Reliability and Validity of the Brief Schema Questionnaire for Adult / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a brief schema questionnaire for adults (BSQ-A) and investigate its validity and reliability. METHODS: A 36-item questionnaire was developed or selected by six psychiatrists. The questionnaire was administered to 209 subjects in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. The construct validity was investigated by performing principal component analysis, and the reliability was assessed in terms of the internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: The principal component analysis revealed 18 factors underlying 18 early maladaptive schemas (EMSs). These 18 factors accounted for 87.488% of the common variance. The Cronbach's alpha was high, indicating that the reliability of the questionnaire was satisfactory. Every schema showed a positive correlation with most psychological measures. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the BSQ-A is a reliable and valid scale for assessing EMSs. Although there are many limitations, the present study is expected to form the basis of future research.

Reliability and Validity of the Mental Health Questionnaire for Adult / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a Mental Health Questionnaire for Adults (MHQ-A) and investigate its validity and reliability. METHODS: A 73-item questionnaire was developed or selected by seven psychiatrists and a clinical psychologist. The questionnaire was administered to 351 subjects in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. The construct validity was investigated by performing principal component analysis, and the reliability was assessed in terms of the internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: Principal component analysis revealed 15 factors underlying the psychiatric disorder and symptom category. Taken together, these 15 factors accounted for 64.023% of the common variance. Cronbach's alpha was high, indicating that the reliability of the questionnaire was satisfactory. Every category showed a positive correlation with most psychological measures. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the MHQ-A is a reliable and valid scale for assessing psychiatric disorders. Although there were many limitations, the present study has significance as the basis of future research.

Treatment Response of Affect Regulation Group Therapy for Recently Traumatized School Children / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment effect and predictors of response of affect regulation group therapy (ARGT) delivered to a group of recently traumatized children. METHODS: A total of 464 school children, who had witnessed or confronted a tragic accident at school, were given a single-session of affect regulation group therapy, that which included psychoeducation and affect regulation elements from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Of 213 children whose with initial score of Subject Unit of Disturbance Scale (SUDS) score over 4, we compared pre- and post-treatment scores and performed conducted the responder vs. non-responder comparison. The pPost-traumatic disorder (PTSD) symptom scores measured by using Child Reaction to Traumatic Events Scale-Revised (CRTES-R), demographic variables, and clinical variables were considered. RESULTS: Affect regulation group therapy was effective for children who had experienced an acute traumatic event (t=16.3, p<0.001). Baseline SUDS score of for non-responder were was significantly higher (t=-2.89, p<0.001) and CRTES-R score approached a level of significance level (t=-1.72, p=0.09). However, results of logistic regression analysis identified showed that the pretreatment SUDS score was the only significant predictor of non-response. CONCLUSION: Affect regulation group therapy appeared to be effective for children who had undergone experienced an acute traumatic event. And in addition, the survivors' subjective distress was more important to treatment response than severity of PTSD symptoms severity.

Are Anxiety and Depression Distinct? : Exploratory Factor Analysis of Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales

OBJECTIVES: There is a controversy regarding the construct validity of anxiety and depression. Some believe that these two symptoms are basically the same construct, that is, both measure what is called 'general distress' or two phenomena are distinct experiences which often coexist. To further understand relationship between anxiety and depressive symptoms, we investigated the factor structure of a combined anxiety and depression scale among psychiatric outpatients. METHODS: Data of Zung's Self-Rating Depression and Anxiety Scales were gathered from 401 newly visiting psychiatric outpatients at a university-affiliated hospital. We performed a component analysis on the 40 items from two scales. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a seven factor structure explaining 56% of total variance. Overall finding indicated that depression and anxiety scales consisted of four symptom domains : mainly depressive symptoms, mainly anxiety symptoms, common somatic symptoms, and others. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the construct of self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms are more complex than previously thought, i.e., either one or two factor theories. These findings also support that anxiety and depression can be better modeled by dimensional approach. Clinicians may be alert for the fact that both depression and anxiety scales measure distinct and also common aspects. Further researches on other scales especially, interview based instruments are needed.