• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2019

Objectives Thyroid hormone deficiency during the neurodevelopmental period can impair brain development and induce psychiatric symptoms. This study examined the association between thyroid dysfunction and the severity of symptoms in schizophrenia patients, and the treatment response of patients with schizophrenia. Methods Three hundred thirty-eight schizophrenia patients, with no prior history of thyroid disease or taking medication associated with it, were studied. We assessed the blood thyroid hormone level, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores on the day of admission and discharge, admission period, dose of administered antipsychotics, and the number of antipsychotic combinations. The collected data were subsequently analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Pearson's chi-square test. Results The percentage of schizophrenia patients who presented with abnormal thyroid hormone level was 24.6%. High total triiodothyronine (TT3) (p = 0.003), low TT3 (p = 0.001), and high free thyroxine (fT4) (p < 0.001) groups showed a higher BPRS score on admission than did the normal thyroid hormone group, while thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were not significantly correlated with the severity of symptoms. Furthermore, thyroid hormone was not associated with the treatment response assessed by the rate of BPRS score reduction, admission days, use of clozapine, and dose of antipsychotics. Conclusions The TT3 and fT4 hormone levels were significantly associated with the severity of symptoms in schizophrenia patients. These relations suggested that thyroid dysfunction may be associated with the severity of schizophrenia. And hence, further analysis of the results of the thyroid function test, which is commonly used in cases of psychiatric admission, is required.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.209-220
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• 2023

This study used general qualitative research and G-PhotoVoice methods to study the experience of psychiatric patients participating in vocational rehabilitation programs in daytime hospitals. The researcher in this study conducted interviews more than two times with five patients who took part in the program and data was also collected from additional conversations while patients were admitted or on outpatient visit after being discharged from the day hospital. In addition, semi-structured group interview with photos was also conducted. As a result of the study, the participants' experience of participating in the day hospital vocational rehabilitation program was found to be "experiencing difficulties in vocational activities," "joying working together," "getting a sense of stability," and "feeling that they have grown."Based on these findings, this study discussed the implications of activating vocational rehabilitation in daytime hospitals and promoting the growth of psychiatric patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 2010

Objectives：Assessment of sleep disturbance is an essential part of the diagnostic criteria used for several psychiatric disorders. Change in sleep patterns over time may indicate response to treatment. In clinical practice, sleep is usually evaluated subjectively by patient self-report. This study was aimed to compare subjective sleep assessment with objective sleep measurement by actigraphy in psychiatric inpatients. Methods：A total of 32 psychiatric inpatients were studied. Patients were asked to wear a wrist actigraphy for three consecutive days and nights and to fill out a sleep log each morning. The severity of depression and anxiety was evaluated according to Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory on the first day of the study. The subjective level of satisfaction with quality of sleep was also evaluated according to visual analog scale. Nurses assessed sleep at one hour interval between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM for three consecutive nights. Results：There was statistically significant difference of sleep latency between patient's sleep log and acti-graphic measurement. Nursing reports were more consistent with actigraphic measurement than sleep log. Interestingly, subjectively poor sleepers show no significant difference in sleep parameters compared with those of good sleepers. Subjectively poor sleepers report longer sleep latency than that of actigraphic assessment. The discrepancy between subjective and objective assessment of sleep latency was significantly correlated with scores of Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Conclusion：These results show that there are discrepancies between subjective and objective assessment of sleep. The discrepancy of sleep assessment could be influenced by severe depression and anxiety. Especially objective sleep measurement is needed to assess sleep in psychiatric inpatients with severe depression or anxiety and the subjectively poor sleepers for more reliable measurements.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.110-123
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• 1995

This study was done to analyze the relationship between task stress and morale in psychiatric nursing assistants. The subjects were 118 psychiatric nursing assistants selected from the National Mental Hospital in Seoul and 18 non-medical mental institutions. The data were collected from October 22 to November 12, 1994. The instruments used for this study were modified PNOSS (Psychiatric Nurse Occupational Stress Scale) which was developed by Bai and modified the Morale scale which was developed by Oh. The confidence varification of these instruments were computed and Cronbach $\alpha$=.9255, .9260. Data were analyzed by t -test, ANOVA on 5% significant level and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results of the study are as follows : 1. The average work stress scores of subjects were 2.83. Among the work stress factors : the conflict with nurse was identified as the most stress factor. There was significant relationship between the degree of work stress and the variables of psychiatric Nursing Assistants such as the marital status, educational level, religion, job satisfaction, working place, predicted period of work. 2. Average total morale scores for the subjects was 3.08. There was a significant relationship between the degree of morale and variables of psychiatric nursing assistants such as working place, certification as a nursing assistant, job satisfaction, opportunity for practical education and predicted period of work. 3. There was a significant relationship between the degree of morale and work stress factors such as administration problem, work overload.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.176-187
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• 1998

This study was performed to identify the significant variables affecting Follow-up after psychiatric consultation in General medical units and the trends of psychiatric consultation at the Hallym University hospital in Chunchon. Subjects of this study were 107 patients from April 1, 1998 to August 31, 1998, who were referred for psychiatric consultation during hospitalization. The results were as follows ; 1) Referral rate of General medical units was 7.5% and ordered Gastroenterology, Cardiology, nephrology, Other part. 2) The rate of total follow-up was 58% and the rate of No-follow-up was 42%. 3) In the cases of referral timing over admission 8th days, the days hospitalized after consultation performed were lengthened, significantly. 4) Common reasons for no follow-up of consultation were 'early- discharge' and 'patient's unwillingness to psychiatric reconsult. 5) Significant variables affecting follow-up were 'treatment recommendation', 'concordance with psychiatric drug recommendation', 'concordance with laboratory recommendation', 'total days hospitalized', 'Days hospitalization after consult was performed' and 'referral reason'.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of Tai Chi exercise program on BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms in patient with schizophrenia. Methods: The participants were patient with schizophrenia in S psychiatric hospital in D city. Twenty five patients were assigned to experimental group, and 26 patients were assigned to control group. Data were collected from May 9, to July 8, 2011. The Tai Chi exercise program was conducted with a duration of 60 minutes, 2 times a week for 8 weeks (a total 8 times). Measures were BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and t-test with SPSS/WIN 19.0 version. Result: The experimental group received Tai Chi exercise program had a significant changes in BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that Tai Chi exercise program is an effective intervention program to improve the BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.74-82
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• 2016

Objectives : Suicide attempters have impaired decision making and are at high risk of reattempt. Therefore it is important to refer them to psychiatric treatment. Especially, People with medical comorbidity are at higher risk of suicidal attempt and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of suicidal attempters and to analyze the influence of the medical comorbidity on decision to receive psychiatric treatment after visit to an emergency department. Methods : One hundred and thirty two patients, who visited the emergency room of a general hospital in Gyeonggi-do between January, 2012 and December, 2012 were enrolled as the subjects of this study. After reviewing each subject's medical records retrospectively, demographic and clinical factors were analyzed. Results : Regardless of the engagement type, either via admission or outpatient clinic, the determinant factors of psychiatric treatment engagement were psychiatric diagnosis, employment status, previous psychiatric treatment history, and previous attempt history. Comparison of severity of medical comorbidity(Charlson Comorbidity Index) showed that suicide attempters who received psychiatric treatment via admission or refused the treatment tended to have higher level of medical comorbidity than who received psychiatric treatment via outpatient department. Conclusions : Our findings showed that medical comorbidity of suicide attempters affected the decision to accept psychiatric treatment. All psychiatrists should evaluate the presence and the severity of medical comorbidity of the suicide attempters and consider implementing more intervention for the medically ill attempters who are willing to discharge against advice.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.93-98
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• 2021

Electroencephalography (EEG) measures neural activation due to various cognitive processes. EEG and event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely used in studies investigating psychopathology and neural substrates of psychiatric diseases in children and adolescents. The present study aimed to review recent ERP studies in child and adolescent psychiatry. ERPs are non-invasive methods for studying synaptic functions in the brain. ERP might be a candidate biomarker in child-adolescent psychiatry, considering its ability to reflect cognitive and behavioral functions in humans. For the EEG study of psychiatric diseases in children and adolescents, several ERP components have been used, such as mismatch negativity, P300, error-related negativity (ERN), and reward positivity (RewP). Regarding executive functions and inhibition in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), P300 latency, and ERN were significantly different in patients with ADHD compared to those in the healthy population. ERN showed meaningful changes in patients with anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients with depression showed significantly attenuated RewP compared to the healthy population, which was related to the symptoms of anhedonia.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.265-275
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• 2020

This narrative inquiry examines the experience of mentally ill patients who used the psychiatric day hospital care service. The researchers in this inquiry conducted in-depth interviews three times with four patients who used day hospital care and data was also collected from additional conversations when patients were on outpatient visit after being discharged from the day hospital. The inquiry uses the narrative research method to describe the experience of using day hospital services as follows; a springboard to reconnect to the world, a place to be empowered and set the mind at ease, and a guide to direction in life. This inquiry is meaningful in that it deals with the in-depth stories of the mentally ill patients who experienced the day hospital care. Based on the results of the inquiry, the following policy suggestions are made; institutional support for reducing social isolation of psychiatric patients, activation of various support systems and further program development.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.40-45
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• 2022

Objectives This study aims to assess the status quo of depression among Korean physicians and identify stressors and psychiatric assets related to it. Methods The questionnaire was designed to assess depression, stressors, burnout and psychiatric assets. 343 physicians were included in the analyses. Results Physician depression in Korea was found to be related to several daily life stressors and occupational stressors. It was also related to higher burnout and lower psychological assets. Physicians who reported workplace problems, familial problems, and mannerism were at higher risk of depression while who reported passion (in psychiatric assets) were at lower risk of depression. Conclusions This study identified factors affecting physician depression in Korea. Further research would benefit physicians and their patients by identifying and testing various, including personal and organizational, intervention methods.