ISSN : 1229-070X
The purpose of the present study was to compare the differences in various psychological characteristics between solitary and social drinking groups. Three hundred and thirty-three participants from a university answered the following questionnaires: the Korean Version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-K), Young Schema Questionnaire-Short form, Problem-Focused Style of Coping, Drinking Motives Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Korean Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. Based on the results of AUDIT-K and Drinking Type Classification Scale, the participants were categorized as a solitary drinking group (n=24), social drinking group (n=140), solitary and social drinking group (n=30), and nonproblematic drinking group (n=121). The results showed that the solitary drinking group had higher scores in ‘disconnection and rejection’ and ‘other directedness’ schemas, suppressive and reactive coping styles, coping motives, and higher levels of depression and social anxiety compared to the social drinking group. These results indicated that the solitary drinking group, compared to the social drinking group, is more vulnerable towards problematic drinking, represented as early maladaptive schemas and coping styles, and also suffers higher levels of psychological maladaptation. The results of this study are significant in that they revealed psychological factors related to solitary drinking, which is a known risk factor and recurrence factor for alcohol use disorders. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for future research were further discussed.
We investigated the clinical utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- Adolescent-Restructured Form(MMPI-A-RF) by comparing it with the MMPI-A. The subjects were 61 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, diagnosed with internalizing disorders who visited the Department of Neuro-psychiatry at a University Hospital. We conducted Pearson's correlation analyses and paired t-tests on the MMPI-A and MMPI-A-RF scales. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the extent to which the clinical scales of the MMPI-A can explain the higher-order scales of the MMPI-A-RF. The results showed a significant correlation between the corresponding validity and PSY-5 scales in the MMPI-A and MMPI-A-RF, as well as significant correlations between the clinical scales of the MMPI-A and the corresponding restructured scales of the MMPI-A-RF. The mean T-scores of MMPI-A-RF restructured clinical scales were significantly lower than those of MMPI-A clinical scales. Multiple regression analyses confirmed that the 2(D) and 7(Pt) clinical scales in the MMPI-A significantly explained the MMPI-A-RF emotional/internalizing distress (EID) scale. This study is the first to compare the MMPI-A and MMPI-A-RF directly in psychiatric adolescent patients to evaluate the clinical utility of the MMPI-A-RF. The results suggest that the MMPI-A-RF can be useful for evaluating emotional and psychological problems in adolescents.
In this study, we examined whether individuals with higher levels of impulsivity have greater gambling severity and whether the relationship is mediated by a deficit of decision-making ability. In addition, we investigated whether the impact of impulsivity on gambling severity through decision-making ability varies depending on the level of feeling of relative deprivation. Participants completed a decision-making task and then answered questions about impulsivity, gambling severity, feelings of relative deprivation, and demographic information. We analyzed whether each subfactor of impulsivity (urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking) predicts gambling severity through decision-making ability. We found that only urgency and lack of premeditation subfactors predicted gambling severity through decision-making ability. Higher levels of urgency and lack of premeditation were associated with lower decision-making ability and lower decision-making ability predicted higher gambling severity. We also examined whether the mediating effect of decision-making ability on the relationship between each subfactor of impulsivity and gambling severity is moderated by feelings of relative deprivation. The results of moderated mediation analysis revealed that the mediation effect, predicting higher gambling severity through lower decision-making ability for individuals with high urgency and high lack of premeditation, was significant among those with higher or average levels of feeling of relative deprivation, but not among those with lower levels. This study results suggest the influence of feeling of relative deprivation on the relationship between subfactors of impulsivity and decision-making ability, and gambling severity among university students.
It has been suggested that individuals with borderline personality features are aggressive toward others because of their difficulty in emotion regulation. However, emotion dysregulation is a highly complex concept and needs to be specified. Therefore the current study considered dysregulation in shame and anger and their interplay which are especially prominent when individuals with borderline personality features are aggressive. Specifically, it was hypothesized that shame-proneness and trait anger would sequentially mediate the relationship between borderline personality features and aggression toward others. A total of 273 female undergraduates completed a series of self-report questionnaires assessing borderline personality features, shame-proneness, trait anger, and aggression toward others. The results indicated that individuals with more borderline personality features are more aggressive toward other. Trait anger completely mediated the relationship between borderline personality features and aggression toward others. Inconsistent with the hypothesis, shame-proneness and trait anger were not significant sequential mediators between borderline personality features and aggression toward others. Based on these results, theoretical and practical implications as well as the limitations of the study were discussed.
Although it is known that childhood traumatic experiences can lead to difficulties in emotion regulation, there is a gap in research on the impact of emotional neglect on emotion dysregulation and its underlying psychological mechanisms. This study investigated the mediating role of body trust, defined as confidence in one's bodily sensations, in the relationship between emotional neglect and the ability to use adaptive emotion regulation strategies. A total of 251 adults(166 females) completed self-report questionnaires assessing childhood emotional neglect, difficulties in accessing emotion regulation strategies, and levels of body trust. Employing Structural Equation Modeling and bootstrapping techniques, the analysis revealed a direct link between emotional neglect and the flexible use of situationally appropriate emotion regulation strategies. Additionally, an indirect influence on emotion regulation was found, mediated through the construct of body trust. Specifically, heightened levels of childhood emotional neglect were associated with reduced levels of body trust, ultimately leading to adverse clinical outcomes that impede emotional regulation. These findings suggest clinical implications that focusing on body trust may be effective in emotional regulation interventions for individuals with childhood emotional neglect experiences.
This study evaluated the mediation effect of self-concept clarity and self-esteem on the relationship between parents' overprotection and social anxiety in early adolescents. We conducted a questionnaire survey on parents' overprotection, self-concept clarity, self-esteem, and social anxiety for 461 students in elementary and middle schools located in Gangwon-do. Data was analyzed using SPSS the 25.0 program and AMOS 24.0 program. The results of the correlation analysis between major variables showed that, parental overprotection had a significant positive correlation with adolescents' social anxiety, and a negative correlation with self-concept clarity and self-esteem. In addition, self-concept clarity and self-esteem showed a significant negative correlation with social anxiety, and self-concept clarity and self-esteem showed a significant positive correlation with each other. Notably, the clarity of self-concept in the path of overprotection of parents and social anxiety in early adolescence showed a complete mediating effect. In addition, self-concept clarity and self-esteem were sequentially mediated in the path of parental overprotection and early adolescents' social anxiety. The significance and limitations of this study. In addition, based on the above results, suggestions for subsequent studies were discussed.
Loneliness is a distressing emotional state characterized by feelings of emptiness and isolation when social relationship needs are frustrated or unfulfilled, posing risks to both physical and mental well-being. This study aimed to examine the influence of self-control on loneliness among middle-aged and older adults, as well as the mediating effects of social exclusion and thwarted belongingness in the relationship between self-control and loneliness. A total of 694 middle-aged and older adults aged 40 to 71 years participated in an online survey, and a serial mediation analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. Results revealed significant direct and indirect effects of self-control on loneliness via social exclusion and thwarted belongingness. This indicates that those with poor self-control skills were more likely to experience social exclusion and thwarted belongingness and that frequent experiences of social exclusion and lack of sense of belongingness, in turn, tended to increase loneliness. In addition, the serial mediation influences of self-control on loneliness via social exclusion and thwarted belongingness were documented in the mediation model. These findings remained significant even after controlling for health status, demographic characteristics, and depression. Furthermore, subgroup analysis comparing middle-aged (40-50 years) and older adults (60 years and above) did not reveal any significant differences. This study underscored the importance of self-control in social relationships as a contributing factor to loneliness among middle-aged and older adults. It also highlighted the intervening roles of social exclusion and thwarted belongingness in this process. The discussion section addressed the importance of self-control in preventing and reducing loneliness among middle-aged and older adults.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress, acceptance, quality of life, and subjective well-being in breast cancer patients. Study participants included 18 breast cancer patients (9 in the experimental group, 9 in the wait-control group)receiving medical care in a hospital. The experimental group completed a mindfulness program consisting of nine 60-minute sessions over a span of 5 weeks. The wait-control group received only the usual medical treatment as provided by the hospital. The CES-D, STAI, SRI-SF, AAQ-Ⅱ, EORTC QLQ-BR23, SWLS, LSES, and PANAS were used as outcomes measures. Effectiveness of the mindfulness treatment program was evaluated at 10-weeks following the end of treatment. Analyses results revealed that anxiety, quality of life (symptoms), and negative emotions were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the wait-control group. Life satisfaction, expectation of life satisfaction, and positive emotion was also significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the wait-control group. During the post treatment period, no significant differences in depression stress reaction, acceptance, and positive emotion were found between groups. Based on the 10-week follow-up analyses, in the experimental group,all outcomes were associated with long term gains. These results suggest that mindfulness meditation helps to alleviate anxiety as well as increase subjective well-being among breast cancer patients.
Music often serves as a tool for inducing physiological relaxation, a positive state of mind in individuals who experience sleep difficulties. A recent laboratory study suggested that physiological sounds, including heartbeat (HB) sounds, may induce relaxation. In this study, we explored whether music combined with HBs can improve sleep quality in adults. A total of 70 adults, aged 40–68 years, with sleep difficulties, were randomized into a 4-week music+HB intervention, an audiobook control, and a waitlist group, and data from 63 adults were included in the final analysis. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in all the participants. We observed that the symptoms of early morning awakening and subjective sleep quality were significantly improved with the music+HB intervention than in the waitlist group. Specifically, intervention-induced improved sleep quality persisted even for 4 weeks after intervention in individuals without severe depression. We concluded that music combined with HB may be potentially useful as a healthcare self-help tool for individuals with subclinical levels of insomnia or temporary sleep disturbances, as opposed to being a primary treatment modality for patients with clinical-level insomnia and comorbid depressive disorder.
This study examined the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Social Pain Questionnaire (SPQ; Strangier, Schüller, & Brähler, 2021). A total of 339 adults aged between 20 and 64 completed the Korean version of the SPQ: K-SPQ. The K-SPQ consists of 10 items and was translated into Korean with reverse processes executed to ensure linguistic fidelity to the original scale. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the instrument’s structural validity. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed the goodness of fit of the 1-factor model, thus affirming the unidimensional structure inherent in the K-SPQ. Following this, an exploration of convergent validity revealed positive correlations with constructs such as adult attachment, social anxiety, interpersonal rejection sensitivity, depression, and mental health. These findings provided robust support for the average variance extracted and the composite reliability metrics. In summation, the outcomes of this inquiry collectively affirm the reliability and validity of the K-SPQ. Following this validation, the study delved into the discussion of its inherent limitations and insightful recommendations for future research endeavors.