OBJECTIVES: This study aims to develop a Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview(K-CIDI). METHODS: The Composite International Diagnostic Interview(CIDI) is a comprehensive, fully standardized interview that can be used to assess psychiatric disorders and provide diagnoses. The K-CIDI was developed according to the guidelines provided by the WHO. The reliability and validity of the K-CIDI was evaluated by examining 135 psychiatric patients and five community residents. Subjects were jointly interviewed twice with a one-week interval. A psychiatric resident and clinical psychologist jointly determined clinical diagnoses using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. RESULTS: Notable modifications were done in sex-related expression, health system and help-seeking behavior, subjects for phobic disorder, and kinds of alcohol and substance. Long and complex questions were divided into two or more questions. Field test and back-translation of the K-CIDI confirmed the appropriateness of the translation of the CIDI. The inter-rater reliability, test/retest reliability, and validity of the K-CIDI indicated kappa values ranging from 0.86-1.00, 0.42-0.89, and 0.50-1.00, respectively. CONCLUSION: The K-CIDI was deemed to be appropriate for the sociocultural background of Koreans. The reliability and validity of the K-CIDI were judged to be exceptionally acceptable.
Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Phobic Disorders ; Psychology ; Reproducibility of Results

INTRODUCTIONElevated levels of psychopathology have been described in various groups of obese patients. This study aimed to describe the presence of depressive and binge eating symptoms in patients presented for clinical weight management at a general hospital in Singapore, as well as their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Correlations between these symptoms and other demographic and clinical variables were also sought.

MATERIALS AND METHODSPatients presented at a clinical weight management programme were asked to complete the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Binge Eating Scale (BES) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Clinical and demographic data were also collected.

RESULTSOf the group, 17.1% reported moderate or severe binge eating symptoms and 9.7% reported moderate or severe depressive symptoms. HRQOL, mostly in physical health domains, was lower in this sample compared to local norms. Within the group, binge eating and depressive symptoms, but not increasing obesity, predicted poorer HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONSPsychological symptoms are significantly present in patients presented for clinical weight management and these contribute to poorer quality of life. Addressing these symptoms will improve the overall well-beings of these patients and the total benefits gained will exceed the benefits of weight loss per se.

Adult ; Aged ; Depression ; complications ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Feeding and Eating Disorders ; complications ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Status Indicators ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; complications ; ethnology ; psychology ; therapy ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Quality of Life ; psychology ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to investigate psychological problems and clinical outcomes in children with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 25 patients who were diagnosed with PNES between 2006 and 2012. RESULTS: Twenty-five children with PNES, aged 8 to 19 years (mean 13.82), were referred to psychiatrists for psychiatric assessment. On their initial visit, 72% of patients had comorbid psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, adjustment disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Among these, depression was the most frequent (36%). Predisposing and triggering factors included familial distress (40%), social distress (24%), and specific events (20%). The following treatment was advised based on the results of the initial psychological assessment: 3 patients regularly visited psychiatric clinic to assess their clinical status without treatment, nine underwent psychotherapy, and 13 received a combination of psychotherapy and psychopharmacological therapy. At the mean follow-up of 31.5 months after diagnosis, 20 patients (80%) were event-free at follow-up, three (12%) showed reduced frequency, and two (8%) experienced persistent symptoms. CONCLUSION: The outcomes of PNES in children are much better than those in adults, despite a high rate of psychological comorbidities.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety/epidemiology ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comorbidity ; Depression/epidemiology ; Depressive Disorder/epidemiology/psychology ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders/*diagnosis/epidemiology/*psychology ; Middle Aged ; Psychophysiologic Disorders/*diagnosis/*psychology ; Psychotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures/diagnosis/*psychology/*therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

While decreasing trend in gender differences in alcohol use disorders was reported in Western countries, the change in Asian countries is unknown. This study aims to explore the shifts in gender difference in alcohol abuse (AA) and dependence (AD) in Korea. We compared the data from two nation-wide community surveys to evaluate gender differences in lifetime AA and AD by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Face-to-face interviews using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were applied to all subjects in 2001 (n=6,220) and 2011 (n=6,022). Male-to-female ratio of odds was decreased from 6.41 (95% CI, 4.81-8.54) to 4.37 (95% CI, 3.35-5.71) for AA and from 3.75 (95% CI, 2.96-4.75) to 2.40 (95% CI, 1.80-3.19) for AD. Among those aged 18-29, gender gap even became statistically insignificant for AA (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.97-2.63) and AD (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.80-2.41) in 2011. Men generally showed decreased odds for AD (0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.67) and women aged 30-39 showed increased odds for AA (2.13; 95% CI 1.18-3.84) in 2011 compared to 2001. Decreased AD in men and increased AA in women seem to contribute to the decrease of gender gap. Increased risk for AA in young women suggests needs for interventions.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Alcohol-Induced Disorders/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/psychology ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; *Health Care Surveys ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONIn tandem with our ageing population, it is observed there is a growing trend of elderly patients presenting for the first time with psychotic symptoms. Clinical experience suggests differences in the phenomenology of late-onset psychosis in our Asian context compared to studies done in the West. This study aimed to analyse the characteristics and psychopathology of first presentation psychosis in our local elderly and to determine the treatment outcome over a 12-month period.

METHODSA total of 64 subjects with first presentation psychosis were consecutively recruited. Those with a non-affective, non-organic psychotic disorder were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination and the Beck's Depression Inventory.

RESULTSOf the 64 subjects recruited, 55 were enrolled in the study. 59.3% (n = 32) of the subjects were diagnosed to be suffering from very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis, followed by delusional disorder in 31.5% (n = 17). The remaining 11.1% (n = 6) were diagnosed to have late-onset schizophrenia. The sample showed a high preponderance of women, with 88.9% reporting persecutory-type delusions. The majority of them were married and 80% of the subjects were living with relatives. Treatment was effective in ameliorating symptoms, but there was a high loss to follow-up of male subjects (81.8%).

CONCLUSIONThis descriptive study found sociodemographic and phenomenological similarities to other studies of late-onset psychosis in the West, except that social isolation and partition delusions were not prominent.

Age of Onset ; Aged ; Aging ; Female ; Geriatrics ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Status Schedule ; Psychometrics ; methods ; Psychotic Disorders ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Schizophrenia, Paranoid ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Schizophrenic Psychology ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; Social Class ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome