Frustrated Interpersonal Needs and Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Living Alone

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate differences between the elderly living alone and those living with others in frustrated interpersonal needs and life satisfaction. Also, we explore the effects of frustrated interpersonal needs on life satisfaction in the elderly living alone. METHODS: The participants include 572 elderly people aged over 60 in Busan, Korea. Life satisfaction were evaluated by the Life Satisfaction Self-Rating Scale (LSRS) and frustrated interpersonal needs were measured by the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-Revised (INQ-R). RESULTS: The overall LSRS scores were significantly lower in the elderly living alone (106.2±20.1) than living with others (115.3±13.9, p<0.001). The total INQ-R score was significantly lower in the elderly living alone (73.8±12.1) than those living with others (76.9±12.0, p<0.05). As a result of multiple regression analysis, we came to know that frustrated interpersonal needs were factors affecting life satisfaction in living alone group. CONCLUSION: The results of present study suggest that the elderly living alone are more likely to have poor life satisfaction and frustrated interpersonal needs. Also, frustrated interpersonal needs are related to life satisfaction. Thus, it is necessary to establish the social support system such as social isolation prevention and interpersonal relationship development.

Relation of social anxiety to self-focused attention and interpersonal needs in college students / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective: To explore the mediating effects of self-focused attention between social anxiety and interpersonal needs. Methods: Totally 467 college students [159 males and 221 females, mean age (21 ±2)] were assessed with the Social Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Focused Attention Scale (SFAS) and Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ ). The bootstrap method was used to test the mediating effect Results: The SFAS and INQ scores were higher in female students than in males (Ps <0.01). The scores of SAS, SFAS, and INQ were positively correlated each other (r = 0.20 - 0.90, Ps < 0.01). Self-focused attention has a full mediating effect between social anxiety and interpersonal needs, and the 95％ confidence interval was (0.34, 0.59). Conclusion: It suggests that the effect of interpersonal needs on social anxiety may be achieved through self-focused attention in college students. Reducing the level of self-focused attention may be an important way to alleviate social anxiety among college students.

Operation of a school adaptation program considering the interpersonal needs of medical freshmen / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: We examined two overarching topics: What are the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores in medical students? Do their interpersonal needs correlate with stress and depression? METHODS: FIRO-B, PSS-10, and SDS were administered to 82 freshmen in College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea in 2014. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, frequency, two-way analysis of variance, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp.). RESULTS: The level of interpersonal needs was medium range (mean, 24.52). The mean perceived stress score was 18.6. Also, 59.8% and 40.2% of students had normal range ( or =20). The mean score for depression was 36.3. Further, 97.6% and 2.4% of students had normal range (< or =49) and mild depression (< or =59). Wanted behavior correlated with stress (r=0.056) and depression (r=0.021). Expressed behavior correlated negatively with stress (r=-0.206) and depression (r=-0.301). CONCLUSION: The interpersonal needs of medical freshmen are related to stress and depression. These results can be used effectively in school adaptation programs for medical students to improve their quality of life.

The characteristics of medical students' personality types and interpersonal needs / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: Medical students' personality types and interpersonal needs must be considered. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of personality types and interpersonal needs. METHODS: A total of 171 students in Konyang University College of Medicine were examined using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B). The data were analyzed by frequency analysis, t-test, and one-sample proportion test. RESULTS: The proportion of the 4 pairs of MBTI dimensions were Extroversion (E)-Introversion (I) (53.2% vs. 46.8%), Sensing (S)-Intuition (N) (63.2% vs. 36.8%), Thinking (T)-Feeling (F) (59.7% vs. 40.4%), and Judging (J)-Perceiving (P) (56.1% vs. 43.9%). The predominant personality types were ISTJ (16.4%), ESTJ (14.0%), and ESFJ (10.5%). The level of interpersonal needs were medium rage that was inclusion (mean=8.1), control (mean=8.8), affection (mean=8.1), expressed behavior (mean=12.1), wanted behavior (mean=12.9), and overall interpersonal needs (mean=25.0). Of the basic social needs, males and females differed significantly with regard to control needs (p=0.028). CONCLUSION: Educational programs that take into account personality types and characteristics of interpersonal needs are crucial in providing effective medical education. Our results suggest that the characteristics of personality types and interpersonal needs should be considered in developing an interpersonal relations improvement program for medical students.