Relationships among Suicide Traumatic Experiences, Attitudes toward Suicide, Depression, Self-efficacy, and Social Support in General Adults / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#The amis of this study were to examine the suicide traumatic experiences and attitudes toward suicide and examine their associations with depression, self-efficacy, and social support in general adults. @*Methods@#In this descriptive cross-sectional study, data were collected through a web-based survey (N=500). We analyzed 441 respondents considering missing data. A structured questionnaire included Attitude Toward Suicide (ATTS), experiences and characteristics related to suicide, depression, self-efficacy, and social support. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA with Scheffé tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and Pearson’s correlation coefficients with SPSS/WIN 23. @*Results@#Among study participants, 34.9% reported suicide traumatic experiences. When they had more acceptability’ and ‘understandability’ in the attitudes toward suicide, they were younger, more depressive, and at the lower level of self-efficacy. There were somewhat differences of associations of ‘understandability’ in the attitudes toward suicide with depression, suicide attempt, suicide thought, and experience counseling between the suicide trauma and non-trauma groups. There were positive correlations for ‘acceptability’, ‘understandability’, ‘tabooing’, and depression and negative correlations for ‘acceptability’, self-efficacy, and social support. @*Conclusion@#Our study findings suggest that educational programs need to improve nurse’s ability in suicide-related practices considering psychological factors and development of comprehensive nursing interventions.

Validity and Reliability of the Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS) Scale for Korean Adults / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The aims of this study was to verify the validity and reliability of the Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS) scale for Korean adults.METHODS: Participants were 441 adults in South Korea, who completed in a self-reported online survey of ATTS. A total of 37 items were used for conducting item analyses, exploratory factor analyses, and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as examining the internal consistency.RESULTS: Based on findings of item reduction and exploratory factor analyses, three factors were identified based on 16 items, such as ‘acceptability (7 items)‘, ‘understandability (5 items)‘, and ‘tabooing (4 items)‘. These factors accounted for 49.4% of the total variance of ATTS. Known-groups, item convergent, and item discriminant validity were confirmed; Fitness of the modified mode was acceptable (χ²=375.51, CFI=.84, TLI=.81, GFI=.90, AGFI=.87, RMSEA=.08). The Cronbach's α coefficient for the 16 items was .82.CONCLUSION: Three factors of the short version of ATTS may be useful to evaluate the suicidal attitudes of Korean adults effectively and accurately. Our study findings suggest that suicide attitude questionaries need to be constantly revised to consider socio-cultural environment.

National Evidence-based Collaborating Agency (NECA) Round-table Conference Consensus Statement: multidisciplinary responses to suicide, the first ranked cause of death in adolescents

The National Evidence-based Collaborating Agency (NECA) holds the NECA Round-table Conference that not only disseminates objective and systematic information on topics of social concern in public health care but also organizes discussions on core issues under dispute in the literature through panels composed of multidisciplinary experts. Accordingly, the Round-table Conference was composed of multidisciplinary experts including medical specialists in the areas of psychiatry and preventive medicine, psychiatric and mental health nursing, psychologists, social welfare experts, consultation experts, religious leaders, and government officials from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Round-table Conference, tasked with analysis of the actual status and causes of, and search for solutions for suicide in adolescents, has reached consensus on the current status, trend, risk factors and prevention factors, problems and issues in prevention and coping strategies, effective prevention and coping strategies and areas of research needed for the future. The Round-table Conference commented on the actual status and gravity of suicides in adolescents, and came to the agreement that mental health issues including stress from interpersonal relationships and depression are the key risk factors of suicide. It was further agreed that problems in the measures being implemented for each of the areas include lack of manpower and funding, and inadequate organic association and cooperation among relevant institutions. They also agreed that development of a government-initiated suicide prevention program for adolescents, association among relevant experts, and development, and management of practical guidelines that are of broad and practical use are important. Furthermore, the panels were in agreement that the mass media must comply with the recommended level of coverage in reporting of suicide as adolescents are greatly influenced by provocative mass media reports due to their strong impulsive dispositions.

Military Stress, Stress Coping, and Mental Health Status among Soldiers who Need Intensive Care / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the level of military stress, stress coping, and mental health status and to identify the relationships among these variables in soldiers who need intensive care. METHODS: The participants were 113 perceived maladjusted soldiers who participated in Green-camp from one army base in Gyeong-gi Province. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires and analyzed with the SPSS-WIN 20.0 program. The instruments were the Military Stress Inventory, Ways of Coping Checklist, and Symptoms Checklist- 90-Revision (SCL-90-R). RESULTS: The level of stress was 3.6+/-0.70, overall stress coping was 1.1+/-0.41, and mental health status was 1.5+/-0.93. There were significant differences in stress, stress coping, and mental health status according religion, economic status of family, prospects for the future, persons with whom one could talk about troubles. The group with higher emotion focused coping had significantly higher scores on mental health status. There were significant positive correlations among major variables. Military stress was a significant predictor of mental health status (Adjusted R2 21.0%). CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, stress management and intervention programs focusing on depression are highly recommended to manage maladaptive problems in soldiers.

Factors Affecting on Suicidal Ideation in Maladjusted Soldiers / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore levels of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation in maladjusted Korean soldiers and identify factors that influence suicidal ideation. METHODS: Instruments were the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale), STAI (State Trait Anxiety Inventory), and SSI (Scale for Suicidal Ideation). The participants were 94 maladjusted soldiers from one army base in Gyeong-gi Province. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, and analyzed with the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. RESULTS: Mean scores were; for CES-D, 42.1+/-13.10, for STAI-I (state-anxiety) and STAI-II (trait-anxiety), 60.3+/-15.05 and 61.9+/-12.14 respectfully, and for SSI, 23.1+/-9.52. There were significant differences in suicidal ideation according the general characteristics of education, prospects for the future, and having someone to talk about troubles. Major variables showing significant correlations were prospects for the future, depression, trait anxiety, state anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Depression and prospect for future were significant predictors of suicidal ideation (Adjusted R2 65%). CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, it is important to assess significant mental health problems at the clinical level and provide suicidal ideation prevention in maladjusted soldiers. Active input from experts such as nursing officers and intervention programs that focus on depression are needed.

Perceived Functional Health Patterns and Recovery in People with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived functional health patterns and recovery in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, to explore the magnitude of relationship between of these variables and influencing factors such as self-esteem, insight, therapeutic relationship, and social support. METHODS: Participants were 160 individuals from 16 Community Mental Health Centers in Gyeonggi Province. Data were collected from April 10 to June, 12, 2010. Analysis was done using descriptive data, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and canonical correlation coefficients with the SAS 9.1 program. RESULTS: The mean score for perceived functional health of participants was below the normal range and the mean for recovery was above the middle range. Functional health and recovery were positively correlated with all components. The magnitude of relationship between functional health pattern, recovery and influencing factors were high in order of self-esteem, social support, insight, and therapeutic relationship. CONCLUSION: Functional health is strongly associated with recovery and useful in promoting recovery. Development of recovery oriented training programs for professionals and interventions considering factors influencing recovery and functional health as identified in this study is recommended.

Communication abilities, Interpersonal Relationship, Anxiety, and Depression in Korean Soldiers / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore status and level of communication ability, interpersonal relationships, anxiety, and depression in Korean soldiers and identify factors that influence depression. METHODS: A cross sectional study design was employed. The instruments were PCI (Primary Communication Inventory), RCS (Relationship Change Scale), STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and CES-D (The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale). Data were collected from 961 soldiers from Gyeong-gi Province and analyzed using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. RESULTS: The mean score for PCS, RCS were 87.0+/-11.43; and 98.8+/-14.17 respectfully and for STAI-I (state-anxiety), and STAI-II (trait-anxiety), 34.7+/-10.36; and 36.6+/-9.64 respectfully, and for CES-D, 11.2+/-7.0. Of the participants 22.2% were in the clinical group for depression. Major variables showing significant correlations were family intimacy, intimacy with friends or colleague, and inconvenience in not being able to use computer or internet. STAI-II, intimacy with friends or colleague, STAI-I accounted for 44.2double dagger of the variance in depression. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that a systemic approach needed to relieve soldiers' anxiety and depression. Development of program for communication training, activities for leisure and interpersonal relationship during military life could contribute to lessening depression and anxiety in solder.

The Perception of Recovery and Job Satisfaction in Community Mental Health Professionals / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The relationship between perception of recovery by people with mental health problems and job satisfaction in community mental health professionals was examined in this study. METHODS: A correlational survey design was used. Data were collected from 176 community mental health professionals who worked in 29 community mental health centers in Gyeonggi Province. The perception of recovery was measured with the Recovery Knowledge Inventory (RKI) by Bedregal, O'Connell & Davidson (2006) and job satisfaction was measured with Job Satisfaction Scale developed by Lee (2009). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire. The SPSS/WIN 12.0 program was used for descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: There was no correlation between perception of recovery and job satisfaction. But a statistically significant difference was found between the roles of self-definition and peers in recovery and the job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that community mental health professionals are still have a low level for perception of recovery. The results also suggest that health professionals' understanding of the concept of recovery is not sufficient. It is necessary to include recovery knowledge for community mental health professionals in education programs.