• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.88-101
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• 2009

Objectives: Since Korean traditional medicine has an integrative perspective by its nature, the patients' psychological and physical problems in a Korean traditional clinic may be resolved through a more integrative approach. The purpose of this study was to describe the latent characteristics of psychological health of child outpatients and their parents visiting Korean traditional clinic with physical complaints and was to propose an alternative curriculum to meet their needs based on their psychological and physical aspects. Methods: Subjects studied consisted of 100 outpatients (59 boys, 41 girls, mean age 55 months, age range 18 to 83 months) and their parents. Behavior characteristics for children were measured by Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 (CBCL1.5-5) while parenting stress, depression, and anxiety for parent were measured by Korean-Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (K-PSI-SF), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), respectively. The data of subjects were compared to those of standardized groups and then were compared according to child's gender within sample. Results: Child participants were reported to have significantly higher scores of all CBCL 1.5-5 subscales than the standardized group. When compared, no differences of K-PSI-SF, CES-D, and STAI was found between parents of participants and the standardized groups. However, parents of child participants with at-risk psychological problems showed significantly higher scores of all parenting stress subscales than those of all child participants. In addition, the mothers of boy participants demonstrated significantly higher anxiety, depression and parenting stress than those of girl participants irrespective of psychological severity. Conclusions: We discussed the implication of these results in clinical situation and make recommendations for curriculum of psychiatry and pediatrics with the aim of improving proper diagnosis, consulting and treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5927-5936
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• 2014

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Jordanians. Breast cancer patients suffer from several negative consequences after treatment and these include pain, fatigue, sexual problems, appearance and body image concerns, with psychological dysfunction. This could affect the patient quality of life and psychological well-being. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published quantitative data on the quality of life and psychological well-being of breast cancer patients in Jordan. The objective of this study was to obtain such data and assess predictors with calculated scores. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted among breast cancer patients in Jordan diagnosed in 2009 and 2010, assessment was performed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Breast Module (QLQ-BR23) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Clinical, demographic and psychosocial indicators that could predict patient quality of life scores were collected. Results: The number of patients interviewed was 236 (mean age=$50.7{\pm}10.7$ years). The mean Global Health score for the QLQ-C30 was $63.7{\pm}20.2$ SD. Among functional scales, "social functioning" scored the highest ($mean=78.1{\pm}28.6$ SD), whereas "emotional functioning" scored the lowest ($mean=59.0{\pm}SD\;33.5$). For the QLQ-BR23, the worst scores within the functional scales were for "body image" ($mean=52.1{\pm}36.8$ SD) and "future perspective" ($mean=52.9{\pm}38.5$ SD). The worst symptom was "upset by hair loss" ($mean=69.8{\pm}43.0$). The mean HADS scores was $18.{\pm}9.0$ SD. Out of study participants, 53% scored abnormal on the anxiety scale and 45% on the depression scale. Severe depression and severe anxiety were detected among 8% and 14% of study participants, respectively. Statistically significant predictors for individual scores were similar to those reported in published studies, such as the presence of recurrence since baseline, family history of cancer, low educational status, current social problems, extent of the disease, presence of financial difficulties, and employment status. Conclusions and Recommendations: Breast cancer survivors in Jordan have overall good quality of life scores when compared with patients from Western countries. However, their psychological wellbeing is more impaired. There is an urgent need for psychosocial support programs and psychological screening and consultation for breast cancer patients at hospitals of the Ministry of Health in Jordan.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.119-130
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• 2015

This study is aimed to analyse the causes and characteristics of suicide in jeonbuk region using psychological autopsy. Psychological autopsy is a technique to get comprehensive analysis on suicidal death by collecting data from interviewing suicide victim's family, relatives, and friends added with additional data of police report, hospital records, and suicide victim's lifetime records for objective evidence. For the data from 42 cases(male 24, female 18) of suicides that occurred between May 2013 and April 2014 with agreement for psychological autopsy, we analyzed a survey that recorded by interviewers who had a consultation based on half-structured psychological interview panel. As the result, out of 42 cases, 30(71%) had previous suicidal attempts and 21(50%) had a family history of suicides. Psychiatric disorders(38%) was the most common cause of suicide followed by interpersonal problems(31%). Among psychiatric problems, depressive disorder was the most common. many suicide victims had previously received psychiatric treatments but discontinued the therapy later on. The results showed that suicide is strongly related to mental disorders and psychiatric therapy should be continued until full recovery. Preventive efforts should focus on persons who have a history of previous suicidal attempts and have a family history of suicide. Implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research are advanced.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.4
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• pp.47-64
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• 2001

The aim of this study is to investigate the anger characteristics and the social psychological characteristics of Homicide by Female. With SPSS win program I analyzed 80 female murderers caught in the correction facility. The analysis results are as follows : Firstly, the age bracket of the female murderers is very high in their thirties(47.5%), they didn't almost graduate from the middle-school(65%). Secondly, they almost married(92.5%) and their job was the housekeeper(52.5%). Thirdly, the female murderers almost killed their husbands(45%) and other victims was people who was familiar with the female murderer. Fourth, the offenders were afraid that the victims had the responsibility for murder(87.5%). Fifthly, according to above analysis, the character type female murderers was almost anger-in type. Finally, My analysis shows us that the anger characteristics between offenders and victims was very similar. With the above research results, I can understand the socio-psychological characteristics of the female murderer. However, this paper has some problems which is the limit of the sampling range and the generalization of research results. In addition, we need to study the comparison with male murderers and female murderers.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.56-64
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• 2020

Purpose: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is a mosaic of clinical signs and symptoms that can be regarded as a set of phenotypes that are affected by various factors including pain sensitivity, pain disability, sleep and psychological functioning. The aims of this study were to evaluate association of pain experience, sleep quality and psychological distress with different phenotypes of TMD patients. Methods: This retrospective study included a cohort (n=1,858; 63.8% for female, mean age=34.9±15.9 years) of patients with TMD. A set of self-administered questionnaires concerning pain interference (Brief Pain Inventory), pain disability (Graded Chronic Pain Scale), sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Questionnaire Index), psychological distress (Symptom Checklist-90 revised), and pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale) were administered to all participants at the first consultation. All TMD patients were classified into four groups including TMD with internal derangement without pain (TMD_ID, n=370), TMD with joint pain (TMD_J, n=571), TMD with muscle pain (TMD_M, n=541) and TMD with muscle-joint combined pain (TMD_MJ, n=376). Results: The female ratio was particularly high in the group with TMD_MJ (p=0.001). The patients with muscle pain and both muscle and joint pain had longer symptom duration (p=0.004) and presented significantly higher scores in pain experience (p<0.001), subjective sleep quality (p<0.001), pain catastrophizing (p<0.001) and psychological distress (p<0.05) except for paranoid-ideation than the groups with only joint problems. Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the importance of multi-dimensional approach that consider pain disability, sleep quality, and psychological functioning in the management of TMD with muscle component. This study would contribute to a better understanding of interaction between heterogeneous TMD and multiple risk factors in order to build tailored treatment based on different phenotypes.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.665-676
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• 2013

The present study analyzed the KOCCA's Game Immersion data to explore the relationship between psychological traits and game immersion. Psychological traits were classified into four categories; emotional stability, self-esteem, willpower, and happiness. These were put into the multiple regression analysis as the dependent variables with age, sex (dummy), economic status of the homes, variety of leisure activities, friend and family relationship, and time to play games. Four types of immersion (psychological unstability, bad relationship, interrupted daily lives, and failure to control game time and desire) were put into the multiple regression analysis as the independent variables. The multiple regression analysis indicated that the dependent variables predicted the game immersion. Among the psychological traits emotional stability was the strongest factor (negative) that influences the game immersion. Next powerful indicator (negative) among the psychological traits was self-esteem. Based on the findings, measures to alleviate the problems of game immersion and ideas for further research were suggested.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.278-289
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the daily stress and social support of elderly people on their psychological wellbeing in an effort to provide some information on the promotion of the psychological wellbeing of the elderly. The major findings of the study were as follows: The psychological wellbeing of the elderly people was under the statistically significant negative influence of their family relations, health problems and sense of loss among the subfactors of daily stress. As for the subfactors of social support, emotional support and support from friends had a significant positive impact on that. The findings of the study suggest that in order to boost the psychological wellbeing of the elderly, they should be helped to cope with various stress that they face in daily routine life, and a variety of programs should be developed to bolster their psychological stability. In addition, the kind of community programs in which they can participate with their friends should be prepared, and how to provide them with better emotional support should carefully be studied.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.48-54
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• 2019

This study was based on Job Demand-Resource Model and tried to understand the causes of presenteeism that work but have decreased productivity in spite of health problems. In order to examine the psychological causes of presenteeism, we reinterpreted job resources as psychological capital, which is a psychological resource of personal dimension, and examined the positive and negative aspects of job demands by classifying job demands into challenge and hindrance stressors. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 20.0 statistical programs. Data were gathered from 329 employee in Korea. The results of this study are as follows: Hindrance and challenge stressor and psychological capital were fully mediated in the influence of presenteeism through job engagement, and hindrance stressor and psychological capital were fully mediated in the influence of presenteeism though job burnout. Based on the results.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.151-161
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• 2023

Objectives: To examine effect of Korean medical treatment on patients with insomnia and correlations among changes in psychological scales before and after treatment. Methods: Medical records of 38 patients diagnosed with insomnia based on DSM-V who received Korean medical treatment (herbal-medication, acupuncture, Korean psychotherapy) for at least 8 weeks were retrospectively reviewed. Psychological scales including Insomnia Severity Scale (ISI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) were measured every four weeks and analyzed. Results: After eight weeks of treatment, ISI, BDI-II, BAI, STAI-X-1/2, and STAXI-S/T showed statistically significant decreases. Psychological scale pairs that showed a statistically significant correlation were ISI and BDI-IIㆍSTAI-X-1ㆍSTAI-X-2ㆍTA, BDI-II and BAIㆍSTAI-X-1ㆍSTAI-X-2ㆍAX-I, BAI and STAI-X-1ㆍSTAI-X-2ㆍSAㆍTA, STAI-X-1 and STAI-X-2, SA and TA, and TA and AX-I. In women, the improvement of AX-C was high. The improvement in AX-I score was significant when the disease duration was more than one year. A lower pretreatment BAI value predicted a greater decrease in ISI score after treatment. Conclusions: Korean medical treatment including herbal medicine, acupuncture, and Korean psychotherapy was effective in improving insomnia symptoms and accompanying symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and anger. In the future, more in-depth follow-up research is needed on the mechanisms by which various psychological problems (depression, anxiety, anger, etc) cause and worsen insomnia and the psychological symptoms secondary to insomnia.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.17-25
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• 2001

Objectives: Obesity is related to psychological problems as well as physical problems. This study was designed to investigate the eating attitude and depression of females who participated in a fasting therapy. They were considered to have many eating attitude and psychological problems. Methods: 59 females were selected, they were admitted in Woosuk university hospital of oriental medicine(from August 1st, 2000 to July 31th, 2001) and 42 females were selected, they were college students of Woosuk university, Jeonju, Korea. We checked height, weight and administerd the Korean Eating Attitudes Test-26(KEAT-26), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and questions about binge-eating, smoking, drinking, exercise and body weight-wanted to females in two groups. Results: In fasting women group, 2(3.39%) were underweight, 24(40.68%) were average. The average of KEAT-26 in fasting women group$(13.33{\pm}7.65)$ was higher than that in college women group$(4.76{\pm}5.54)$(p<0.001). In fasting women group, 5(8.47%) had mild eating problem, 4(6.78%) had moderate eating problem, and 5(8.47%) had severe eating problem. In fasting women group, 47(79.66%) said 'yes' at the question(A-1, DSM-IV bulimia nervosa diagnosis), 33(55.93%) said 'yes' at the question(A-2, DSM-IV bulimia nervosa diagnosis) about binge eating. In fasting women group, 14(23.73%) had used vomiting, 13(22.03%) enemas, 27(45.76%) laxatives, 7(11.86%) diuretics, 6(10.17%) other drugs, 38(64.41%) fasting, 15(25.42%) severe exercise, and others 2(3.39%) to reduce their weight. The average of BDI in fasting women group$(12.44{\pm}6.70)$ was higher than that in college women group$(7.47{\pm}5.48)$(p<0.001). In fasting women group, 10(16.95%) had mild depression problem, 4(6.78%) had moderate depression problem, and 3(5.08%) had severe depression problem. In fasting women group, 41(64.49%) had under 5Kg-gap, and 18(30.51%) has over 5Kg-gap between weight-reasonable and weight-wanted. In 26 fasting women who were underweight or average-weight, 14 had over 5Kg-gap. Conclusions: These results suggest that the females who participated in a fasting therapy had many depression and eating problems, and we should pay attention to the eating disorders and psychological problems including depression as well as the physical problems when we treat obesity.