Job Stress and Stress Coping Strategy among Workers in A Regional Statistics Office : A Preliminary Study / 정신신체의학

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate job stress and stress coping strategy among workers in a regional statistics office. METHODS: A total of 133 workers in regional statistics office participated in this study and they were divided into two groups, survey group(n=109) and support group(n=24) depending on relation to statistical survey task. They were asked to respond to Short Form of Korean Occupational Stress Scale(KOSS-SF) and Stress Coping Strategy(SCS) to investigate sociodemographic characteristics, job stress, and stress coping strategy. RESULTS: The proportion of the 133 participants in the sample was 59(44.4%) of men, 74(55.6%) of women. There were no significant differences in KOSS-SF scores in relation to age, sex, education, and marital status, while the KOSS-SF scores were significantly different between the two groups. In regard to the subscales of KOSS-SF, the two groups had significant differences in insufficient job control, interpersonal conflict, job insecurity, and organization system. In addition, the total score of KOSS-SF had a negative correlation with problem-focused coping strategy and social support coping strategy of SCS. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that workers of survey group had more job stress compared to those who works in support group in regional statistical office. In addition, in comparison with workers of support group, both men and women of survey group get stressed when they were confronted with interpersonal conflicts. Our results suggest that using problem-focused coping and social support coping strategy lowers job stress.

Moderating Effect of Stress Coping Strategies on the Relationship between a National Statistics Office Workers' Occupational Stress and Mental Health / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the moderating effects of stress coping strategies on the relationship between occupational stress of national statistical office workers and mental health. METHODS: Subjects were 133 workers at a regional statistics office. Occupational stress, stress coping strategies, and mental health were examined using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), Ways of Coping Checklist, and The Symptom Check-List-90-R. Stress coping strategies were composed of problem-focused coping, social support coping, emotion-focused coping, and wishful thinking coping. RESULTS: Moderated regression indicated that the social support coping and emotion-focused coping style positively moderated the relationship between occupational stress and mental health in national statistical office workers. The social support coping style positively moderated the relationship between interpersonal conflict (KOSS subscale) and mental health in national statistical office workers. The emotion-focused coping style positively moderated the relationship between job insecurity (KOSS subscale) and mental health in national statistical office workers. The emotion-focused coping style negatively moderated the relationship between job demand (KOSS subscale) and mental health in national statistical office workers. CONCLUSION: The implications of this study included that negative results due to high occupational stress can be varied by use of suitable stress coping strategies.

Clinical Characteristics of Night Eating Syndrome in Outpatients with Bipolar Disorder / 정신신체의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of night eating syndrome(NES) in bipolar disorder outpatients. METHODS: The 14 items of self-reported night eating questionnaire(NEQ) was administered to 84 bipolar patients in psychiatric outpatient clinic. We examined demographic and clinical characteristics, body mass index(BMI), subjective measures of mood, sleep, binge eating & weight-related quality of life using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI), Binge Eating Scale(BES) and Korean version of Obesity-Related Quality of Life Scale(KOQoL), respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of night eating syndrome in bipolar outpatients was 14.3%(12 of 84). Comparisons between NES group and non-NES group revealed no significant differences in demographic characteristics, BMI and clinical status except economic status and comorbid medical illnesses. However, compared to non-NES, patients with NES was more likely to have binge eating pattern and poorer weight-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: This study is to be the first to describe the clinical correlates of night eaters in bipolar outpatients. Although there were few significant correlates of NES in bipolar outpatients, relatively high prevalence of NES suggest that clinicians should be aware to assess the patients with bipolar disorder on NES, regardless of obesity status of patients.