Reliability and Validity of a Korean Adaptation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Several self-report measures had been developed to assess the handicap due to tinnitus, although they lacked reliability and validity. Well-validated instruments, however, are essential for evaluation and treatment. Newman et al. developed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and researches have examined its reliability and validity. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a Korean adaptation of the THI. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The Korean adaptation of THI was administered to 111 patients with tinnitus, who visited the Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery department of Samsung Medical Center from March to August of 2001. Convergent validity was assessed using Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire (THQ), and construct validity was examined using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), the somatization subscale of SCL-90-R (SOM) and etc. RESULTS: 1) The Korean adaptation of THI and its subsclaes showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=.95-.79) comparable to those of the original version. 2) THI and its subscales demonstrated high test-retest reliabilities (r=.91-.73) comparable to those of the original. 3) High correlation was observed between THI and THQ (r=.83). 4) Moderate correlations were observed among THI, BDI (r=.40-.51), STAI-S (r=.43-.68), SOM (r=.49-.59), the perceived loudness of tinnitus (r=.33-.46), and the perceived handicap of tinnitus (r=.44-.64). 5) A confirmatory factor analysis partly supported 3 factors of THI. CONCLUSION: We found THI and its subscales to have valuable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent and construct validity. The results suggest that the Korean adaptation of THI, especially the total score it generates, is a reliable and valid measure of general distress related tinnitus.

Personality Style and Job Stress:Focusing on the Comparison between Autonomy and Sociotropy / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of present study were to compare Autonomy with Sociotropy about the job stress experience and to explore the relationship between job stress and mental health. METHODS: Three-hundred-forty-three workers participated and filled out the Personel Style Inventory(PSI), the Korean version of Occupational Stress Inventory(K-OSI), the stress appraisal scale, the Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), the Spielberger State-Trait Inventory(STAI) state anxiety scale, and the SCL-90-R Somatization scale. RESULTS: Autonomy reported higher level job stress than Sociotropy. Except for the Responsibility scale, Autonomy got higher scores on the Role Overload, the Role Insufficiency, the Role Ambiguity, the Role Boundary, the Physical Environment scale. Autonomy appraised their stressor more threatening than Sociotropy. Also, according to the Personality style, a series of multiple regression analysis showed somewhat different relationship among job stress, cognitive appraisal, psychiatric symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: From our results it was inferred that the contents of major job stressor could be differ according to the personality style. The job structure that are threat to the individual's autonomy and independence, could be a severe stressor to Autonomy. The interpersonal conflicts in working place that are threat to the interpersonal relatedness, could be a severe stressor to Sociotropy. So, we proposed that the individual personality style should be considered in the stress manage program.

Women's Job Stress, Coping Resources and Mental Health: In the Sample of Female Office Workers in a General Hospital / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The Purpose of this study is to identify the relationships among women's job stress, coping resources, and mental health based on stress-coping model. METHODS: Forty-three female clerks working in general hospital participated in this study and filled out the Korean version of job stress inventory (K-OSI) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). To explore the relationships between job stress and mental health, a series of correlational analysis and multiple regression analysis was conducted. Also, ANOVAs were conducted to identify buffering effects of coping resources in job stress experience. RESULTS: The perceived job stress level was positively correlated with psychosomatic complaints. In addition, the psychosomatic complaints of the women were negatively correlated with their own coping resources. Among the various stress factors of the job life, specifically role insufficiency and role ambiguity has the negative effects on women's metal health. However working women's experience of depressive and anxiety symptoms was not significantly related to the job stress but to the socialsupports. Also, stress-coping model and buffering effects of coping resources were identified in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the job stress of women has negative effects on their mental health, these effects could be buffered by appropriate coping resources such as social support and self-care. In severe job stress situations, it would be better to cope with difficulties reasonably than to avoid them passively.