no abstract available.

Background: The Internet has become an important global tool used by diverse age groups, especially adolescents and young adults. However, in South Korea, studies on the prevalence of pathological Internet use (PIU) among college students are limited to being compared with those involving adolescents. Therefore, in this report, we assessed the pervasiveness of PIU and its related factors among college students. Methods: Data were collected from 1,390 college students. PIU was screened using the Self-Report Scale for Measuring Behavior Symptoms of Adults’ PIU. We analyzed the associations between PIU and depression, anxiety, and suicidality. We also used the self-report questionnaire to assess sociodemographic and other clinical factors. Results: Of the total number of participants, 16.8% (n=234) were identified as problematic Internet users. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, and PIU. Multivariate analysis further showed a significant relation between unsatisfactory school life (odds ratio [OR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-6.15; p=0.036), depression (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.03-2.71; p=0.036), and anxiety (OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.91-5.93; p<0.001) with PIU. Conclusion Depression, anxiety, and suicidality are common in individuals engaged in PIU, with a complex interrelation. Further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms of PIU and develop preventive and treatment strategies.

Background: Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression present with different clinical characteristics compared to those without other psychiatric comorbidities (i.e., ADHD alone). This study aimed to determine the differences in clinical characteristics, complaints, and referral routes between patients with ADHD with and without depression. Methods: The study included 1,231 children and adolescents in Korea. The demographic characteristics, referral routes, and chief complaints were identified and analyzed using the subjects’ electronic medical records of their first outpatient visit. Results: The mean age and proportion of female subjects with depression and ADHD (ADHD-D, n=120) were significantly higher than those of patients with ADHD alone (ADHD-O, n=1,111). Furthermore, referral requests by the caregiver (p=0.037) and patient (p=0.006) were significantly higher in the ADHD-D group. In contrast, referrals via schools (p=0.009) and other medical institutions (p<0.001) were significantly higher in the ADHD-O group. There were more complaints of depression, anxiety, mood dysregulation, suicidal ideation, and self-harm behaviors among the patients in the ADHD-D group. However, complaints of inattention were more common among the patients in the ADHD-O group compared to those in the ADHD-D group (p<0.001). Conclusion This study revealed several differences in the demographic characteristics, referral routes, and chief complaints of the patients and caregivers between patients with ADHD with and without coexisting depression. Further investigations using structured psychiatric diagnostic tools are warranted.

This study examines how acquired capability for suicide, negative urgency, and social support effectuate a suicide attempt. Sixty-three adults having visited an emergency room due to a suicide attempt were studied. The results can be summarized as follows. First, there were no significant sex differences in acquired capability for suicide, negative urgency, and social support. Second, the correlation among suicidal ideation, acquired capability for suicide, negative urgency, social support, and suicide attempts was examined. Results showed that suicide attempts were significantly and positively correlated with suicide ideation, acquired capability for suicide, and negative urgency. However, social support and suicide attempts did not significantly correlate. Third, results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that acquired capability for suicide and negative urgency significantly predicted suicide attempts even when suicide ideation was controlled, but social support did not significantly explain attempts. In other words, study results imply that suicide attempts increase when acquired capability for suicide and negative urgency are high. Study results offer empirical data for understanding the intrinsic characteristics of individuals attempting suicide.

Background: Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic work-related stress, characterized by symptoms including “feelings of exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy.” Human service providers are susceptible to burnout. Thus, this study aimed to investigate community mental health workers’ job stress, experiences with client violence, and burnouts and to analyze factors that affect burnout. Methods: This study used retrospective data from a survey of mental health workers at a mental health-related institution in a city. The data included sociodemographic characteristics, job stress, client violence, and quality of life. Results: From a total of 170 mental health workers, 67.6% were female. Subjects who were in lower age groups, had <1 year of work experience, were married, and were irregular workers were vulnerable to various job stressors. Factors associated with burnout were job demand, lack of reward, job insecurity, physical environment, other violence, and level of education. Conclusion We should create an environment wherein community mental health workers can be safe and satisfied with their work, which could lower workers’ job stress and prevent burnouts due to work. This, in turn, enhances the quality of care provided to people with mental health problems.

Background: This study aimed to examine the occupational stress and quality of life of mental health welfare center workers and to identify the impact of occupational stress on compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Methods: This study included 588 employees working at 15 provincial/municipal/regional mental health welfare centers. Demographic and psychosocial factors were surveyed. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson’s correlation test, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The high-risk group for occupational stress showed low compassion satisfaction, high burnout, and high secondary traumatic stress. Compassion satisfaction showed a significant negative correlation with occupational stress. Burnout and secondary traumatic stress showed a significant positive correlation with occupational stress.Occupational stress factors affecting compassion satisfaction included lack of reward (β=−0.155, p<0.001), whereas those affecting burnout included physical environment (β=0.028, p<0.01), job demand (β=0.042, p<0.001), relationship conflict (β=0.033, p<0.01), job instability (β=0.016, p<0.01), lack of reward (β=0.051, p<0.001), and occupational climate (β=0.024, p<0.01). Additionally, occupational stress factors affecting secondary traumatic stress included physical environment (β=0.063, p<0.001) and job instability (β=0.020, p<0.05). Conclusion Occupational stress had a significant impact on compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Therefore, active interventions against occupational stress factors are necessary to improve the quality of life of mental health welfare center workers.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between exercise and depression based on responses to 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the Patient Health Questionairre-9 (PHQ-9). Specifically, this study examined which physical activities have the greatest effects in combating depression. Methods: This study was based on data from 2016 KNHANES and responses to the PHQ-9 questionnaire on physical activity. We selected 2,245 people of age >19 years, who completed the surveys. Physical activity variables included number of days of walking, duration of walking, days of strength training, and aerobic physical activity. These variables subdivided into aerobic and muscle strengthening activities and their effects on depression were examined. Results: All the variables, except duration of walking, were negatively correlated with the PHQ-9 scale scores. However, of the physical activity variables included in the hierarchical regression analysis, only the number of days of walking over 1 week had a statistically significant negative effect on the PHQ-9 scores. Conclusion For adults, aerobic activity (walking) had a greater effect on reducing depression than muscle strengthening activity. The frequency and consistency of walking had a greater impact than the duration of walks. These results suggest that regular walking is a better form of physical activity than strength training for its effect on mood and it assists in overcoming depression.

Background: The purpose of this study was to measure several mental health variables according to HbA1c level and examine their relationship among diabetic patients. Methods: Total 89 outpatients who attended diabetes education program at St. Vincent’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, were enrolled this study. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Stress Response Inventory (SRI), abbreviated version of World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument (WHOQOL-BREF), Insomnia Severity Index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) were administered to all patients. Significant differences between groups were assessed by t-test and chi-squared test. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify the variables that affect HbA1c levels. Results: The well-controlled group had a significantly lower BDI score than the poorly controlled group. The wellcontrolled group also showed significantly lower SRI and ESS. HbA1c, BDI, SRI, and ESS were positively correlated. Duration and BDI were the only variables affecting HbA1c levels. Conclusion Emphasis should be given to the identification and management of mental health problems, including especially depressive symptoms in patients with diabetes.

The drastic increase in mental illnesses is a global problem. Prompt improvement of symptoms through early intervention, analysis of drug efficacy, and evaluation of treatment compliance are key strategies to address this issue. However, the traditional diagnostic and therapeutic methods for mental illnesses entail assessments based on interviews or questionnaires, which require a lot of time and money. The widespread use of smartphones and their applications in recent years has made it easier to assess mental illnesses and access to treatment. However, the reliability and validity of use of smartphone applications as an assessment tool for mental illnesses has been questioned since these applications are largely based on the existing questionnaire assessment methods. To overcome these problems, use of biosensor-based smartphone applications for the diagnosis and assessment of mental illnesses is being studied. This study will introduce the current status of this approach and discuss the future prospects.

Background: This study aimed to examine the changes in Nogo N2 and P3 amplitudes in patients with bipolar affective disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) and in healthy controls (HCs). The association between attention and Nogo N2 and P3 changes was also investigated. Methods: The study included 30 participants with BD, 30 participants with MDD, and 30 HCs aged 19-60 years. They performed a GoNogo task while their electroencephalograms were recorded. Beck Depression Inventory and StateTrait Anxiety Inventory were used for evaluation. Furthermore, behavioral measures and GoNogo N2 and P3 amplitudes were compared between the three groups. Results: Patients with BD or MDD exhibited a significantly poorer performance in Nogo accuracy than the HCs. Patients with BD or MDD showed significantly lower Nogo N2 amplitudes at the frontal, fronto-central, and central electrodes than the HCs. In patients with BD or MDD, the Nogo N2 amplitudes at the frontal or fronto-central electrode were positively correlated with state of anxiety scores and inattention. Conclusion These findings suggest that decreased Nogo N2 amplitudes in the frontal or fronto-central areas could be a biological marker for inattention during depressive episodes associated with BD or MDD.