Objectives: This study examined the association between loneliness and alcohol consumption among Korean adults and explored the differences across sociodemographic subgroups, including sex, age, income, occupation, and marital status. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2021 National Mental Health Survey of Korea, including 5491 adults aged 18 years or older. Loneliness was measured using the Loneliness and Social Isolation Measure-6 (LSIS-6). Alcohol consumption was categorized as abstinence, moderate drinking, or high-risk drinking. Depressive symptoms were classified according to the KoreanComposite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI) criteria. The group differences were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests. Complex-sample multinomial logistic regression was performed to examine the associations between loneliness and alcohol consumption while adjusting for age, gender, income, occupation, and marital status. Results: Sociodemographic characteristics significantly differed across alcohol-use groups. After adjusting for the covariates and depressive symptoms, loneliness remained positively associated with high-risk drinking. Age-stratified analyses suggested that this association was observed only among adults aged 60 years and older. Moderate drinking was not significantly associated with loneliness in all age groups. Conclusion Loneliness was independently associated with high-risk drinking in Korean adults, particularly in older adults. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating social isolation and loneliness into alcohol-related screening and prevention strategies, especially for aging populations.

Background: Circadian rhythms have gained importance in the field of psychiatry because of their involvement in overall body functions and their association with mental health. This study investigated the relationship between circadian rhythms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and chronotype. Methods: Circadian rhythms, depression and anxiety symptoms, hypomanic symptoms, quality of life, hopelessness, and chronotype were evaluated in 30 healthy adults. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) scores and certain factors. Particularly, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (p=0.009), Beck Anxiety Inventory (p=0.03), and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (p<0.001) were found to be significant predictors of the degree of circadian rhythm disruption, as measured by BRIAN. The results showed that irregularity in circadian rhythms was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, and no significant correlation was observed between chronotype and irregularity in the circadian rhythms. The findings indicated that misalignment between an individual’s chronotype and societal norms, such as work schedules and meal times, could contribute to circadian rhythm disruption, particularly in individuals with an evening chronotype. In contrast, this disruption was associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Conclusion These findings provide important information to better understand the impact of circadian rhythms on mental health.

Background: Circadian rhythms have gained importance in the field of psychiatry because of their involvement in overall body functions and their association with mental health. This study investigated the relationship between circadian rhythms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and chronotype. Methods: Circadian rhythms, depression and anxiety symptoms, hypomanic symptoms, quality of life, hopelessness, and chronotype were evaluated in 30 healthy adults. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) scores and certain factors. Particularly, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (p=0.009), Beck Anxiety Inventory (p=0.03), and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (p<0.001) were found to be significant predictors of the degree of circadian rhythm disruption, as measured by BRIAN. The results showed that irregularity in circadian rhythms was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, and no significant correlation was observed between chronotype and irregularity in the circadian rhythms. The findings indicated that misalignment between an individual’s chronotype and societal norms, such as work schedules and meal times, could contribute to circadian rhythm disruption, particularly in individuals with an evening chronotype. In contrast, this disruption was associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Conclusion These findings provide important information to better understand the impact of circadian rhythms on mental health.

Background: Circadian rhythms have gained importance in the field of psychiatry because of their involvement in overall body functions and their association with mental health. This study investigated the relationship between circadian rhythms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and chronotype. Methods: Circadian rhythms, depression and anxiety symptoms, hypomanic symptoms, quality of life, hopelessness, and chronotype were evaluated in 30 healthy adults. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) scores and certain factors. Particularly, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (p=0.009), Beck Anxiety Inventory (p=0.03), and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (p<0.001) were found to be significant predictors of the degree of circadian rhythm disruption, as measured by BRIAN. The results showed that irregularity in circadian rhythms was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, and no significant correlation was observed between chronotype and irregularity in the circadian rhythms. The findings indicated that misalignment between an individual’s chronotype and societal norms, such as work schedules and meal times, could contribute to circadian rhythm disruption, particularly in individuals with an evening chronotype. In contrast, this disruption was associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Conclusion These findings provide important information to better understand the impact of circadian rhythms on mental health.

Background: Circadian rhythms have gained importance in the field of psychiatry because of their involvement in overall body functions and their association with mental health. This study investigated the relationship between circadian rhythms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and chronotype. Methods: Circadian rhythms, depression and anxiety symptoms, hypomanic symptoms, quality of life, hopelessness, and chronotype were evaluated in 30 healthy adults. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) scores and certain factors. Particularly, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (p=0.009), Beck Anxiety Inventory (p=0.03), and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (p<0.001) were found to be significant predictors of the degree of circadian rhythm disruption, as measured by BRIAN. The results showed that irregularity in circadian rhythms was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, and no significant correlation was observed between chronotype and irregularity in the circadian rhythms. The findings indicated that misalignment between an individual’s chronotype and societal norms, such as work schedules and meal times, could contribute to circadian rhythm disruption, particularly in individuals with an evening chronotype. In contrast, this disruption was associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Conclusion These findings provide important information to better understand the impact of circadian rhythms on mental health.

Background: Circadian rhythms have gained importance in the field of psychiatry because of their involvement in overall body functions and their association with mental health. This study investigated the relationship between circadian rhythms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and chronotype. Methods: Circadian rhythms, depression and anxiety symptoms, hypomanic symptoms, quality of life, hopelessness, and chronotype were evaluated in 30 healthy adults. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) scores and certain factors. Particularly, Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (p=0.009), Beck Anxiety Inventory (p=0.03), and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (p<0.001) were found to be significant predictors of the degree of circadian rhythm disruption, as measured by BRIAN. The results showed that irregularity in circadian rhythms was associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, and no significant correlation was observed between chronotype and irregularity in the circadian rhythms. The findings indicated that misalignment between an individual’s chronotype and societal norms, such as work schedules and meal times, could contribute to circadian rhythm disruption, particularly in individuals with an evening chronotype. In contrast, this disruption was associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Conclusion These findings provide important information to better understand the impact of circadian rhythms on mental health.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the effects on stress and depression by developing and implementing an integrated stress management program for inpatients in the psychiatric closed ward. METHODS: The study was a one-group pretest-posttest design. A total of 36 patients in the closed ward participated in this study. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires to measure hospital stress and depression. Data were analyzed by using t-tests and one-way ANOVA with SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: Integrated stress management program was designed based on Lazarus and Folkman stress-appraisal-coping model. Total of eight 1-hour sessions were delivered for four weeks in the group. There were significant differences in the inpatient stress scores before and after the intervention. However, the integrated stress management program showed some reduction in depression but did not show signifiant differences statistically. CONCLUSION: Our study findings confirm that the use of the integrated stress management program can reduce stress of the patients, that enable them to stabilize their minds at hospitalization. However, further study is needed to confirm the effects on depression. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide psychiatric nursing intervention tailored to psychiatric patients' symptoms, especially for reducing inpatient stress.
Depression ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Managed Care Programs ; Psychiatric Nursing ; Stress, Psychological