• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 1998

Objectives：This study was conducted to investigate the diagnostic utility of the Rorschach schizophrenia/depression/coping deficite index in child-adolescent parent groups(schizophrenia, depression,depressive conduct disorder). Methods：Three child-adolescent parent groups(schizophrenia(18), depression(20), depressive conduct disorder(19)) were individyally assessed using the Rorschach test and schizophrenia/depression/coping deficite index scores were analyzed. Results：The results showed significant difference among three groups on only SCZI and significantly higher SCZI score of schizophrenia group than other two groups. When the critical value of SCZI was 4, diagnostic hit rate was 96.5%, and when the critical value of DEPI was 3, diagnostic hit rate was 57.9%, and when the critical value of CDI was 4, diagnostic hit rate was 66.6%.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2012

Objectives Body image distortion is found in eating disorder and obesity and there are some evidence that schizophrenia is associated with body image distortion. This study sought to find whether schizophrenic patients report more body image distortion than healthy individuals and whether it is related with symptomatology. Methods A total of 88 inpatients with schizophrenia and 88 healthy controls were recruited. Weight, height, and body image accuracy were assessed in all participants, and assessment of mood, psychotic symptom severity and self-esteem, and personal and social performance scale were conducted. Results The patients with schizophrenia had higher Body Mass Index (p < 0. 001) and underestimated their body size more than controls (26.14% vs. 5.13%, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that lower depressive symptoms and higher scores of general psychopathology predicted underestimation of body size. Conclusion Weight gain and metabolic syndrome are common adverse events of pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. Thus, underestimation of body size among patients with schizophrenia may interfere with effort to lose weight or seek weight reduction programs. Clinicians need to consider possible unterestimation of underestimation of body size in patients whose general symptomatology is severe.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.158-169
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the Gratitude Enhancement Program on self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, gratitude disposition, subjective happiness, stress index in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Methods: The research was designed for a nonequivalent control group before and after the test design. The subjects of this study were 29 patients in the experimental group and 28 patients in the control group. The Gratitude Enhancement Program was conducted three times a week for a total of nine sessions. Data were collected with questionnaires and measured with autonomic nervous system response (stress index) and was analyzed by t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact, and repeated measures ANOVA with the SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. Results: There are no significant differences in the homogeneity test of a dependent variable between groups. The experimental group showed significant higher scores of self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, gratitude disposition, and subjective happiness than the control group. There was no significant difference in the stress index between two groups. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, this Gratitude Enhancement Program can be a good nursing intervention to improve self-esteem, interpersonal relationship, gratitude disposition, and subjective happiness for chronic schizophrenia patients.

• 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.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2017

Objectives: To evaluate sleep characteristics and factors associated with sleep disturbance in schizophrenia patients with concurrent active psychotic symptoms and insomnia. Methods: Schizophrenia patients with insomnia and active psychotic symptoms (n = 63) were recruited from community-based mental rehabilitative facilities. Sleep scales such as the Korean version of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-K) and the Korean Version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-K) were evaluated and those with ISI-K >15 were included in the study. Psychotic, anxiety and depressive symptoms were rated with the Brief Psychotic Rating Scale (BPRS), the Korean Version of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (K-ASI), and the Korean Version of the Beck Depression Inventory-I (K-BDI), respectively. Pearson correlation analyses were performed between the sociodemographic data, ISI-K and PSQI-K. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors which affected the ISI-K and PSQI-K. Results: The mean ISI-K and PSQI-K scores were $18.1{\pm}2.6$ and $12.0{\pm}2.2$, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between age of onset and ISI-K score and positive correlations between BRPS and PSQI-K scores and between K-ASI and both ISI-K and PSQI-K scores. Multiple regression analyses for both ISI-K and PSQI-K with K-ASI, age of onset, and BPRS as covariates revealed K-ASI as the only significant remaining factor. Conclusion: Our study suggests that anxiety symptoms are associated with insomnia symptoms in schizophrenia patients regardless of depressive or psychotic symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2017

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigate the associations of childhood trauma with psychopathology and clinical characteristics in patients with schizophrenia. Methods : This study enrolled 66 inpatients with schizophrenia. Korean Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (K-CTQ) and Life Event Questionnaire (LEQ) were administered to assess childhood trauma. Psychopatholgy and clinical characteristics were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Korean Version of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (K-ISMI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and visual analogue scale of EuroQoL-5 Dimension Index (EQ-5D). Results : Total scores on K-CTQ were positively associated with scores on the BDI, K-ISMI, PSS, and PANSS and negatively associated with the score on the EQ-5D. Among subscales of K-CTQ, emotional abuse was significantly associated with all measures for psychopathology and clinical characteristics. Patients with physical abuse (36.5%), emotional abuse (30.2%), or bullying (30.6%) according to the LEQ showed sighificanlty higher the ISMI score and lower EQ-5D score. Emotional abuse and bullying were also significantly associated with higher scores on BDI and/or PSS. Conclusion : Our results suggest that childhood trauma negatively influences on internalized stigma, depression, perceived stress and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. Clinicians should carefully evalute and manage childhood traumatic experience of patients with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.196-203
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• 2017

Objectives Childhood trauma increases substantial risks for later developing not only mental health issues including psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia but also physical illness. In this study, possible associations of childhood trauma with metabolic syndrome and physical heath indices were tested among outpatients with schizophrenia. Methods A final sample of 46 adult outpatients with schizophrenia was recruited from an outpatient psychiatric unit of Hanyang University Guri Hospital. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), laboratory tests and physical measurement including Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to hip ratio (WHR). The Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF) were also administered. Results We did not find significant correlations between total scores of childhood trauma and any of these variables, but physical neglect was negatively associated with BMI (r = -0.329, p = 0.026) and waist circumference (r = -0.304, p = 0.040). Conclusions In this preliminary study, we noted that subtypes of childhood trauma could contribute to physical health status separately. Clinicians need to consider the possibility that childhood trauma may affect physical health as well as psychological aspect of schizophrenic illness.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2011

Objectives Atypical antipsychotics show better treatment efficacy, safety and tolerability than typical antipsychotics. Among the adverse events observed during treatment with antipsychotics, extrapyramidal syndrome (EPS) and negative symptoms has been greatly reduced. But still, weight gain is receiving growing attention. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between therapeutic response to atypical antipsychotics and weight gain in admission status. Methods The study was conducted for Korean inpatients with schizophrenia in a university hospital in Seoul, between Jan 2006 and Dec 2010. Data was collected by reviewing the medical record of 39 consecutively hospitalized patients with Schizophrenia (DSM-IV) at a university hospital. Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Body Mass Index (BMI) and body weights were measured. Results No significant difference was observed for sex, age, illness onset age, family history of schizophrenia, numbers of hospitalization before treatment, educational years, marriage status, occupational status and subtype of schizophrenia between weight gainers and non-weight gainers. Regarding treatment response to atypical antipsychotics, weight gainers show significantly more PANSS decrease than non-weight gainers during admission period. Conclusions Our findings suggest that it appears to be more likely to respond to atypical antipsychotics in weight gainers than non-weight gainers (that weght gainers appear to be more likely to respond to atypical antipsychotics than non-weight gainers). These results show that the antipsychotic-induced body weight gain is associated with therapeutic response of antipsychotics in Korean inpatients with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2021

Objectives: Social function deficit is known as a core feature of schizophrenia. This study aimed to investigate differences in empathic tendencies and theory of mind (ToM) skills between healthy controls and young individuals with schizophrenia, and to examine the associations between empathic tendencies, ToM skills and schizotypy, and executive function in schizophrenia. Methods: Thirty patients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls were enrolled and assessed using the interpersonal relationship index (IRI; perspective taking, fantasy, empathic concern, and personal distress subscales), ToM-Picture Story Task (ToM-PST; sequence and cognitive questionnaire), Wisconsin schizotypy scale (revised physical anhedonia and perceptual aberration), and Stroop tests for empathic tendencies, ToM skills, schizotypy, and executive function. Results: In individuals with schizophrenia, the IRI for perspective taking and ToM-PST score for cognitive function were lower, and the IRI for personal distress was higher than those in healthy controls. The IRIs for perspective taking and fantasy were related to revised physical anhedonia, and that for empathic concern was associated with revised physical anhedonia and perceptual aberration. The ToM-PST score for sequence was associated with the Stroop test score for schizophrenia. Conclusion: These findings indicate deficits in empathic tendencies and ToM skills, which may be independently and primarily associated with schizotypy and executive function in young individuals with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.204-215
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• 2018

Background: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the effect of metformin on weight loss was assessed to determine whether metformin should be recommended for the prevention or treatment of weight gain in patients receiving antipsychotic medication for the treatment of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for all published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to June 2018. In addition, the references of relevant articles were also examined. Using Review Manager 5, the pooled estimates of the weighted mean difference (WMD) of the changes in body weight and body mass index (BMI) and the corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: The meta-analysis included 15 RCTs. The pooled analysis showed that compared with placebo, metformin led to significant reductions in body weight (WMD: -2.09, 95% CI: -2.59, -1.60; p<0.00001) and BMI (WMD: -0.90, 95% CI: -1.08, -0.72; p<0.00001). The effect of metformin on weight loss was greater in patients receiving olanzapine than in patients receiving clozapine (body weight, WMD: -2.39, 95% CI: -3.76, -1.02; p=0.0006 for olanzapine; -1.99, 95% C: -3.47, -0.51; p=0.009 for clozapine; BMI, WMD: -1.15, 95% CI: -1.74, -0.57, p=0.0001 for olanzapine; WMD: 0.76, 95% CI: -1.23, -0.28; p=0.002 for clozapine). Conclusion: Metformin can be recommended to manage olanzapine-induced weight gain in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The magnitude of the reductionss in body weight and BMI implieds that the use of metformin to attenuate olanzapine-induced weight gain can minimize the risk of coronary heart disease.