental medical treatment on posttraumatic stress disorder patient due to a series of traffic accidents by using SCL-90-R. Methods : We studied 20 patients who were admitted to Daegu Haany University Oriental Hospital from October2006 to May 2007. Results : 4 symptoms of SCL-90-R, somatization, obsessive-compulsive, depression and anxiety were significantly different when comparing after-treatment with before-treatment. But, 5 symptoms of SCL-90-R, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism showed no difference between after-treatment with, before-treatment measurements. The total impact or SCL-90-R was significant comparing after-treatment with before-treatment measurements. Conclusions : We concluded that there was a significant effectof Oriental medical treatment on posttraumatic stress disorder patients caused by a seriesof traffic accident. However, the findings of this study need to be confirmed in more patients with further studies.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1999

This study was designed to evaluate anxiety & depression symptoms and pressure pain threshold in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder(n=23) and to find out the relationship between the affective symptoms and the pressure pain threshold scores. And this was compared with healthy control subjects(n=18). The scores of pressure pain threshold were checked with algometer. The results were as follows : PTSD patients showed higher scores of anxiety & depression symptoms than that of the control group. In contrast with our hypothesis, pressure pain threshold in PTSD patients presented statistically significant higher scores than that of the control group. These results may be derived from following factors. First, chronic depression has influenced the pain perception of patients with PTSD rather than anxiety symptoms, second, abnormal state of the opiate system in PTSD patients, third, the sick role of the PTSD patients, fourth, the socio-environmental factor of the PTSD patients. In conclusion, affective symptoms, especially depression, were related to the chronic pain in patients with PTSD, however, the causality of elevated pressure pain threshold was uncertain in this study. To understand more clearly the relation between affective symptoms and chronic pain, it will be necessary to control the other specific factors.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.102-110
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of the perception of the somatic symptoms and the cognitive emotion regulation strategies in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods : A total of 48 patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for PTSD and 48 normal controls were recruited for participation in this study. We evaluated subjects using Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Somato-Sensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). We analyzed data using an independent t-test and Pearson's correlation analysis. Results : In terms of SSAS, PTSD patients presented higher average SSAS scores than normal controls but the result is not statistically significant. In PTSD patients, the severity of PTSD is significantly correlated with CERQ-rumination and CERQ-catastrophizing. The SSAS scores of PTSD patients show the significant positive correlation with PTSD hyperarousal symptoms, CERQ-catastrophizing and CERQ-blaming others. Conclusions : These results reveal that patients with PTSD have maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies such as rumination and catastrophizing. Somato-sensory amplification seems to be related with PTSD hyperarousal, CERQ-catastrophizing and CERQ-blaming others. Therefore, reducing somato-sensory amplification, rumination and catastrophizing can be helpful to reduce PTSD symptoms and somatic symptoms in PTSD patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.86-95
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated associations between perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19, as well as the difference in the magnitude of these associations by occupational type and previous Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) experience. Methods: The participants were workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 who completed a questionnaire about their perceptions related to COVID-19, work experience during the previous MERS-CoV outbreak, and symptoms of PTSD ascertained by the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Participants' characteristics were compared using the chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations between perceptions and the prevalence of PTSD, stratified by occupational type and previous MERS-CoV experience. Results: Non-medical personnel showed stronger associations with PTSD than medical personnel according to general fear (odds ratio [OR], 6.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92 to 23.20), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.56), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.59). Those with prior MERS-CoV quarantine experience were more prone to PTSD than those without such experience in terms of general fear (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.37), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.40), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.38). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-medical personnel tended to have higher odds of being categorized as having PTSD. Workers with prior MERS-CoV experience were more susceptible than those without such experience. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions to manage human resources for a sustainable quarantine system.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was done to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy in a victimized community district and to determine if the program is an effective nursing intervention to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptom, depression and state anxiety. Methods: A nonequivalent control group design was used for the study. The participants, 32 elementary school students, were selected from grades 4, 5, 6 and each student was assigned to either the experimental (16) or control (16) group. Cognitive behavioral therapy was used as the experimental treatment from April 9 to May 28, 2009. The experimental group received cognitive behavior therapy intervention 8 times. Data analysis was done using ANCOVA with SPSS 17.0. Results: After the intervention, the experimental group showed significantly lower levels of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms than the control group. Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective nursing intervention to decrease the level of mental health problems of children in victimized district. Further research is required in order to identify the continuous effects of cognitive behavioral therapy.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in anxiety and depression symptoms, comorbidity according to the patterns of temperament and character in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods : The temperament and character inventory (TCI), beck depression inventory (BDI) and beck anxiety inventory (BAI) were administered to 151 PTSD patients classified into four groups of adaptation, vulnerable temperament, immature personality and composite vulnerability according to the results of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). MANOVA and Chi-square tests were conducted to analyze differences in BDI, BAI, temperament and character scores and rate of comorbid disorders between the four groups. Results : The immature character and complex vulnerability group showed the higher rate of comorbid depression disorder. Anxiety and depression severity were significantly different among groups, especially depression severity had higher scores in the immature character and complex vulnerability groups and anxiety severity had higher scores in the complex vulnerability group than adaptive group. The immature character and complex vulnerability groups showed significantly lower score on the temperament scale of reward dependence and persistent. Conclusion : The results demonstrate the significance of adaptive characteristics on anxiety and depression symptoms regardless of vulnerable temperaments, and its consequent role in the management of character factors relative to intervention regarding PTSD.