Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire Treatment Version / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire-Treatment version (RCQTV-K). METHODS: The participants were 92 patients who were seeking treatment of alcoholism in two hospitals for alcoholism. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test whether the factor structure of the RCQTV-K was consistent with the English version. Convergent validity was assessed by correlating the scores on the RCQTV-K with those on other scales (Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Korean Version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). RESULTS: The factor structure of the RCQTV-K was consistent with the three-factor structure established for the original RCQTV. Cronbach's alpha was high, indicating that the reliability of the items for each subscale was satisfactory. Allocated stage of change showed significant differences among the scores on the other scales. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that the RCQTV-K is an effective and valid scale for evaluating the stage of readiness to change in patients seeking treatment for alcoholism. The findings suggest that the RCQTV-K is a promising assessment tool for use in the treatment and study of alcoholism.

Association of Psychosocial Factors in Developing Childhood Depression and ADHD in a Community Low Income Family Children

OVJECTIVES: As the attention devoted to children's mental health increases, medical costs and burdens mount as well. In the present study, we evaluated the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and major child psychiatric symptoms. METHODS: The subjects of this study were children of recruited from a mental health screening program in the Seoul Sungbuk mental health center over the course of 3 months. To establish the SES of each child, we collected data about each child's medical insurance, years of parental education, household income, family structure and housing. 149 children& parents completed questionnaires including the Childhood Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Korean Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (K-ARS). RESULTS: The mean K-ARS-P score was 12.1+/-11.1 and the suspected prevalence of ADHD was 20.8% (n=31). The mean CDI score was 12.9+/-7.9, and the prevalence of suspected depression was 16.8% (25). Depressive symptoms and ADHD symptoms were both more severe than those observed in a previous epidemiologic study in Korea. Depressive symptoms were more closely associated with family SES status. CONCLUSION: SES status is one of the most important risk factors in the development of major child psychiatric symptoms. In our study we found that depressive symptoms in particular were most tightly associated with psychosocial factors. Evaluation of the risk factors, early screening and intervention for low SES children would be valuable mental health management tactics to implement in a community mental health system.