• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2007

Objectives : According to Rowe and Kahn (1998), successful aging is the combination of a low probability of disease, high functioning, and active engagement with life. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between active engagement with life and functioning among the community-dwelling elderly. Methods : Data were collected from Wave 2 of the Suwon Longitudinal Aging Study (SLAS), consisting of a sample of 645 persons aged 65 and older living in the community. A social activity checklist and social support inventory were used as measures of engagement with life, along with the Physical Functioning (PF) scale as a measure of functioning. The effects of social support and social activity on physical functioning, taking into account the covariates, were analyzed by hierarchical linear regression analysis. Results : Maintenance of social activity and social support were significantly associated with higher physical function, after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. Social support appeared to be more prominent than social activity in predicting physical functioning. Conclusions : Social support and social activity are potentially modifiable factors associated with physical function in older persons. Studies examining the role social engagement may play in preventing disability are warranted.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.418-428
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• 1999

The main purpose of this study was to identify the effects of group social support and individual social support on the reduction of burden and improvement in family functioning of families with asthmatic children. The design of this study was a randomized pre-posttest quasi-experimental design to compare the two experimental groups. The theoretical framework for this study was derived from the study of burden in family caregivers by Suh and Oh (1993) based on the main effect model of social support theories. The data were collected from February 12, 1998 to May 29, 1998 at the pediatric out patient department of a university hospital located in Suwon city. The sample consisted of 39 family members who were identified as families with asthmatic children, Eighteen subjects were randomly assigned to the group social support group and 21 were assigned to the individual social support group. Group and individual social support members were seen for 60 to 90 minutes, four times over one to three weeks. The instruments used in this study were the Burden Scale developed by Suh & Oh(1993), the Visual Analogue Scale, and the Family Adaptability Cohesion Evaluation Scale(FACES-III) developed by Olson, Portner, and Lavee(1985). The collected data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney test, x$^2$-test, Wilcoxon sign rank test, t-test, ANOVA (Scheff), Pearson correlation coefficient. multiple regression, and social support process and content analysis. The results are as follow : 1. There was no significant difference before the experimental treatment among the subjects in the group social support group and individual social support group for general characteristics, burden, or family functioning. 2. Hypothesis 1 : “There will be a greater reduction on the burden score of the group social support group compared to the individual social support group” was not statistically significant(U＝174.5, p＝.683). The burden scores showed a significant decrease after participation in social support as compared to before participation for both groups. However there was a tendency for more reduction in the burden scores for the group social support than for individual social support. 3. Hypothesis 2 : “There will be a greater improvement in the family functioning scores for the group social support group compared to the individual social support group” was not statistically significant(U＝153.0. p＝.309). There was a tendency toward improvement in the family functioning scores of the group social support as compared to that of the individual social support. 4. According to the length of the treatment period, families with asthmatic children displayed affirmative responses, and the families set up a self-help group of mothers with asthmatic children in order to share their experiences, to get information and to solve their problems. In conclusion, it was found that group social support was the more effective nursing intervention for reducing burden and for improving family functioning of families with asthmatic children.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.696-704
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• 2001

Purpose: This study was to investigate the family life events stress and family functioning and social support of wives, and to find out the correlation among these variables. Method: The subjects were 263 wives who participated voluntarily in the questionnaire. The instrument used in this study comprised family life events stress, family functioning and social support instruments, and the data were collected from Sep.10 to Sep. 29 with self-administered questionnaires. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, t-test and ANOVA with SPSS win. Results: 1) The mean score of family life events stress was 25.8, family functioning was 47.2, and social support was 43.4(4 point scale), 2) The rate of correlation between family life events stress and family functioning was (r=-.18), that between family life events stress and social support was (r=-.26), and that between family functioning and social support was (r=0.46). 3) The mean score of family life events stress by general characteristics was significant in age, religion and family type. The mean score of family functioning by general characteristics was significant in education. The mean score of social support by general characteristics was not significant. Conclusion: Considering the results above, we can recognize that there are close relations among family life events stress, family functioning and social support. Although the correlation coefficient is somewhat different, these three variables are very significant for wives.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.41-53
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• 2022

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the vocational rehabilitation evaluation tool for the mentally disabled. Methods : For literature search, the Pubmed database was used, and for the analysis, the development year, evaluation method, number of items, scale, and evaluation items were analyzed. In the analysis method, each evaluation item was divided into four categories: function, internal factor, environment, and mental symptom, and the evaluation elements of each evaluation tool were identified. Results : When searching Pubmed through search terms, 161 documents were retrieved. According to the selection method, Griffiths Work Behavior Scale (GWBS), Occupational Functioning Scale (OFS), Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), Work Ability Index (WAI), Work Behavior Inventory (WBI), Work Environment Impact Scale (WEIS), and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) were screened. The evaluation items of all evaluation tools included job-related functional evaluation. According to the purpose of each evaluation tool, internal factors, environment, and mental symptoms were measured. Conclusion : Occupational skills are skills in which various functions such as physical, cognitive, social skills, and coping skills act in a complex way. Therefore, it is necessary to include the four factors analyzed in this study: function, internal factors, environment, and psychiatric symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.76-111
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to develop the Korean version of the Social Functioning Scale (KSFS) in the patients with schizophrenia. Methods : KSFS was administered to 90 schizophrenic patients and 80 their parents and 90 normal controls for examining the reliability and validity. Results : Data analysis showed statistically significant reliabilities and validities of KSFS. The test-retest reliability, rater vs. self-report reliability, and internal consistency for total scores of KSFS were 0.93, 0.44 and 0.94 respectively. Evidence for discriminant validity of KSFS comes from the results that the mean scores of schizophrenic patients were significantly higher than those of normal controls. Construct validity was assessed by calculating the 7 inter-areas correlations of the KSFS, and all areas were statistically significant. Significant correlations between the total scores of KSFS and those of SOFAS lend support for the concurrent validity of this instrument. Factor analyses were performed and two factors were extracted accounting for 63.7% of the variance. Sensitivity was assessed indirectly via the distribution and range of scores on the SFS. The normal control group showed a distribution around a higher mean with a moderate positive skew. Conclusion : KSFS was found to be a valid, reliable, and sensitive instrument which can be used to evaluate the degree of social functioning in the patients with schizophrenia.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.371-381
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop the day care program for the demented elders and to determine the effects of multiple activity therapies on the physical, emotional, cognitive, social function and physiological indicators of dementia elders in day care center. Method: A total of 13 elders with mild dementia in the data care center were participated. Manual and guideline of data care program was developed. Data care program was composed of movement/exercise, foot massage, music therapy, horticultural therapy, and art therapy. Data care program was performed by trained intervener for 32 weeks. Instruments were physical functioning such as hand grip strength., vital capacity, chiar stand test, sit and reach test, one leg standing, Berg' Balance scale, 6m Walk Velocity, stair climb, ADL, GDS-K, MMSE-K, Integrative Social Functioning Scale, cortisol, Ig A and Ig G. These were measured at the baseline, 16-week, and 32-week post-intervention by the trained nurses. Data were analyzed as Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: For Hand grip, balance, and vital capacity, there was a significant difference between baseline and 16-week post-intervention(p<.05). For one leg standing, 6m velocity, there was a significant difference between 16-week post-intervention and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). For Stair climb, there was a significant difference between baseline and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). For depression and social functioning, there was no significant difference among baseline, 16-week, and 32-week post-intervention. For cognitive functioning, there was a significant difference between baseline and 32-week post intervention(p<.05). There was a significant difference of cortisol, and Ig G between baseline and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). Conclusion: It would appear that physical fitness, functional performance, ADL, depression, social and cognitive functioning, and physiological indicator of community dwelling elders with dementia can be improved through day care program using multiple stimuli.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of attention, intellectual functioning and adaptation of girls with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods : The scores of the ADHD Diagnostic System (ADS), the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (K-WISC-III) and the Korean Personality Inventory for Children (KPI-C) were compared between 26 girls with ADHD and 26 boys with ADHD. Results : 1) There was no significant gender difference in the intellectual functioning, except for the picture completion subscale. 2) Compared to the boys, the girls responded more slowly on the ADS visual task. 3) The girls were rated higher by their parents for the depression and social relationship problems of the KPI-C. Conclusion : The results suggest that there are noticeable gender differences for the attention problems and social functioning of children with ADHD.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.187-195
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• 2014

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between restricted, repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBI) and autistic symptoms in Korean high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children and to examine the structure of RRBI. Methods : Participants included 147 high functioning ASD subjects and 181 unaffected siblings. ASD subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence of RRBI. The domain scores of the Korean version of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (K-ADI-R), Korean version of Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale and total scores of Korean translated version of Social Responsiveness Scale, Korean version of Social Communication Scale were used for comparison of ASD symptoms between the groups. Eleven items from the RRBI domain of the K-ADI-R were used in principal axis factor analysis (PAF). Results : A statistically lower nonverbal IQ score was observed for ASD with RRBI than for ASD without RRBIs, and more social deficit, communication deficit, and behavioral and emotional problems were observed for ASD with RRBI compared to ASD without RRBI. Using PAF, two distinct factors were identified. 'Resistance to trivial changes in environment', 'Difficulty with minor changes in personal routine & environment', and 'Compulsion/ritual' were included as one factor. Conclusion : Analysis of the data suggests that the presence of RRBI in high functioning ASD is associated with a more severe presentation of autistic disorder. In addition, there appears to be heterogeneity within RRBI in autism except insistence on sameness.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8107-8112
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• 2016

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer is the second most frequent cancer in Malaysia. We aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Malaysian Chinese version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire core (QLQ-C30) in patients with colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: Translated versions of the QLQ-C30 were obtained from the EORTC. A cross sectional study design was used to obtain data from patients receiving treatment at two teaching hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Malaysian Chinese version of QLQ-C30 was self-administered in 96 patients while the Karnofsky Performance Scales (KPS) was generated by attending surgeons. Statistical analysis included reliability, convergent, discriminate validity, and known-groups comparisons. Statistical significance was based on p value ${\leq}0.05$. Results: The internal consistencies of the Malaysian Chinese version were acceptable [Cronbach's alpha (${\alpha}{\geq}0.70$)] in the global health status/overall quality of life (GHS/QOL), functioning scales except cognitive scale (${\alpha}{\leq}0.32$) in all levels of analysis, and social/family functioning scale (${\alpha}=0.63$) in patients without a stoma. All questionnaire items fulfilled the criteria for convergent and discriminant validity except question number 5, with correlation with role (r = 0.62) and social/family (r = 0.41) functioning higher than with physical functioning scales (r = 0.34). The test-retest coefficients in the GHS/QOL, functioning scales and in most of the symptoms scales were moderate to high (r = 0.58 to 1.00). Patients with a stoma reported statistically significant lower physical functioning (p=0.015), social/family functioning (p=0.013), and higher constipation (p=0.010) and financial difficulty (p=0.037) compared to patients without stoma. There was no significant difference between patients with high and low KPS scores. Conclusions: Malaysian Chinese version of the QLQ-C30 is a valid and reliable measure of HRQOL in patients with colorectal cancer.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.384-395
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• 2000

This study examined burdens of primary family caregivers, and family functioning of patients with cancer. In addition, the relationship between two concepts was assessed to develop nursing intervention to reduce the burdens of caregiving, and to improve family functioning. Ninety-two primary family caregivers of patients with cancer at a general hospital in Seoul participated in this study. The patients with cancer aged from 19 to 84 years with a mean age of 51 years, and sixty-one percent were male. About 30 percent of the patients suffered liver and billiary tract cancer. Fifty-six percent of the primary family caregivers were spouses of the patients and 70.7 percent were women. Primary family caregivers' burdens were assessed by the Burden Scale originally developed by Zarit (1980) and Novak & Guest(1989) and modified by Jang (1995) for use in Korea. The instrument consists of six subscales: time-dependent burden, developmental burden, physical burden, emotional burden, social burden, and financial burden. Family functioning was assessed by the Family APGAR developed by Smilkstein(1978). The results were as follows: 1. The average burden score was 86.1, indicating a moderate level of burden. The time-dependent burden scored highest followed by developmental, physical, social, financial, and emotional burdens. The mean score of family APGAR was 9.71; among subjects 82.6% were included in dysfunctional families. 2. Of the characteristics of patients, age, gender, number of admissions, and job were found to be associated with the level of burden. There was no significant difference between patient characteristics and family functioning. Of the characteristics of primary family caregivers, caregiver's perception of patient prognosis was significantly related to the level of burden, and family functioning. Caregiver's sex and age were also related to family functioning. The quality of relationship between a patient and a caregiver was significant situational factors affecting the level of burden, and family functioning. In addition, the income of family, and help from other family members were related to the level of burden. Given the results, it is essential to develop nursing intervention to reduce burden and to improve family functioning, such as support groups.