OBJECTIVES: This study is based on the report including the psychological assessment results and therapeutic interventions of the survivors from hijacked Samho Jewerly by Somali pirates on January 15th, 2011. METHODS: We first assessed the emotional, cognitive, and personality functions of 7 crews, took 4-sessions of cognitive behavioral therapeutic intervention, conducted after-treatment assessments, and compared them with the previous results. RESULTS: Some of the crew showed PTSD due to the exposure to the stress triggered by the extreme state of fear, presented reexperience, avoidance of the trauma and chronical arousal state. CONCLUSION: Although this study was investigated with the minority group related to the one single accident, each case revealed the changes of symptoms and course after the trauma. The same traumatic event had different influences as how each individual perceived the experience. Furthermore, each clinical course was individually different either, depending on age, psychological resource, social support, daily life stress, or secondary gain.
Arousal ; Humans ; Minority Groups ; Ships ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Stress, Psychological ; Survivors

OBJECTIVES: Depression is commonly comorbid in the elderly patients with physical illness. This study examined the prevalence of depression in the elderly with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: The eighty-seven patients with COPD were enrolled. The subjects are over 60 years old. The medical and psychiatric history, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), Geriatric Depression Scale-Short form Korean (GDS-SF-K), Mini-Mental Status Exam Korean version (MMSE-KC) were investigated. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), which predict the severity of COPD, also investigated. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression was estimated to be 24.7% (male 19.3% ; female 35.7%) in HDRS, 31.0% (male 24.6% ; female 43.3%) in PHQ-9, 8.0% (male 10.5% ; female 3.3%) in PHQ-2, 23.0% (male 17.5% ; female 33.3%) in GDS-SF-K. The severity of COPD (GOLD) was associated with the prevalence of depression (HDRS, p=0.027 ; PHQ-9, p=0.045 ; PHQ-2, p=0.112 ; GDS-SFK, p=0.089). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of elderly depression with COPD ranged from about 20% to 30%, the prevalence of depression is nearly two times more common in women. The severity of COPD (GOLD) was associated with the prevalence of depression. The self-reporting scale, such as GDS-SF-K, PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 is the effective screening test of depression.
Aged ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

OBJECTIVES: In previous studies, both temperament and character were known as an important factor to determine the extent of social support. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of temperament and character on social support. METHODS: A total 4329 participants completed questionnaires, which included Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). This study used Pearson's correlation to evaluate the correlation between TCI dimensions and LSNS. To find the most influential TCI dimension for LSNS, multiple regression analysis was performed for this study. RESULTS: TCI dimensions showed significant mean differences depending on gender (p<0.001). LSNS had highest positive correlation with reward dependence (r=0.357, p<0.001). Three dimensions of TCI (Persistence, Self-Directedness, Cooperativeness) had positive correlation with LSNS (p<0.001). Harm avoidance had negative correlation with LSNS (r=-0.237, p<0.001). According to the results of the multiple regression analysis, reward dependence is the most influential TCI dimension (beta=0.261, t=15.963, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This result shows that social support is affected by properties of temperament and character. Therefore, to measure properties of temperament and character will help to assess social support.
Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward ; Temperament

OBJECTIVES: In order to improve the life satisfaction, we should be aware of psychological factors associated the life satisfaction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of depression, anxiety, temperament, and character on life satisfaction in college students. METHODS: A total 314 participants completed questionnaires, which included Satisfaction with Life Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised. To evaluate the difference according to social factor, t-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed. To analyze the effect of psychological characteristics on life satisfaction, stepwise multiple regression analysis was used. RESULTS: Life satisfaction was significantly different according to only gender of the social factors. Life satisfaction was positively correlated with self-esteem, self-directedness, and persistence (P). Conversely, depression, anxiety, harm avoidance, and novelty seeking (NS) were negatively correlated. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that depression, self-esteem, P, NS, and self-transcendence were factors affecting life satisfaction in university students. CONCLUSION: This result shows that life satisfaction is influenced by depression, self-esteem, temperament, and character. The findings of this study suggest that to improve the life satisfaction requires not only preventing and treatment of depression but also identifying the psychological characteristics, such as temperament and character.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Temperament

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the clinical availability of quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: A total 95 participants completed examinations, which included Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS), Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV-Korean Version (DISC-IV), and QEEG. From the result of the DISC-IV, we divided them into three groups, ADHD, ADHD NOS (not otherwise specified), and Normal control. The QEEG was analyzed by the ranges of Hz : delta (1-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (12-25 Hz), and high beta (25-30 Hz). RESULTS: ADHD NOS group showed significantly decreased delta activity (NOSnormal, p=0.044) compared with normal control. ADHD group showed increased high beta activity (ADHD>NOS, p=0.043) compared with NOS group. The z-scores of relative power of theta were negatively correlated with the K-ARS at O1, O2 electrodes of ADHD group. On the other hand, the z-scores of relative power of high beta were negatively correlated with the K-ARS at F7, F8 electrodes of ADHD NOS group. CONCLUSION: We confirmed QEEG abnormalities in ADHD patients, especially the difference between ADHD NOS and Normal control. Therefore, we expect to use QEEG as the valuable tool to diagnose ADHD accurately.
Appointments and Schedules ; Child ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography ; Hand ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale-Korean version (DOCS-K). METHODS: Fifty four individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) completed a battery of measures including the DOCS-K, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised-Korean version (OCI-R-K), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Psychometric properties of the DOCS-K were analyzed. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha value for internal consistency of DOCS-K was in excellent range (0.91-0.95). The construct validity was analyzed on the basis of principal component analysis and 4-factor structure of the original scale was maintained. The DOCS-K total and subscale scores were more strongly correlated with those of other OC symptom-specific measures (convergent validity) than those of nonspecific depression or anxiety measures (discriminant validity). The DOCS-K total score was strongly correlated with total scores of Y-BOCS (r=0.64, p<0.01) and OCI-R-K (r=0.71, p<0.01). Correlations between the DOCS-K subscales and corresponding subscales of the OCI-R-K were stronger than correlations with the noncorresponding subscales : 1) DOCS-K Contamination and OCI-R-K Washing (r=0.69), 2) DOCS-K Responsibility and OCI-R-K Checking (r=0.54), 3) DOCS-K Unacceptable Thoughts and OCI-R-K Obsessing (r=0.73), 4) DOCS-K Symmetry and OCI-R-K Ordering (r=0.55). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the DOCS-K has good reliability and validity. Therefore, the DOCS-K can be used as a promising measure of dimensional OC symptoms in Korea.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Korea ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; Principal Component Analysis ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVES: The Patient rejection scale (PRS) has been reported as a valid tool for the assessment of rejecting feelings of family respondents toward schizophrenics who return to live with their families. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Korean-version of PRS (K-PRS). METHODS: A sample of 272 primary caregivers of schizophrenics completed the K-PRS and the data were analyzed for internal consistency and factor structure. Additionally 117 caregivers refilled K-PRS after two weeks for test-retest reliability. To test for validity, Family Questionnaire (FQ), Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10) and the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) were administered. RESULTS: Internal consistency of K-PRS was good (Cronbach' alpha=0.787) and principal component factor analysis revealed the three-factor structure. The K-PRS also showed reasonable test-retest reliability (r=0.795). Convergent validity was examined through correlations between the K-PRS and the FQ-criticism subscale (r=0.78). Divergent validity was examined through correlations between the K-PRS and KDAI-10 (r=-0.02, p=0.001), and between the K-PRS and SUMD-K (r=-0.02, p=0.796). CONCLUSION: The Korean version of PRS proved to be a reliable and valid instrument measuring rejecting feelings in relatives of Korean patients with schizophrenia.
Caregivers ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Reproducibility of Results ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: An early diagnosis to improve the outcome of depression demands a briefer and more reliable measure than any other diagnosis. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is reliable measure made in 1999. In this study, we tried to verify the reliabilty and validity of two types of PHQ-2, and to compare these two types. METHODS: From July of 2011 to September of 2012, a total of 74 outpatients and inpatients in the Department of Psychiatry, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center performed the depression scales. As a normal control group, 58 individuals working in the hospital performed the PHQ-2 and PHQ-9. RESULTS: The internal consistency and test-retest reliabilty were favorable. Two types of the PHQ-2 were statistically significant in correlation between item and total scores. In comparison of mean scores of the PHQ-2 between two groups, the differences between groups were statistically significant. Correaltion of the total scores of other depression scales with those of the PHQ-2 was statistically significant both in scales. Examined according to the severity of depression by other scales, the total mean scores of the PHQ-2 tended to increase according to the severity of depression. The optimal cut-off score was 3 in Scaled PHQ-2 (Sensitivity : 91.9%, Specificity : 100%). CONCLUSION: The assessed reliabilty and validity of the PHQ-2 made it an attractive measure for depression screening over other scales. Scaled PHQ-2 was more reliable and valid than Yes or No PHQ-2. Therefore, the PHQ-2 is a briefer and more useful measure for screening depression.
Depression ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Mass Screening ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Weights and Measures

The authors report two cases of clozapine-induced acute hepatitis. Two patients developed asymptomatic hepatitis and got better with conservative care. We decreased the dosage of clozapine and added hepatic protectors, resulting in normalized laboratory findings. The authors also reviewed side effects of clozapine in this report. We reviewed the suggested mechanism of either clozapine or chlorpromazine-induced hepatitis. Clozapine influences the liver cell via cytochrome P 450 and chlorpromazine does so via mild cholestasis. There may be a possibility that a patient who has experienced drug-induced hepatitis is vulnerable to clozapine-induced acute hepatitis. In this respect, those who have experienced drug-induced hepatitis must be observed more closely.
Chlorpromazine ; Cholestasis ; Clozapine ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to planimetrically measure the corpus callosum, cerebellum, pons and thalamus in the boys with autistic disorder and developmental language disorder. METHODS: The midsagittal brain MR images of 8 autistic and 8 developmental language disorder subjects who met the DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria and 10 comparison subjects were collected. MR images were redigitalized with flatbed scanner and the data were analyzed with NIH IMAGE 1.61 software. Pixel counting and area measurements were done. The corpus callosum was divided into seven regions and the cerebellar vermis was divided into three regions. RESULTS: In autistic subjects, the rostrum of corpus callosum was found to have significantly smaller area than comparison and developmental language disorder subjects. In developmental language disorder subjects, the thalamus was significantly larger than comparison subjects. The cerebellar vermis and pons did not differ among three groups. CONCLUSION: The rostrum of the corpus callosum in autistic disorder was significantly smaller. This finding supports the theory of abnormal prefrontal lobe development in autistic disorder.
Autistic Disorder* ; Brain ; Cerebellum* ; Corpus Callosum* ; Language Development Disorders* ; Pons* ; Thalamus*