The dramatic changes in people's daily lives caused by the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have had a huge impact on their emotions and behaviors. This study aimed to examine psychosocial ...responses to COVID-19 using network analysis. A total of 1,500 urban residents of South Korea, selected from an online public panel, were surveyed using self-rating questionnaires addressing daily life changes, fear of infection, and distress related to COVID-19. Participants also completed a 10-item Perceived Stress Scale survey. We constructed regularized partial correlation networks, estimated global and local network metrics, tested network accuracy and stability, and compared the estimated networks between men and women. The network of the psychosocial responses consisted of 24 nodes that were classified into five groups: 'fear of infection', 'difficulty with outside activities', 'economic loss', 'altered eating and sleeping', and 'adaptive stress'. The node centralities indicated that 'distress in obtaining daily necessities' and 'concern about harming others' were the most important issues in people's responses to COVID-19. These nodes were connected by a negative edge, reflecting individual- and community-level issues, respectively. The overall level of perceived stress was linked to the network by the connection node 'anger toward others or society', which was associated with economic problems in men, but with distress from changes in daily activities in women. The results suggest that two contrasting feelings-personal insecurity regarding basic needs and a collectivistic orientation-play roles in the response to unusual experiences and distress due to COVID-19. This study also showed that public anger could arise from the psychological stress under the conditions imposed by COVID-19.
In this study, we investigated the impact of inflammatory cytokines on the cognitive performance of patients with schizophrenia. The included patients met the criteria for schizophrenia spectrum ...disorder and were aged between 15 and 40 years, with a duration of illness ≤1 year. Plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α; interferon-γ; and interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12 levels were measured. A computerized neurocognitive battery, measures for social cognitive function, and clinical measures were administered. A total of 174 patients with first-episode psychosis were enrolled. The TNF-α level was negatively correlated with scores on the digit span, verbal learning, and Wisconsin card sorting tests, and the number of correct responses on the continuous performance test (CR-CPT), whereas a positive correlation was detected with the trail making test (TMT)-B time. The interferon-γ level was negatively correlated with performance on the false belief and visual learning tests. The IL-1β level was positively correlated with the TMT-A time and CPT reaction time, whereas it was negatively correlated with the CR-CPT and performance on the visual learning and social cognitive tests. The IL-12 level was negatively correlated with the CR-CPT and false belief test. Our results suggest that proinflammatory cytokines are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia.
Aim
Non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI) is common among adolescents, and several different factors can affect its prevalence. The present study examined the associated characteristics predicting NSSI ...among adolescents in South Korea.
Methods
In total, 1674 high school students were recruited for a cross‐sectional survey. They completed self‐reported assessments, including the Deliberate Self‐Harm Inventory (DSHI), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the Prodromal Questionnaire‐16 (PQ‐16), as well as their bullying experience. The NSSI group was defined as the sample group with at least one NSSI behaviour on the DSHI scale. A logistic regression analysis was performed using the NSSI group as the dependent variable.
Results
The prevalence of NSSI was 28.3% (boys, 30.4%; girls, 24.4%) among adolescents. The most common type of NSSI behaviour among adolescents was interference with wound healing and sex differences in the method were examined. The CES‐D, STAIC‐trait, and PQ‐16 scores were significantly higher and the RSES score was significantly lower in the NSSI group than those in the non‐NSSI group. Participants' experience with bullying, such as being victims, bullies, bully‐victims, and witness to bullying, were more likely to be in the NSSI group. In a logistic regression analysis, NSSI was significantly associated with male sex, low academic achievement, higher depression, psychotic‐like experiences, being bullied, and witnessing bullying.
Conclusion
The results of this study suggest the need to identify and manage related psychologic factors in adolescents with NSSI, including psychotic‐like symptoms.
Introduction
Suicide is a major concern for patients with recent-onset schizophrenia. We hypothesized that preserved cognitive function might be associated with a higher level of suicidality in ...patients with schizophrenia. We investigated the associations between cognitive function and suicidal ideation (SI) in young patients recently diagnosed with a psychotic disorder.
Methods
This study analyzed data from a naturalistic clinical cohort study that comprised 402 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Patients with a treatment duration of ≤5 years and an age range of 15–39 years were enrolled. Participants were categorized into two groups based on SI as assessed by the Columbia Suicidal Severity Rating Scale. We collected demographic and clinical data and administered psychiatric, neurocognitive, and social cognitive measures.
Results
Among participants, 52% reported experiencing SI. Patients with SI were significantly younger and had a longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) than those without it. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-general psychopathology score was significantly higher in the SI group. Scores on the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Hopelessness Scale were significantly higher among patients with SI, while scores on the Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptics-Short Form and Brief Resilience Scale were significantly lower compared to those without it. Patients with SI demonstrated significantly higher scores on the verbal and visual learning test, false belief task, picture stories task, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test. They also completed the Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B in significantly less time than those without it. After adjusting for age, DUP, and scores on the BDI, group differences in scores on the verbal and visual learning tests, TMT (parts A and B), and the false belief task, and the picture story task remained significant.
Discussion
Our results suggest that along with traditional risk factors, better cognitive function may also be a major risk factor for suicidality in patients with schizophrenia. Providing psychological support and cognitive interventions is essential for young patients with recent-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders, particularly those with high levels of depression, hopelessness, perceived stress, low resilience, and good cognitive function.
Aim
To investigate group metacognitive training and cognitive–behavioural therapy (MCT/CBT) prospectively in a young population with various psychiatric disorders, including psychotic and mood ...disorders.
Methods
This was a prospective study to investigate the effectiveness of group MCT/CBT on quality of life, psychotic symptoms, depression, self‐esteem, perceived stress, social function and social cognition. The objective measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), clinical global impression (CGI), personal and social performance scale for social functioning, a computerized continuous performance test for sustained attention and a computerized emotional recognition test for social cognition. Self‐report measures administered included the Subjective Well‐being under Neuroleptics for quality of life, Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire for suspiciousness, Drug Attitude Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Brief Resilience Scale, Rosenberg Self‐esteem Scale and visual analogue scale for the EQ‐5D.
Results
Among 110 young patients with early psychosis and mood disorders who participated, 82 (74.5%) completed the study. Social functioning, quality of life, self‐esteem, resilience, depression, suspiciousness, social cognition, sustained attention and scores on the PANSS and CGI improved significantly after completing group MCT/CBT. Perceived stress, resilience and suspiciousness improved significantly only in participants with a non‐psychotic disorder. Improvements in subjective well‐being of the participants were associated with increases in self‐esteem and resilience and decreases in depression and perceived stress.
Conclusions
Our study showed that group transdiagnostic MCT/CBT for young patients with mental illness improved subjective wellbeing, self‐esteem, resilience, social cognition and social functioning and significantly diminished suspiciousness, perceived stress and depression.
This study aimed to compare psychosocial distress in areas in Korea with different prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after validating a questionnaire on psychological experiences and ...stress associated with the disease outbreak.
Using an online-based survey, psychosocial distress associated with COVID-19 was investigated in three regions, which were selected according to their prevalence of COVID-19. A total of 1,500 people from an online public panel in the three regions participated in the study. The questionnaire included sociodemographic information, psychosocial experience and stress related to COVID-19, and the perceived stress scale (PSS), patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7). Those questionnaires and scales were compared by level of prevalence of COVID-19 after validating the questionnaire on psychosocial distress associated with COVID-19.
The 19 items on psychosocial experience associated with COVID-19 comprised 5 subscales, with favorable Cronbach's α ranging from 0.69 to 0.88. Six stress items related to COVID-19 had a Cronbach's α of 0.79. Disturbance in eating and sleeping, difficulty with outside activities, stress from COVID-19, and PSS scores were greater in the areas where COVID-19 was highly prevalent. Economic problems, daily activity changes, and anger toward society were higher in the higher-prevalence regions.
Psychosocial distress associated with COVID-19 was closely related to the prevalence of the disease in the areas where participants lived. Psychosocial interventions for distress associated with COVID-19 should be developed and prepared for people during this lengthy pandemic.
Aim
In many Asian countries, youth mental health services are not well‐developed and access to treatment is generally delayed. Here, we present a community‐based service model based on our experience ...with Mindlink, the first early‐intervention centre of its kind in Korea.
Methods
We describe the history of this mental health early‐intervention service and the characteristics of users, as well as its intervention programmes and research directions. We also propose ways to further develop youth mental health services.
Results
A community‐based early‐intervention service for youth was first introduced in 2012, when a special team was formed in a community mental health centre of Korea. As the numbers of young clients increased, a youth‐friendly, early‐intervention centre called Mindlink was opened in 2016. Mindlink targets those aged 15–30 years with mental illness less than 5 years in duration. Its goal is to detect mental illness in young people early and provide comprehensive multidisciplinary interventions. It provides intensive case management and group programmes including cognitive‐behavioural therapy, family intervention, psychoeducation, behavioural activation and physical health promotion. The Korean government has officially announced that the Mindlink model is effective and is currently in the process of scaling it up on a national level.
Conclusion
An accessible, youth‐friendly, stigma‐free, community mental health centre such as Mindlink allows early detection and appropriate management of mental illness in young patients.
Objective Increased fast food consumption can have adverse effects on health and well-being among adolescents, posing a significant public health concern. The school closures due to the coronavirus ...disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to changes in eating patterns and disrupted a balance diet among adolescents. This study explored the factors associated with fast food consumption among adolescents during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods A total of 1,710 middle and high school students in Gwangju, South Korea participated in a cross-sectional survey. The self-administered questionnaire included items assessing dietary intake, physical activity, sleep, media use, and sociodemographic information. The Patient Health Questonnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and three item version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale were also administered. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the factors associated with increased fast food consumption.Results Approximately 34.6% of the surveyed adolescents reported increased fast food consumption during school closures, as well as increased sleep duration, increased sedentary behaviors including watching TV and using the internet, and reduced physical activity. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that fast food consumption during school closures was associated with irregular patterns of main meals and sleep, decreased physical activity, increased internet use, and a lack of daytime adult supervision.Conclusion Our results highlight the need for dietary and lifestyle monitoring and guidelines to promote health among adolescents, especially during school closures. In conclusion, nutrition intervention programs aiming to limit fast food consumption and enhance healthy dietary habits among adolescents during long-term school closures are warranted.
Periventricular heterotopia (PH) is a developmental malformation in the brain. Because the clinical symptoms are heterogeneous, few studies have investigated the psychiatric symptoms associated with ...PH. We describe the case of a 17-year-old male with bipolar disorder (BD), who had been treated for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental delay in childhood. He had experienced depression for 1 year and was admitted to the emergency room following a suicide attempt. He was admitted to the psychiatric ward for further evaluation and treatment for elated mood, decreased need for sleep, increased sexuality, and delusion. The patient was diagnosed with BP-I disorder and PH via brain magnetic resonance imaging. After combined treatment with valproic acid and aripiprazole, his manic symptoms stabilized. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an adolescent PH case with a history of early onset BD and ADHD in childhood.
Aim
Breakfast plays an important role in the academic performance and mental health of adolescents. This study explored factors associated with breakfast skipping in high school students in South ...Korea.
Methods
A cross‐sectional survey was completed by 1684 high school students. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors associated with skipping breakfast, including sociodemographic factors, mental health problems (such as depression and anxiety), sleep and smartphone use patterns.
Results
A total of 29.2% of the adolescents reported skipping breakfast and girls were significantly more likely to skip breakfast than boys (P < .001). The breakfast skipping group spent more time using a smartphone on weekdays mean (SD) = 186.2 (180.0) min/d than the breakfast eating group mean (SD) = 110.2 (111.5) min/d (P < .001). The Korean scale for smartphone addiction (S‐scale) score was higher in the breakfast skipping group (P = .006). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female gender, poor academic performance (odds ratio (OR), 1.575; 95% CI, 1.166‐2.126, P = .003), depression (OR, 1.023; 95% CI, 1.002‐1.043, P = .031), time spent using a smartphone on weekdays (OR, 1.003; 95% CI, 1.002‐1.004, P < .001), and low parental monitoring of smartphone use were significantly associated with skipping breakfast.
Conclusions
Findings indicate that unhealthy lifestyle including smartphone overuse negatively affects breakfast eating in adolescents. School‐based nutritional programs should be designed to assess and overcome various individual factors associated with breakfast skipping.
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