Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of Functioning Assessment Short Test in Bipolar Disorder

Objective@#The Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) is a relatively specific test for bipolar disorders designed to assess the main functioning problems experienced by patients. This brief instrument includes 24 items assessing impairment or disability in 6 domains of functioning: autonomy, occupational functioning, cognitive functioning, financial issues, interpersonal relationships, and leisure time. It has already been translated into standardized versions in several languages. The aim of this study is to measure the validity and reliability of the Korean version of FAST (K-FAST). @*Methods@#A total of 209 bipolar disorder patients were recruited from 14 centers in Korea. K-FAST, Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Bipolar Depression Rating Scale (BDRS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF) were administered, and psychometric analysis of the K-FAST was conducted. @*Results@#The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of the K-FAST was 0.95. Test-retest reliability analysis showed a strong correlation between the two measures assessed at a 1-week interval (ICC = 0.97; p ＜ 0.001). The K-FAST exhibited significant correlations with GAF (r = −0.771), WHOQOL-BREF (r = −0.326), YMRS (r = 0.509) and BDRS (r = 0.598). A strong negative correlation with GAF pointed to a reasonable degree of concurrent validity. Although the exploratory factor analysis showed four factors, the confirmatory factor analysis of questionnaires had a good fit for a six factors model (CFI = 0.925; TLI = 0.912; RMSEA = 0.078). @*Conclusion@#The K-FAST has good psychometric properties, good internal consistency, and can be applicable and acceptable to the Korean context.

Psychiatric Comorbidities of Hazardous Alcohol Drinking in College Students / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#Alcohol drinking among college students is socially permissible in Korea. However, this population’s tendency to consume alcohol excessively results in many alcohol-related problems, including psychiatric problems.This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities associated with hazardous alcohol drinking among college students. @*Methods@#In total, 2,571 college students participated in the study. Data were collected using the Korean version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-K), the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, a modified Korean version of the 16-item Prodromal Questionnaire, the Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale-Version 1.1, and a stress-coping scale. Logistic regression analysis was performed on variables significantly correlated with hazardous alcohol drinking. @*Results@#In total, 633 students were grouped into the hazardous alcohol drinking group (AUDIT-K, ≥12). The associ-ated variables were age (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; p<0.05), smoking (OR, 4.00; p<0.001), bipolar disorder (OR, 2.45; p<0.05), depressive disorder (OR, 1.35; p<0.05), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; OR, 1.44; p<0.05), and problem-focused stress coping (OR, 0.97; p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#In this study, hazardous alcohol drinking was associated with smoking, mood disorders, and ADHD. We suggest that alcohol use among college students be carefully monitored and managed in terms of its psychiatric comorbidities.

Relationship between Depression and Stress-Coping Strategies in Public Enterprise Workers Whose Workplaces Were Relocated to a New Environment / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#In this study, the relationship between depression and stress-coping strategies among public enterprise workers whose workplaces were relocated to a newly-built innovation city was investigated. @*Methods@#This study included a total of 922 public enterprise workers living in Naju Innovation City. Along with their sociodemographic data, each subject was assessed concerning depression, occupational stress, and stress-coping strategies using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CES-D), Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), and stress-coping scale (SCS), respectively. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the impact of the relevant factors on depressive symptoms. @*Results@#The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 14%. Some sociodemographic variables, the total scores of the KOSS, and four subscales of the SCS revealed significant differences between the depressed and normal groups. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the KOSS (odds ratio [OR], 1.17; p<0.001) and SCS, such as problem-solving-focused (OR, 0.75; p<0.001), emotion-focused (OR, 1.15; p<0.05), and wishful-thinking-focused (OR, 1.10; p<0.05), were significantly associated with depression. @*Conclusion@#The results indicated that depressive symptoms were highly prevalent among workers whose workplaces were relocated. In addition, these symptoms were found to be related with occupational stress and stress-coping strategies. Our findings also suggest that promoting healthy stress-coping strategies and reducing occupational stress may help in preventing the occurrence of depression and managing depressed workers.

Stress Coping and Resilience in College Students with Depression / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#Depression is increasing among college students in general. Moreover, almost one-third of college students have been reported to suffer from depression. Thus, this study aimed to assess differences in stress coping strategies and resilience between depressed and normal-mood groups among college students. @*Methods@#A total of 3,306 college students participated in this study. The students responded to a questionnaire that included questions of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, stress coping scale (SCS), and brief resilience scale. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of variables on depression. @*Results@#Using the CES-D (cutoff score ≥21), 423 (12.8%) college students were classified as depressed. Adjusting for individual demographic factors, the SCS results of the students with depression showed significantly higher scores in emotion-focused coping (p<0.001), wishful thinking (p<0.001), and lower problem-focused coping (p<0.001) than the normal-mood group. Moreover, they presented lower resilience scores. Students who had emotion-focused coping (odds ratio [OR], 1.11; p<0.001) and lower resilience scores (OR, 0.76; p<0.001) were associated with higher CES-D scores. @*Conclusion@#The study findings revealed significant differences between the depressed and normal-mood groups in terms of stress coping skills and resilience, suggesting the need for promoting stress coping strategies and resilience to lower depression-related problems among college students.

Screening for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Korean College Students: Prevalence, Correlates and Comorbidities / 우울ㆍ조울병

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to screen Korean college students for correlates, and comorbidities associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).METHODS: A total of 2,593 college students participated in the study. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected and self-report scales, such as the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-Version 1.1, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Korean version of the Mood Disorder, a modified Korean version of the 16-item Prodromal Questionnaire, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were included. Students with and without ADHD were compared using univariable analyses, and the association of ADHD with other psychiatric comorbidities was predicted using multivariable analyses.RESULTS: Of the total participants, 4.7% were diagnosed with ADHD. Multivariable analysis revealed that ADHD in college students was significantly associated with depression, psychotic-like experience, alcohol abuse, and female sex after adjustment. We found that ADHD in young college students was associated with several psychiatric comorbidities.CONCLUSION: These results suggest the need for early detection of ADHD in young adults and highlight the importance of implementing early psychiatric intervention for problems such as depression, psychotic-like experience, and alcohol abuse in adults with ADHD.

Psychosocial Factor Influencing Suicidal thoughts in Community Dwelling Elderly in Jeonnam Province / 우울ㆍ조울병

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial factors influencing suicidal ideation of community dwelling elderly, using the senior community center in Jeonnam Province.METHODS: A total of 2,202 subjects (369 males, 1,833 females) were recruited. We evaluated sociodemographic factors, using a self-reporting questionnaire. Subjects completed the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form Korean Version (SGDS), Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Korean version of the General Health Questionale-12 (GHQ-12) and Satisfaction with Life scale (SWLS), to assess psychosocial factors affecting suicidal ideation.RESULTS: Among 2,202 subjects, 179 (8.1%) reported recent suicidal ideation. Self-perceptive health status (p < 0.001) and physical disease (p=0.002) revealed differences between two groups. The scores of four scales in the suicidal group were significantly different from the control group: SGDS (p < 0.001) and GHQ-12 (p < 0.001) were higher, while MSPSS (p < 0.001) and SWLS (p < 0.001) were lower, in the suicidal ideation group than the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that physical disease (OR 2.575, 95%CI 1.022–6.492), SGDS (OR 1.181, 95%CI 1.120–1.246) and GHQ-12 (OR 1.192, 95%CI 1.108–1.283), were significantly associated with suicidal ideation.CONCLUSION: Findings support that physical disease, depression, and general mental health may correlate to suicidal ideation in the elderly.