• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2016

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, impoverished fantasy life, and concrete and poorly introspective thinking. Alexithymic patients have been reported to show a stable deficit with regard to processing and regulating emotions. Eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behavior that significantly impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning. Like alexithymic patients, patients with eating disorders show the impaired capacity to process and regulate emotions. There is a robust body of literature showing patients with eating disorders are more alexithymic than healthy controls. Specifically, patients with eating disorders experience difficulties identifying and describing emotions. Childhood maltreatment can increase the risk for depression and alexithymia, which can in turn lead to disordered eating symptoms. Also, higher levels of alexithymia are correlated with a less favorable clinical outcome in patients with eating disorder. Therefore, treatments to help processing and regulating emotions of eating disorder patients with pronounced alexithymic traits may seem to lead to a higher possibility of recovery.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2020

Objectives : This study investigate to identify the stability of temperament and personality characteristics of patients including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients. Methods : The number of subjects was 102, of which 33 were PTSD patients and 69 were non-PTSD patients. To demonstrate the change in individual temperament and personality characteristics, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were administered repeatedly on the subjects. Repeated measures ANOVA and simple main effects analysis were conducted. Results : When analysed by dividing the subjects into PTSD groups and non-PTSD groups, the differences between the primary and secondary tests did not appear in the non-PTSD groups, but the differences between the primary and secondary tests were significant in Harm Avoidance (HA), Reward Dependence (RD), Self-Directedness (SD), Cooperativeness (C). In addition, it was noted that the time and group interaction effects of HA, RD, SD and C were significant, and that the main effects of time of HA, RD, SD and C were significant. Conclusions : This study is meaningful in that in the course of experience and recovery of traumatic events, we have clinically confirmed that changes in the temperament, known as stable variables, are possible.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.80-98
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• 2022

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is well known to have a limited response to drug treatment. Many recently published clinical care guidelines recommend trauma-focused psychotherapies such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure therapy (PE) as first-line treatment and medication such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine as second-line treatment. Current review introduces the session composition and contents of CPT and presents various CPT studies that show therapeutic effect for civilian and veterans/military with PTSD. In order for clinicians to help effectively patients with PTSD, it is necessary to learn and actively use evidence-based trauma-focused psychotherapies including CPT and PE.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.57-61
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• 2010

The complex regional pain syndrome(CRPS) is a painful and disabling disorder that can affect one or more extremities. Unfortunately, knowledge concerning its natural history and mechanism remains very limited. Many current rationales in treatment of CRPS are mainly dependent on efficacy originate in other common conditions of neuropathic pain. This article introduces various treatments for CRPS, but few studies of high methodological quality have been carried out into the effects of those treatments. I think early recognition and a multidisciplinary approach to management seems important in obtaining a good outcome.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2002

Alexithymia represents deficits in the cognitive processing and regulation of emotions. It is observed in many cases of psychosomatic disease, anorexia nervosa, panic disorder, depression etc. Many studies have shown that alexithymia is associated with maladaptive styles of emotion regulation, low emotional intelligence, interhemispheric transfer deficit, and reduced rapid eye movement density. Psychotherapies that enhance emotional awareness may be effective in alleviating the difficulties of alexithymic individuals. Aexithymia is useful for constructing the role of personality and emotions in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. It may serve as a bridge between neurobiology and psychology. We review recent alexithymia theory and research and their implications for treatment of psychosomatic disorders.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2013

The movement disorders in psychiatry have been neglected, though it is an important psychiatric dimension to exert unfavorable influence on patients'quality of life. The etiologies of movement disorders in psychiatry can be classified as primary neurological disorders, psychiatric comorbidities of neurological disorders, manifestations of primary psychiatric disorders, drug-induced movement disorders and psychogenic movement disorders. For the rapid and proper treatment for movement symptoms and signs easily observed from psychiatric patients, psychiatrists' ability toward precise disgnosis and differential diagnosis of movement disorders should be preceded.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2018

Objectives : The aims of this study were to investigate the psychopathology in adolescents with internalizing disorder using the self-report version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-SR) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for adolescents (MMPI-A), and to explore the complementarity between these two inventories for diagnostic assessment. Methods : Ninety-one patients aged 13-17 were divided into two groups by clinical diagnosis, 44 with internalizing disorder and 47 comparison group with other disorders. The data of SDQ-SR and MMPI-A completed by them were analyzed for the ability to predict internalizing disorder. Results : The logistic regression analysis revealed that diagnostic predictability increased by 2.27 times with every 1 point of SDQ-SR emotional symptom score increment. Comparison of ROC curves for internalizing disorders showed that the SE and SP of SDQ-SR emotional symptom with score over 4 was 88.94 and 78.72, respectively. For A-anx of MMPI-A with score over 56, SE and SP was 77.27 and 74.47, respectively. However, combination of these scales could not enhance the predictability of diagnostic classification more than that of SDQ-SR emotional symptom alone. Conclusions : Emotional symptom scale of SDQ-SR and A-anx, A-aln, A and INTR of MMPI-A should be important subscales for diagnosing the internalizing disorder of adolescents, however, which needs to be examined further with a larger sample size including normal control group.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze Mental health literacy in General population. Methods : We analyze the National Mental Health Literacy and Attitude Survey Data in 2021. We investigate 2016 general population and evaluate sociodemographic characteristics, Mental health literacy and stigma. We utilize 4 Case vignette which consist of Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Alcohol Use Disorder and Suicidal Ideation. Results : Schizophrenia (27.6%) have the lower disease recognition compare to Major Depressive Disorder (43.8%) and Alcohol Use Disorder (61.7%) (p<0.001). The stigma of Alcohol use disorder (52.8%) is highest and the stigma of Schizophrenia (47.2%) is the second highest (p<0.001). Conclusions : The education and overcoming the stigma in Mental health is needed in Schizophrenia and Alcohol Use Disorder.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.489-497
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• 2005

Conversion disorder lacks temperamental grounds and is a type of somatoform disorder that includes alteration or loss of physical functions implicated in physical deficit suggestive psychological conflict. There is high incidence of return of conversion disorder and difficulty in producing exact approaches of cure and apparent effects of remedy with symptomatic treatment alone because of its complex clinical symptoms. The approach of Oriental Medicine in treatment of conversion disorder is to apprehend relative symptoms from the syndrome combined with several annexational symptoms centering around sequential symptoms. Thereupon, author made a Ganyanghwapung comprehensive diagnosis was conducted using Oriental Medicine measures by differential diagnostic methods in psychosomatic patients whose cases are diagnosed as conversion disorder. Then, Cheonmagudeungeum Gagambang was prescribed for them and it brought on satisfactory effects from the first or second treatment. There have been many cases reporting the application of Oriental Medicine treatment to conversion disorder to date and outcomes have also been favorable. Results of this study likewise suggest that this Oriental Medicine treatment for conversion disorder is effective.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of myofascial release technique (MFR) on psychological and physical symptom in somatization with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on this, proceed to present an effective physical treatments. Methods: In this study, three subjects were applied ABA design for a total of 12 weeks. Intervention was performed three times per week, and only MFR for 6 weeks was applied to the patient for 60 minutes. General physical therapy consisted of a total of 60 minutes including hot pack, electric therapy, and ultrasound. In this study, we measured three times in the second baseline stage at the initial evaluation before the commencement of intervention, somatization, depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, and pain after 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Results: In this study, the application of MFR showed significant differences in somatization symptoms, sleep disturbance, and headache. There was no significant difference in depression and anxiety. Conclusions: As a result, the application of MFR in PTSD patients with somatization can be suggested as a useful intervention to resolve the psychosomatic problem.