• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.76-86
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to provide deep understanding of the reported experiences of families with their loved one in the intensive care unit (ICU), focusing on interactions with healthcare providers. Methods: The data were collected by individual interviews of eleven participants. The transcribed data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify major themes and sub-themes that represented the experiences of families. Results: Five themes and 13 sub-themes emerged. "Captive of patients' delayed death: Fear and anxiety" describes psychological problems arising when the family member became critically ill enough to warrant being admitted to the ICU. "Families as the weak: Suppression and resistance" describes interpersonal difficulties arising due to lack of information and trust with healthcare providers. "Deprivation of authority and duty as families: Helplessness" illustrate situational barriers in attempting to protect and support family member. "Re-establishment of trust relationship with healthcare providers: Gratitude and appreciation" describes how they satisfied with themselves by regaining trust relationship. Lastly, "Acceptance of reality through direct care participation: Relief and peace" illustrates peace of mind by gaining sense of reality through active direct care participation. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the positive and negative experiences of families with ICU patients. The results will be useful in developing family-centered nursing interventions.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of a single-session, positive psychology-based, strength-enhancing workshop for psychiatrists. The program is composed of lecture about positive psychology and workshop activities for identifying and utilizing character strengths. Methods : A total of 42 psychiatrists participated in this study. The program consisted of a lecture about positive psychology and workshop activities for identifying and utilizing character strengths. Results of a positive resources test, given before and after the session, were used to assess changes in the personal positive resources of the participants as a result of the program. Results : We noted significant increases in participants' satisfaction with life, positive affect, gratitude, acceptance, positive and cognitive emotion regulation, orientation of life, growth, spirit, autonomy, social support, and care factors after completion of the program. On additional analysis, spirit and care scores of female participants's were significantly increased than male participants's. Conclusion : The findings are meaningful in verifying the efficacy of a short-term intervention to improve psychiatrists's positive resources.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.925-935
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• 2020

This study aims to provide guidelines for the activities of workplace health managers by identifying their excellent health promotion activities and motivations. For this, consent for the study was obtained from 21 workplace health managers who had worked at the same company for more than five years, and a semi-structured questionnaire was sent via email to collect and qualitatively analyze the data. As a result, 17 categories and three topics were drawn. The derived topics included a sense of reward and accomplishment as workplace health managers, difficulties encountered as workplace health managers, and how to solve the difficulties. The survey respondents answered that they feel a sense of reward and accomplishment when workers open their mind, change their daily life, express gratitude, and pioneer new fields. On the other hand, they feel difficulties with unpredictable health, changes in the organizational culture, secrecy of disease, and people who think their job is easy. As a way of overcoming such difficulties, the research subjects said that it is necessary to read the minds of workers, let them know by themselves, use existing programs, have the most difficult people on their side, and spread their achievements. The results of this study revealed that it is required for workplace health managers to develop professional skills and emphasize the importance of health management to the policy-makers and employees of their workplace by continuously reporting health management performance. In addition, they need to actively benchmark the success strategies of exemplary workplace health managers.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2016

Objective : The purpose of this study was to verify the differences of expressed character strengths graded as per the Korean Strength Scale, based on the type of work. Methods : A total of 2,444 conglomerate workers were classified into two groups: 1,356 office workers and 1,088 production workers. The subjects were examined through a web or mobile application based on the Korean Strength Scale. The Korean Strength Scale consists of a total of four top entries and 25 sub-items with appropriate validity. Results : The difference in the average score of sum of character strengths between the two groups was not significant. In the office worker group, character strengths such as love of learning, creativity, perspective, curiosity, facilitation, judgment and faith had significantly high scores. On the other hands, modesty, hope, gratitude, sincerity, magnanimity and self-regulation were high in the production worker group. The results remained unchanged in additional analysis of covariants as sex, age and education level, except for self-regulation and faith. Conclusion : Our results suggest significant differences in the character strengths between the two types of work; however, the average of sum of character strength score remains unchanged. These results may help to understand differences between work environments and thus help to establish a positive foundation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.309-322
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• 2017

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experience of mothers who have had children with cancer. Participants were seven mothers who had children diagnosed with cancer between 3 to 36 months. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and analyzed by Colaizzi's phenomenological methodology. Overall, 216 significant statements, 62 formulated statements, 16 themes and five theme clusters were identified. The five theme clusters were 'heartbreaking sadness', 'arduous journey of battling', 'protect my child', 'feeling varying between gratitude and disappointment', and 'suffering and wishing to be with family'. Mothers who have had children with pediatric cancer receiving chemotherapy have experienced strong emotional fluctuations as well as hope as they cope with their ill child. However, they try to become strong women and embrace their family to cope with their situation. The results of this study will support for health professionals to understand mothers who have had children with cancer and to consider the supportive nursing care in considering mothers' emotional fluctuation.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.6
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• pp.35-50
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• 2024

"Culture refers to the behavioral and lifestyle patterns that a society has shared and transmitted within the community over a long period. Ginseng, frequently encountered in the daily life of Koreans through tools, crafts, folklore, and poetry, holds a deep place in the behavioral and lifestyle patterns of the Korean people. Ginseng, engraved in everyday objects, crafts, and poems, is symbolic in our culture as a representation of longevity and well-being. Ginseng elegantly depicted on ceramics serves as a symbol of longevity along with aesthetic beauty. The common inclusion of ginseng in ritual items in mountain deity beliefs, particularly represented by the 'Bullocho' (不老草) ginseng, reflects a strong belief in the mystical qualities of ginseng associated with longevity and prosperity. The incorporation of ginseng into commonly used everyday tools such as rice cakes, dining tables, decorations, matches, and fans suggests that ginseng was considered a talisman symbolizing health and longevity, kept close as a wish for good fortune. Rice cakes, often presented at ceremonies like ancestral rites, 60th-anniversary celebrations, weddings, and birthdays, had ginseng patterns carved into them as a way for our ancestors to inscribe the spirit and health-symbolizing ginseng onto the food. In family communities, ginseng patterns are frequently found on utensils related to eating, such as chopsticks, spoons, tea cups, and trays. Among the various folklore related to ginseng being passed down, the most prevalent are anecdotes illustrating its efficacy. Ginseng, gifted and exchanged as a symbol of gratitude in letters and poems, goes beyond being a mere medicinal herb to embody friendship and blessings. The symbolism of ginseng, as revealed in everyday objects, artworks, poems, and letters, can be summarized as follows: 1. In folklore and legends, ginseng symbolized filial piety offered to parents. 2. It represented gratitude sent to respected teachers and close friends. 3. Ginseng depicted on daily objects and artworks not only showcased aesthetics but also played a magical role in symbolizing longevity and well-being. Ginseng patterns on items like rice cake molds and dining tables embody the spirit of a caring community, wishing for longevity and prosperity."

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.95-106
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• 2019

This study examines how mental health promotion programs based on positive psychology brings changes in pleasant life, engaged life and meaningful life. This research considers 15 programs featuring 178 students during one semester. Pre-and-post examination of psychological well-being, depression and optimism were conducted to identify changes before and after the program. 56 students (32%) showed positive changes in all 3 factors. 15 students among them were selected for an in-depth interview for a qualitative case study. As a result of the quantitative study, a mental health promotion program based on positive psychology showed statistically significant positive changes in the pre-and-post examinations of psychological well-being, depression and optimism. Mental health promotion programs based on positive psychology showed positive changes in mental, cognitive and behavior perspectives in the fields of pleasant life, engaged life and meaningful life of college students. Specifically, positive psychology and thinking programs influenced students to become more enthusiastic and active in pursuing a pleasant life. Secondly, positive psychology intervention concerning engaged life brought a recognition of higher 'self-acceptance'. Thirdly, each individual spent more time and effort to experience more satisfaction and accomplishments. Lastly, subjects showed greater optimism after the program. Through the searching gratitude program, study subjects expanded their appreciation of their relationships with others.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.273-305
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to understand and explore the essence of the self-care experiences of middle-aged one-person households considering their individual circumstances and situational context. In this study, 10 middle-aged people in one-person households were interviewed. The interview data were analyzed using the phenomenological analysis. In result, middle-aged one-person households considered self-care as 'means to protect themselves', 'preparation for their single life in late adulthood', and 'behavior to feel gratitude and happiness in the present.' Their motives for self-care were 'being aware of their physical aging and possibility of illnesse', 'feeling threatened about their safety', 'sensing that their daily livings may be at a risk', 'absence of a caregiven person who can take care of them', 'maintaining of their psychological health', 'being burned out from busy working schedules', and 'to lessen their own and their family's worries and anxiety.' Their specific ways of self-care were 'physical health care', 'private activities for emotional care', and 'meeting people.' Consequently, the self-care of middle-aged people had a positive impact on their work and relationships, lessened their sense of isolation, and brought comfort to their lives. Based on the results of the study, this study proposed the implications, limitations, and suggestions for further research.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2000

The study was done by applying a phenomenological study, which is qualitative research methods, in order to understand the meaning of the lived experiences, to confirm and describe the meaning structure, and to prepare nursing interventive strategies centering around the meanings of the inpatients' families in the intensive care units. In the study, the family members were the main important nursing providers for in the inpatients' who were admitted in the neurosurgical intensive care unit in K-university hospital and who agreed to participate in the study after being given on explanation about the purpose of the study. The data were collected from the seven participants who had feelings of trust and intimacy favorable toward the researcher as they were families of patients who had been cared for by the researcher in the ICU where the researcher has been assigned. The data were collected from April to October, 1999. The participants described their experiences as candidly as possible. The researcher described closely the lived experiences with their own words and the observations of the researcher. A tape recorder was used with the consent of the participants to prevent nursing information and communication. The analysis of the data was made through the phenomenological analytic method suggested by Giorgi; as an unit of description, which include the participants' expressions and the researcher's observations, the analysis was used based on the data described from the expressions of the participants and the details of observations of the researcher. The conclusions of the study were as follows : The meanings of the lived experience of the inpatients' families in the ICU was confirmed by indepth interviews and observations including these of the participatants : (1) Psychological impact: confusion, impatience, surprise, insensibility; (2) Physical suffering: fatigue, discomfort, indigestion; (3) Psychological suffering: heartbreaking emotion, anxiety, annoyance, fear, compassion, grief; (4) Economical suffering: economical difficulties; (5) Psychological disagreement: escape from reality, personnel avoidance, grudge, powerlessness, carefulness, transposition of life-tract, abandonment, role-crisis, hope, lack of understanding, regret, feeling of ambivalence(progressive process, medical personnel interest); (6) Psychological dependency; self-reliance group support, family support, religious support; (7) Psychological acceptance; acquaintance, gratitude, reassurance; The study will offer better understanding of experiences therefore, based on the experiences confirmed by the study, it may facilitate more appropriate nursing interventive strategies for health maintenance and to prevent occurrence of possible problems with the inpatients' families in the ICUs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.759-771
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of life in near-poor elderly living alone and experiencing depression. We focused on their lived experiences so that we could understand the essential structure of what kind of life they live. The eligible population included those aged 65 or older, showing 9 points or higher in the Korean form of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS), currently living alone for more than 1 year, having no problems of communication difficulties, and nationally defined as a near-poor group. A purposive sample of 8 seniors enrolled in s mental health welfare center in Incheon Metropolitan City were recruited. The phenomenological approach suggested by Colaizzi was used. Data was collected from May 2018 to October 2019 through in-depth interviews. As a result of the study, 6 categories, including 48 themes and 19 theme clusters, were drawn from the data: 'a shabby life that cannot live without help', 'a life where the body and mind are sick', 'a life that wants to be self-reliant', 'a life of gratitude', 'a life with inner peace', and 'a life that needed institutional support.' Findings of this study can be evidence for developing suitable emotional support programs for the near-poor elderly living alone and to enact various welfare laws and policies at the national level.