PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the level of uncertainty, credible authority, severity of illness and event familiarity in members of families where there is a patient with a mental illness and to examine the relationships among these variables. METHODS: Research data were collected from November 23 to December 7, 2010. Participants in the study were 96 family members who visited patients in a closed ward or out-patient department of one hospital in Goyang City. Self-report questionnaires were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 Program. RESULTS: Mean scores were 79.8+/-11.23 for level of uncertainty in family members, 15.5+/-2.17 for credible authority, 13.3+/-2.02 for severity of illness, and 14.5+/-2.43 for event familiarity. Uncertainty in family members was significantly related to credible authority (r=-.52, p<.001), event familiarity (r=-.41, p<.001) and severity of illness (r=.22, p<.031). CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that credible authority, severity of the illness and event familiarity are major factors perceived uncertainty in members of families of these patients. This outcome suggests the need for a new trials in nursing interventions considering the effects of these variables.
Humans ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: To evaluate therapeutic effect of biofeedback therapy according to methods of diagnosis in patients with norelaxing puborectalis syndrome. METHODS: From September, 1, 1998 to February, 30, 1999, the patients who were diagnosed with norelaxing puborectalis syndrome on anal electromyography (EMG) and/or cinedefecography (CD) underwent biofeedback therapy. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the diagnostic method; CD group - only diagnosed on cinedefecography, EMG group - only diagnosed on anal electromyography, CD EMG group - diagnosed on both tests. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were diagnosed nonrelaxing puborectalis syndrome on CD and/or EMG. There were 14 females and 5 males with a mean age of 40.8+/-18.4 years. The patients were classified into CD group; five patients (26.3%); EMG group, eight patients (42.1%); CD EMG group, six patients (31.6%). The patients had 5.4 3.7 sessions of outpatient EMG-based biofeedback sessions. Subjective symptoms after biofeedback therapy improved in 4 (80.0%), 6 (75%), 5 (83%) patients in CD, EMG, CD EMG groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant increase in spontaneous bowel movements, and a reduction in assisted bowel movements after biofeedback therapy in patients in all three groups (p<0.05). However, no significant difference was found among the three groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that biofeedback therapy had a high therapeutic effect regardless to the diagnostic method. Therefore, biofeedbck therapy can be performed if one test results in the diagnosis of norelaxing puborectalis syndrome in patients with constipation.
Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Constipation ; Diagnosis* ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Outpatients

BACKGROUND: The functional dyspepsia gives rise to such a symptom similar to peptic ulcer without showing a noticeable lesion(e.g, gastric or duodenal ulcer) by endoscopy or upper GI serises, and it has been known that this is about twice as many as the peptic ulcer. However, there is no exact theory about its pathophysiology and it is suggested that multiple factors including genetic, physiologic, psychologic, environmental factors are engaged. Especially, in respect to the occurrence of functional dyspepsia and psychological factors, there have been many clinical studies over the world. But, we still need more studies in this country, therefore, this study has been initiated to give help patients of functional dyspepsia, invest.igating their characteristic traits through MMPI. METHODS: From March to September in 1996, the patients who visited the family medicine out-patients department of St. Marys hospital of Catholic Medical College were sampled in this study. There were 46 patients having a similar symptoms to peptic ulcer without showing pathologic lesions by endoscopy. Through an interview and some basic tests, the 41 controls who had no dyspeptic symptoms and were not affected to a noticeable physical or physiological disorders were selected for the normal reference group. The standardized MMPI of our country was applied to the whole object groups to get a result. Then each average value of the measure(mean T-score) was calculated, and the differences of the average value were analyzed by the t-test and chi-square test. And the psychological pattern analysis was done. RESULTS: In demographic aspects, there were no significant differences between the two groups. The mean T score for each measure of the two groups falls within the normal ranges with their values being of between 30 to 70. And the average of L, F, and K measure, known as the validity measure, did not give a significant differences between the two groups. The measure of Hs, D, and Hy have appeared significantly high in the patients group(p<0.01) and the Pd measure, too(p<0.05). While Mf, Pa, and Ma measure have not shown a significant differences, Pt, Sc, and Si measure have very significant differences(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the patient group with the functional dyspepsia, the measures of Hs, D, and Hy where they indicate a neurotic pattern have shown a very significantly high point as well as those of Pd, Pt, Sc, and Si where they indicate a psychotic pattern. This reveals that in the group of the functional dyspepsia neurotic or psychotic trends to attribute. However, it is very hard to define the characteristics of a group with just one test, so further study with more variable test will be necessary.
Dyspepsia* ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; MMPI* ; Outpatients ; Peptic Ulcer ; Psychology ; Reference Values

OBJECTIVES: To identify various factors that might affect the empowerment of outpatients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Of patients who had been receiving outpatient treatments at the department of psychiatry in Dong-A university hospital, 116 patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of stable schizophrenia were enrolled in this study. The empowerment, psychiatric symptoms, social functions, insight, family attitude, social support and self-esteem were assessed through an interview or self-report measures. Overall, multiple regression analyses were performed in consideration of 11 factors (age, sex, level of education, age of onset, frequency of hospitalization, symptoms, social functions, insight, family attitude, social support, self-esteem) as explanatory variables for the empowerment. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses using a backward elimination revealed that the following four factors were found to be significant explanatory variables for the empowerment: age of onset, social functions, family attitude and self-esteem. A coefficient of determination for these four explanatory variables was 0.65. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the results showed that four factors, such as age of onset, social functions, family attitude and self-esteem, were found to be significant explanatory variables for the empowerment of outpatients with schizophrenia. Since these four variables accounted for 65% of total empowerment, however, further studies in a larger group of patients are warranted to identify other potential factors for the empowerment.
Age of Onset ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Power (Psychology) ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: This subjects investigated the psychological characteristics of patients with functional dyspepsia. METHODS: The subjects included ninety patients with functional dyspepsia and sixty four psychiatric out-patients. We administered Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Illness Behavior Questionnaire(IBQ). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the patients with functional dyspepsia and the psychiatric out-patients by MMPI. Two groups both showed a higher distribution in hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria subscales than in any other subscales. The patients with functional dyspepsia showed lower scores in disease conviction and affective disturbance subscales in IBQ subscales were similar between the patients with functional dyspepsia and the psychiatric out-patients. The patients with functional dyspepsia were divided into three groups for the Multivariate cluster analysis: normal(group 1), similar to psychiatric out-patient(group 2), and severe neurotic(group 3). The severe neurotic group showed higher scores in hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychathenia, and schizophrenia subscales in MMPI and showed significant different scores in affective disturbance, disease conviction, psychological and somatic concerns, affective disturbance, denial, and irritability subscales in IBQ. CONCLUSION: If patients with functional dyspepsia show severe neurotic behavior, such as those in(group 3), they would need appropriate psychiatric intervention.
Denial (Psychology) ; Depression ; Dyspepsia* ; Humans ; Hypochondriasis ; Hysteria ; Illness Behavior ; MMPI ; Outpatients ; Psychology* ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Medication adherence is important in the treatment of schizophrenia, and critical periods during treatment may be associated with relapse. However, the relationship between adherence and duration of outpatient treatment (DOT) remains unclear. The authors aimed to clarify the relationship between adherence and DOT at a psychiatric hospital in Japan. METHODS: For outpatients with schizophrenia who regularly visit Shin-Abuyama hospital, the authors conducted a single questionnaire survey (five questions covering gender, age, DOT, medication shortages, and residual medication) over one month period. Participants were divided into two groups whether DOT were from more than one year to within five years or not. Mantel-Haenszel analysis and logistic regression analysis were performed on the data regarding the medication adherence. RESULTS: Effective answers were received for 328 patients. The residual medication rate was significantly higher among those receiving outpatient treatment from more than one year to within five years than five years than those receiving outpatient treatment for more than five years or less than one year (p=0.016). CONCLUSION: This survey suggests that there are critical periods during which patients are most prone to poor adherence. Because poor adherence increases the risk of relapse, specific measures must be taken to improve adherence during these periods.
Critical Period (Psychology) ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Japan ; Logistic Models ; Medication Adherence* ; Outpatients* ; Recurrence ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVES: Psychoeducation is an important factor in the treatment of chronic mental illness that increases drug compliance, then prevents relapse of illness, and brings the patient a progress of social function and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effect of psychoeducation on relapse of schizophrenic patients. METHODS: Checklist including 33 items was applied to 97 schizophrenic patients that had been treated at Seoul National Mental Hospital. The subject was divided into two groups. The experimental group consisted of 47 cases that were not treated consistently more than 6 months in outpatient department and required at least 3 time hospital treatment. The control group consisted of 50 cases that were treated consistently in outpatient department at least 3 consecutive years. RESULTS: The experimental group had significant differences in terms of deficiency of insight such as denial of disease or relapse, subjective experience of drug side effect, whether or not taking drug and they had higher negative attitude to therapist. Many schizophrenic patients reported that they had not been educated thoroughly about disease, drug, and prognosis. 46.8% in experimental group and 46.0% in control group did not recognized necessity of psychoeducation. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that we need the necessity of psychoeducation in terms of the relationship between the relapse of illness and psychoeducation. However, considering that we did not have an extensive study about psychoeducation and compliance, we need more improved study.
Checklist ; Compliance ; Denial (Psychology) ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Recurrence* ; Schizophrenia ; Seoul

A total of 75 subjects were examined using Hahn's color vision test and Hahn's Double 15-Hue test. Among the 75 subjects, 62 subjects detected by screening test among 2700 high school students had defective color vision but good visual acuity and no retinal diseases. The other 13 subjects were detected in out-patient ophthalmic clinic. Results of examination in classifying the types and estimating the extent of color defects were obtained. 1. In the total 75 persons examined, extent of the color defects were as follows; mild ............ 6 cases, moderate.........31 cases, strong...........38 cases. 2. The classification of types of congenital color defects were as follows; Protan .........2 cases, Deutan ........25 cases, Unclassified...48 cases. Lack of advanced study on color discrimination for congenital color deficiency resulted in existing job discrimination against a color defective person by restricting his/her job opportunity. Therefore this kind of research has very important meanings and should be continued.
Classification ; Color Vision ; Discrimination (Psychology)* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Outpatients ; Retinal Diseases ; Visual Acuity

This study aimed at exploring the psychometric characteristics of the Korean Version of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) in a clinical sample, and investigating the impact of somatic symptoms on the severity of depression. Participants were 203 consecutive outpatients with current major depressive disorders (MDD) or lifetime diagnosis of MDD. The DSSS was compared with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the 17-items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). The DSSS showed a two-factor structure that accounted for 56.8% of the variance, as well as excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.95), concurrent validity (r = 0.44–0.82), and temporal stability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79). The DSSS had a high ability to identify patients in non-remission (area under receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve = 0.887). Maximal discrimination between remission and non-full remission was obtained at a cut-off score of 22 (sensitivity = 82.1%, specificity = 81.4%). The number of somatic symptoms (the range of somatic symptoms) and the scores on the somatic subscale (SS, the severity of somatic symptoms) in non-remission patients were greater than those in remission patients. The number of somatic symptoms (slope = 0.148) and the SS score (slope = 0.472) were confirmed as excellent predictors of the depression severity as indicated by the MADRS scores. The findings indicate that the DSSS is a useful tool for simultaneously, rapidly, and accurately measuring depression and somatic symptoms in clinical practice settings and in consultation fields.
Depression* ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnosis ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Psychometrics ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Onychotillomania, named by Alkiewicz, is a rare psychocutaneous disorder of the nails, and various psychological factors predispose the development of this condition. There has been no report of onychotillomania in Korea. We herein report two cases of onychotillomania seen in the nail clinic of our outpatient department. The first case was a 72 year old woman, who presented with a varying degree of dystrophic change to the first, second and third toenails on her right foot. She had a history of a depressive disorder and hypochondriasis. The second case was a 70 year old woman, who presented with complete destruction of the big toenail on her right foot, plus the 3rd and 4th fingernails of her right hand.
Aged ; Depressive Disorder ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypochondriasis ; Korea ; Nails ; Outpatients ; Psychology