Soo Yang

The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents

Objective This study was designed to investigate the revised and short version of the smartphone addiction scale and the proof of its validity in adolescents. In addition, it suggested cutting off the values by gender in order to determine smartphone addiction and elaborate the characteristics of smartphone usage in adolescents. Method A set of questionnaires were provided to a total of 540 selected participants from April to May of 2013. The participants consisted of 343 boys and 197 girls, and their average age was 14.5 years old. The content validity was performed on a selection of shortened items, while an internal-consistency test was conducted for the verification of its reliability. The concurrent validity was confirmed using SAS, SAPS and KS-scale. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was conducted to suggest cut-off. Results The 10 final questions were selected using content validity. The internal consistency and concurrent validity of SAS were verified with a Cronbachs alpha of 0.911. The SAS-SV was significantly correlated with the SAS, SAPS and KS-scale. The SAS-SV scores of gender (p<.001) and self-evaluation of smartphone addiction (p<.001) showed significant difference. The ROC analysis results showed an area under a curve (AUC) value of 0.963(0.888–1.000), a cut-off value of 31, sensitivity value of 0.867 and specificity value of 0.893 in boys while an AUC value of 0.947(0.887–1.000), a cut-off value of 33, sensitivity value of 0.875, and a specificity value of 0.886 in girls. Conclusions The SAS-SV showed good reliability and validity for the assessment of smartphone addiction. The smartphone addiction scale short version, which was developed and validated in this study, could be used efficiently for the evaluation of smartphone addiction in community and research areas.

Association study between glutathione S-transferase P1 polymorphism and schizophrenia in the Korean population

This study is aimed to test the association between the coding sequence functional polymorphism (Ile105Val) of glutathione S-transferase P gene (GSTP1) and schizophrenia in the Korean population. Two hundred fourteen patients with schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) criteria and 110 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Patients and controls were biologically unrelated age and sex-matched native Koreans. Genotyping for GSTP1 polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Genotype and allele distributions of GSTP1 polymorphism in patients with schizophrenia were not significantly different from those of the controls. Comparisons of clinical variables including Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), change of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), number of admission, and onset age also were not different according to genotype distribution. The present study suggests that GSTP1 polymorphism may not confer susceptibility to development of schizophrenia in the Korean population.

Polymorphism of the Serotonin Transporter Gene and Symptomatic Dimensions of Schizophrenia in the Korean Population

This study was aimed to test the association between schizophrenia and a functional serotonin polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the upstream regulatory region. Genomic DNA analysis with polymerase chain reaction was used for 5-HTTLPR genotyping. One hundred and eleven patients with schizophrenia and 208 healthy individuals participated in this study. There were significant differences in the negative score and general psychopathology score of the positive and negative syndrome scale according to 5-HTTLPR genotypes and alleles, although no significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies between the two groups were found. These results suggest that 5-HTTLPR may contribute to the susceptibility to the symptomatology of schizophrenia but not to the development of the disorder itself, at least in the Korean population.

Effects of Listening to Music on Auditory Hallucination and Psychiatric Symptoms in People with Schizophrenia

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of listening to music in inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia, on their auditory hallucinations, and positive and negative symptoms. METHODS A quasi-experimental research design with 2x2 cross-over trial and convenience sample was used. Eleven patients (Group AB) listened to music followed by a wash out period and then a usual care period, and 12 patients (Group BA) had a usual care period followed by a wash out period and then listened to music. For one week those who were in the experimental period listened to individualized music using an MP3 player whenever they heard hallucinations. RESULTS There was a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of auditory hallucinations after listening to the music. There was a decrease in the mean scores for positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and general psychopathology after listening to music, but only negative symptoms showed a statistically significant decrease. The treatment effects on scores for positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and general psychopathology were greater in Group BA than Group AB. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that listening to music may be useful for managing auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia inpatients.

[Trends in nursing research in Korea: research trends for studies published from the inaugural issue to 2010 in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing and the journals published by member societies under Korean Academy of Nursing Science].

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to identify trends for studies published in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing and journals published by member societies from inaugural issues to 2010. METHODS A total of 6890 studies were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Quantitative studies accounted for 83.6% while qualitative studies accounted for 14.4%. Most frequently used research designs were quasi-experimental (91.1%) for experimental research and survey (85.2%) for non-experimental research. Most frequent study participants were healthy people (35.8%), most frequent nursing interventions, nursing skills (53.5%), and 39.8% used knowledge, attitude and behavior outcomes for dependent variables. Most frequently used keyword was elderly. Survey studies decreased from 1991 to 2010 by approximately 50%, while qualitative studies increased by about 20%. True experimental research (1.2%) showed no significant changes. Studies focusing on healthy populations increased from 2001-2005 (37.5%) to 2006-2010 (41.0%). From 1970 to 2010, studies using questionnaire accounted for over 50% whereas physiological measurement, approximately 5% only. Experimental studies using nursing skill interventions increased from 1970-1980 (30.4%) to 2006-2010 (64.0%). No significant changes were noted in studies using knowledge, attitude and behavior (39.9%) as dependent variables. CONCLUSION The results suggest that further expansion of true experimental, qualitative studies and physiological measurements are needed.

Survey for Community Attitudes toward People with Mental Illness

PURPOSE This study was done to investigate community attitudes towards people with mental illness and to mental health services. METHODS From August to October of 2006, 474 citizens of Siheung city were asked to give demographic data and their personal attitude toward mental illness and mental health services. RESULTS The residents of Siheung community showed slightly negative attitudes, with a mean opinion about mental illness score of 93.38+/-17.29. According to the study, health professionals and citizens showed a positive attitude to the establishment of day care centers and residential facilities (62.2% and 55.4% respectively). Civil servants showed negative attitudes (40.4%). There were significant differences in attitudes according to gender, age, education level, occupation, religion, and income. Positive attitudes were found for health professionals and negative attitudes for civil servants. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate a need to provide public information and education for civil servants, and for those who have negative attitudes, in particular, men, people in the younger age group, who have lower education levels, who are Buddhists, monthly renters, who have a monthly income below 1 million won, who have no children and no experience with people who have a mental illness.

Analysis of Trends and Contents of Nursing Doctoral Dissertations in Korea

PURPOSE This study aimed to identify contents and trends of Korean nursing doctoral dissertations in terms of research methodology and theoretical characteristics. METHODS The design of the study was descriptive study and a total of 1,089 quantitative studies completed between 1982 and 2010 were reviewed using the analytical framework developed by the researchers. RESULTS The majority of studies utilized the experimental design (51.5%) and the others were survey design (38.8%) and methodological design (5.0%). Study subjects were shown as patients (45%), care givers (11.2%), ordinary persons (40.6%) and others (3.2%). There were growing trends in experimental design and patients as subjects. The prevailing data collection settings were hospitals (45.8%) and community (27.8%). The theoretical frameworks that studies were based on were the existing theories (37%) and a newly developed theoretical framework by a researcher (25.2%). a framework derived from other studies by the researcher (25.2%). Majority of studies (78.5%) employed a single theory as a theoretical framework. However, 31.8% of studies had no theoretical framework based on. CONCLUSION Findings of this study provided the opportunities to shed new light on the current status of Korean doctoral dissertation and to deliberate on the future direction of nursing studies in Korea.

Radiofrequency ablation of high‐grade dysplastic nodules

High‐grade dysplastic nodules (HGDNs) are known to be premalignant lesions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We devised a model to estimate the long‐term survival benefit of treating HGDNs by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (Group I), as compared with regular follow‐up and timely treatment by resection (Group II). A hypothetical 60‐year‐old compensated patient with cirrhosis was assumed. The system being modeled was assumed to be a simple Markov process, and state transition probabilities were given as parameters. Data used for simulation were obtained by a systematic review of the literature. The reported overall malignant transformation rates of HGDNs ranged from 12.5% to 80.8%, and were assumed to be 20%, 50%, and 80% using the best, moderate, and worst scenarios for Group II, respectively. The 5‐year overall survival benefit of Group I compared with Group II was calculated by summing the detrimental effect of overtreatment and the beneficial effects of avoiding operative mortality. When the overall malignant transformation rate was set at 20%, 50%, or 80% the expected additional 5‐year overall survival benefits of Group I compared with Group II were −0.05%, 0.20%, and 0.47%, respectively, and the corresponding additional 10‐year overall survival benefits were 0.03%, 0.33%, and 0.55%, respectively. One‐way sensitivity analysis showed that Group I was preferable to Group II in terms of 5‐year overall survival when the 5‐year overall malignant transformation rate was greater than 25.9%. Conclusion: No definite evidence indicates that the treatment of HGDNs by RFA provides additional long‐term overall survival benefit as compared with regular follow‐up and timely treatment. The findings of the present study concur with the present American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases guidelines. (HEPATOLOGY 2011 )

The Level of Importance on Education of long Term Care Nursing Assistants Perceived by Caregivers of the Elderly

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the level of importance perceived by caregivers of elderly on the education of long term care nursing assistants (LTCNAs) taking care of elders with dementia or stroke. Method: Data was collected from 296 participants (112 families, 98 NAs, and 86 RNs) from October 2006 to February 2007. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Result: The item of `attitude while caring for the aged` was identified as most important. The family group reported that `position change` and `understanding of geriatric diseases` were the most important for education, while LTCNAs, highly identified, `bathing`, and `bed sheet change`. The RNs group regarded `position change`, and `bathing` as most important. Institutions demanding LTCNAs` activities were special facilities for elderly care and special hospitals for the aged, and the need was also high in families with an elder incapacitated by illness. Conclusion: Nurses need to take an interest in education for enhancing the quality of LTCNAs and thus advance the quality of nursing care as well as the quality of life for the aged.

Depression in Low-Income Elementary School Children in South Korea: Gender Differences.

This study examined depression in low-income elementary school children and identified gender differences in factors that influence depression from an ecological perspective. Participants were 262 first- to sixth-grade children recruited from six Korean community centers. Personal factors were anxiety and self-concept. Environmental factors consisted of caregiver (perceived caregiving style), school (perceived school life and quality of peer relations), and neighborhood. The outcome variable was depression. The predictors of boys’ depression were anxiety, perceived school life, and neighborhood. Predictors of girls’ depression were anxiety, self-concept, caregiving style, and neighborhood. School nurses are encouraged to screen elementary school children for depressive symptoms and consider gender differences and environmental factors when intervening in depression. School-focused interventions may be more effective for boys; family-focused interventions may be more beneficial for girls.