• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.83-97
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of sand play therapy on the parenting stress and saliva cortisol levels of parents undergoing child counseling programs. The study was conducted with 13 parents who were undergoing child counseling programs. The sessions were held every week for 45 minutes from July, 2011 to September, 2011. To evaluate the effects of sand play therapy, pre test and post test were conducted and the results were then analyzed. The therapy sessions consist of parents making sand boxes, and this was done without consideration of any particular theme. The instrument used was Abidin (1990)'s Parenting Stress Instrument (PSI). Saliva cortisol levels were obtained at the pre-post stage of the sand play therapy. The data were analyzed by means of frequency and the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test was conducted by the SPSS. The major findings were as follows; There were significant differences in terms of the decreases in the areas of perception of all the parenting stresses examined, including daily life stress, child temperament stress, child relationship stress, and learning-expectation stress, as well as in saliva cortisol levels. Finally, this study suggests that parenting stress and saliva cortisol levels have a positive relationship, and the effects of sand play therapy were significant with decreases in parenting stress and saliva cortisol levels. There is a clear need for parents undergoing child counseling programs to engage in sand play therapy to decrease parenting stress and saliva cortisol levels.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.329-339
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• 2024

Purpose: This study investigated the moderating role of general self-efficacy (GSE) on how stress caused by pregnancy and daily hassle affect the risk of preterm birth (PTB) in women experiencing preterm labor. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 196 pregnant women experiencing preterm labor before 37 weeks of gestation. We used IBM SPSS Statistics 27 and employed Hayes process macro version 4 (model 1) and hierarchical regression to analyze the moderating effect of GSE on the relationship between pregnancy stress, daily hassle stress, and PTB risk. Results: Stress caused by pregnancy and daily hassle was positively correlated to PTB risk (r = .54, p < .001; r = .25, p < .001, respectively). While GSE did not significantly correlate with pregnancy stress, it negatively correlated with daily hassle stress (r = - .19, p = .009). GSE significantly moderated the relationship between combined stressors and PTB risk. As GSE levels increased, escalation in PTB risk in response to increasing stress levels was a more pronounced, highlighting a complex interaction between higher GSE levels and response to escalating stress levels. This model accounted for 39.5% of the variance in the PTB risk. Conclusion: Higher GSE may amplify the impact of stress on PTB risk, rather than mitigate it, which suggests a more nuanced role of GSE in the stress response of pregnant women at risk of preterm labor. GSE should be considered in care strategies, and managing its impact on stress perception and responses in pregnant women is crucial.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2009

The anti-stress effects of kimchi were studied in the Sprague-Dawley rats dosed with kimchi. The rats in the stress groups were subjected to immobilization stress for 2 hr/day for 5 days. At the end of the experimental period, daily average food intake and body weight (BW) gain had been reduced in the stress group compared to the control group. Daily average food intake was significantly increased in the stress-kimchi diet group compared to the stress-only group. The weights of the thymus and spleen were decreased by immobilization stress, but this reduction was partially suppressed by the addition of kimchi. The weights of the adrenal gland and epididymal adipose tissue were increased in the stress group, but ingestion of kimchi completely and partially suppressed these stress-induced changes, respectively. Serum levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride, and plasma levels of corticosterone were increased in the stress group, but at control levels in the stress-kimchi diet group.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.164-173
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and stress, as well as factors influencing PPD, among women in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional online survey and recruited participants during postpartum visits to the Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Data collection was done using Arabic versions of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and a sociodemographics and obstetric history questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted, including multiple linear regression using a stepwise method. Results: Data from the 270 participants showed low levels of postpartum depressive symptoms with a mean score of 2.54±4.5 and low levels of perceived stress with a mean score of 2.49±6.2. While 94.4% of the participants reported low levels of stress and PPD, 5.6% reported elevated levels (≥10 for PPD, ≥14 for stress). The stepwise regression analysis showed significant results (p<.001), accounting for 34% of the variance in PPD. The factors significantly influencing PPD included the type of family, stress, number of abortions, disease during pregnancy, and family income. Importantly, perceived stress emerged as a factor influencing PPD. Conclusion: Although the majority of participants exhibited low levels of PPD, about 1 in 18 showed elevated levels. The identification of significant influencing factors highlights the need for targeted interventions to effectively address mental health concerns in postpartum women.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.953-962
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• 2017

Purpose. This study was conducted in order to identify levels of stress and self-esteem related to clinical practices of dental hygiene department students. Methods. Data was collected from a group of 249 students from October to November 2015, in the Yeong-nam region. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics frequency and t-test, logistic regressions by a SPSS WIN 18.0 program. Results. The results indicate that the characteristics of those who appeared to practice managing teaching was higher than that of the stress levels of clinical practice(p=.044). As well. personal relations(p=.013), degree of major satisfaction(p=.001), levels of satisfaction of practice(p=.019) resulted in higher levels of self esteem. The stress levels of clinical practice and high levels of satisfaction of practice were reduced and resulted in a dental hygienic negative correlation(p=.016). Self-esteem levels increased significantly according to personal relations(p=.001) and satisfaction of practice(p=.014). Conclusion. A strategy for development of a method to reduce the stress of clinical practice among individuals and an improvement of self-esteem programs which is necessary for dental hygiene students.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.101-115
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• 2004

Stress at work as well as at home is one of the most important issues in the health sector. However, very little research has been to find the relationship between the levels of stress and exercise. In this study, we used a structured questionaires received from 15th June to 29th October 2002 in order to prove the relation between the degree of exercise and stress. A total number of 1,092( 569 male, 523 female) who have worked more than one year were investigated. The results of the study were as follows： (1) The mean levels of stress were lower in the regualr exercise group than in the non-exercise group； (2) The more time spent in exercise, the lower level of stress was shown； (3) It was shown that the association between the frequency of stress was inversely realted to the frequency of exercise in males whereas the levels of stress was lowest in those who exercised less than 2 times per week in females； (4) The levels of stress was lowest in those who exercised more than 1 hour at a time. In summarizing the result of this study, the degree of exercise is realted with stress regardless of gender. Consequently, it is expected that regular and consistent exercise would be an important tools in lowering and protecting the worker's stress.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2014

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between fatigue, sleep disturbance, and gestational stress in women during late stage of pregnancy. Methods: This study was conducted with 113 healthy pregnant women at gestational age greater than 27 weeks who were registered at community health centers and received prenatal care. A structured questionnaire regarding fatigue, sleep disturbance, and gestational stress was used. The data was analyzed using a t-test, an ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: The subjects with unplanned pregnancies and irregular exercise patterns showed a higher level of fatigue than those with planned pregnancies and regular exercise patterns. Pregnant women with caffeine intake manifested higher levels of gestational stress and sleep disturbance than those without. The levels of sleep disturbance and gestational stress increased as the fatigue levels increased. The fatigue levels increased with increased levels of sleep disturbance. Conclusion: Planned pregnancy, regular exercise patterns, and caffeine intake were related with fatigue, sleep disturbance, and gestational stress in women during late stages of pregnancy. Fatigue, sleep disturbance, and gestational stress had close associations to each other. In the future, such results should guide development of nursing intervention programs for women in late stages of pregnancy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.102-107
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• 2022

South Korea will soon be a super-aged society, as more than 20.6% of its population will be 65 years and older by 2025. As of 2022, 17.5% of the total population in South Korea is 65 years and older, which exceeds the set threshold for an aged society, where more than 14% of the population is 65 years and older. The proportion of older subway construction workers has increased. Aging workers and their work stress negatively impact their workability. A previous study demonstrated that the stress index measured using the uBioMacpa measurement device (Macpa stress index) had a significant correlation with work stress in South Korea. The device tests vascular health and measures stress levels via Macpa signal analysis. In this study, the pulse waves of subway construction workers were measured using uBioMacpa to identify their stress levels. The stress levels were analyzed by age, years of service, job position, employment type, and work type. Herein, these statistics could not be easily represented by a normal distribution; therefore, the Kruskal-Wallis test, a nonparametric statistical method, was used for the analysis of data. The results showed that age, job position, employment type, and working type affected the Macpa stress index and the stress levels of workers increased with age. In terms of job position, technical engineers were more stressed than other workers because of their poor working environment. In terms of employment type, daily-wage workers were more stressed than other workers. In terms of working type, tunneling, waterproofing, and construction scored the highest Macpa stress indexes without any significant difference, whereas earthworks scored the lowest. Based on the analysis of Macpa stress index, safety and health management plans were proposed to reduce the stress levels of workers. Moreover, a manual for efficient stress management must be developed for subway construction workers.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.143-151
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• 2007

The effects of job stress factors on psychological job stress and job satisfaction levels of school dietitians were evaluated. Questionnaires were distributed to 163 elementary school foodservice dietitians in the Seoul and Incheon area. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SPSS program. The highest stress factor was the importance of the job followed by role ambiguity, autonomy and identity, communication and participation. When dealing with job stress, the subjects showed improved and positive behaviors when communicating and participating with each other. The analysis of the relationships between job stress factors and job satisfaction revealed that the importance of the job had a negative effect on jog satisfaction. while role conflict and overload, personal relationships, and experience accumulation had positive effects. Ample occupational experience and background had highly positive effects on school dietitians' job satisfaction level whereas negative results were shown concerning circulated appointments(p<0.01). Based on these results, we suggest that role conflict and overload should be reduced in order to lower job stress levels and enhance job satisfaction levels.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.349-360
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• 2018

This study analyzed variations of learning stress by comparing the salivary cortisol levels of students who participated in Earth Science inquiry activities. The cortisol concentrations between the pre- and post-inquiries of the sample of 34 university students, who had taken the course of 'Basic Earth Science and Experiments', were analyzed. The Earth Science inquiries consisted of geology and astronomy activities. The observational geology activities consisted of a session of 'structure contours and map patterns' and the cognitive astronomy activities consisted of a session of 'representations of horizontal and equatorial coordinates'. These Earth Science inquiry activities were found to cause students to have anxiety, and the thought processes that these activities involved were found to cause learning stress. The variations in cortisol concentrations of students increased by $1.6{\pm}5.9ng\;mL^{-1}$ after conducting observational activities in geology compared with $2.1{\pm}6.2ng\;mL^{-1}$ after doing cognitive activities in astronomy. The analysis of the observational activities in the geology inquiry activities indicated that they were consistent with low levels of learning stress. Conversely, the analysis of the cognitive activities in the astronomy inquiry activities showed significant individual variations in cortisol concentrations. Furthermore, individual differences in cognitive ability were reflected in the astronomy inquiry activities. While students, who received high scores, exhibited low levels of stress in the geology inquiry activities, they showed high levels of stress in the astronomy inquiry activities. It was concluded that, in the case of students with high scores in the study, the level of learning stress increased due to the raised anxiety in cognitive inquiry activities. In contrast, students, who received low scores in the study, exhibited high levels of stress in the geology inquiry activities, and low levels of stress in the astronomy inquiry activities.