Korea Psychological Group

Korea Psychological Group We are a private practice in Korea dedicated to psychological evaluations and psychotherapy.

This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis on processing speed (PS) and sustained attention (SA) deficits in in...
13/03/2025

This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis on processing speed (PS) and sustained attention (SA) deficits in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).

Key Findings
1. BD and MDD patients exhibit significant PS and SA deficits:
• Effect sizes for BD: d = 0.19–0.96
• Effect sizes for MDD: d = 0.29–0.86
• Most neuropsychological tests showed significant impairments.
2. Cognitive impairments persist in both symptomatic and euthymic states:
• Many BD and MDD patients still show PS and SA deficits even during euthymia.
• Some measures were not impaired in euthymia, suggesting partial recovery but persistent deficits in core cognitive functions.
3. Heterogeneity exists among different neuropsychological tests:
• Variability in assessment methods contributed to heterogeneity in results, which remained even after separating by mood state.
• Different PS tests (e.g., Trail-Making Test vs. Digit Symbol Substitution Test) and SA tests (e.g., Continuous Performance Test) showed varying results across patient groups.
4. Limited data for some analyses:
• Some outcome measures lacked sufficient data, particularly in symptomatic BD and MDD groups, limiting meta-analysis in those areas.

Key Contributions
• This is the first systematic study to quantify PS and SA deficits in BD and MDD using meta-analysis.
• Findings confirm that cognitive deficits persist even in euthymic states, suggesting PS and SA impairments as core features of BD and MDD.
• Highlights the need to address heterogeneity in neuropsychological testing methods for more reliable assessments.
• Suggests future research should control for clinical confounds and further investigate the effects of mood states on cognitive dysfunction.

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Little, B., Anwyll, M., Norsworthy, L., Corbett, L., Schultz‐Froggatt, M., & Gallagher, P. (2024). Processing speed and sustained attention in bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Bipolar Disorders, 26(2), 109-128.

In 2024, South Koreans reported increased levels of anxiety and depression, while overall happiness levels remained larg...
08/03/2025

In 2024, South Koreans reported increased levels of anxiety and depression, while overall happiness levels remained largely unchanged.

Key Findings
1. Rising Levels of Anxiety and Depression:
• The average anxiety level in 2024 was 4.1/10, up from 3.4/10 in 2023.
• Feelings of depression increased from 2.8/10 in 2023 to 3.5/10 in 2024.
• Overall happiness increased by just 0.1 points to 6.8/10, but declined with age.
2. Income‘s Significant Impact on Happiness and Social Status:
• Lower-income groups (earning less than 1 million KRW/month) saw happiness decline from 6.1 to 6.0, while higher-income groups (earning over 6 million KRW/month) saw an increase from 6.8 to 7.0.
• Social status perception also rose with income: lower-income groups rated 4.9/10, while higher-income groups rated 6.1/10.
• Financial struggles contributed to rising depression, with student loan borrowers increasing from 2.5% to 4.7%, rent-driven relocations from 2.3% to 4.6%, and those unable to afford medical care from 2.0% to 3.0%.
3. National Pride Reached a Peak Before Martial Law Crisis:
• Before the Dec. 3 martial law declaration, national pride scored 3.1/4, the highest since 2013.
• Satisfaction with politics and the economy increased by 0.7 points, reaching 5.1 and 5.3, respectively.
• Political engagement rose: participation in petitions increased from 10.8% to 12.2%, online opinion expression from 10.2% to 11.3%, and protest participation from 8.1% to 10.9%.

Contributions
• Reveals increasing trends in anxiety and depression, providing insights for mental health policies.
• Highlights the impact of income on happiness and social identity, supporting policies for economic equality.
• Provides data on national pride and political engagement, helping to understand social sentiment before major political events.

Choi Jae-hee. (2025, March 6). South Koreans Report Higher Level of Depression in 2024: Survey. The Korea Herald. https://www.koreaherald.com

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While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), previous studies...
04/03/2025

While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), previous studies have excluded Bipolar Disorder (BD) patients. This case series examines its impact on this population.

Key Findings
1. CBT is a feasible treatment for SAD in BD patients:
• 11 euthymic BD patients completed up to 16 CBT sessions and 3 follow-ups.
• 95% attendance rate, indicating high acceptability.
2. CBT is effective in reducing social anxiety:
• Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) scores dropped from 46.5 (pre-treatment) to 19.8 (post-treatment) and further to 15.8 at the 3-month follow-up.• 10 participants no longer met SAD diagnostic criteria after follow-up.
3. CBT demonstrated strong safety:
• No severe adverse events were reported, with no manic episodes or su***de attempts during or after treatment.
4. Impact of depressive symptoms on CBT effectiveness:
• 7 participants experienced clinical levels of depression during treatment but still showed long-term improvements.
5. CBT requires adaptation for BD patients:
• Managing safety behaviors (e.g., excessive self-monitoring to avoid triggering mania).
• Distinguishing positive emotions from mania, preventing patients from suppressing positive thoughts due to fear of manic episodes.
• Addressing distorted self-perceptions—some participants perceived themselves as “weird” or “annoying” due to past manic experiences.

Contributions
• First study to provide evidence on the safety and efficacy of CBT for SAD in BD patients, addressing a research gap.
• Demonstrates that CBT can be used for euthymic BD patients and significantly reduces social anxiety.
• Suggests modifications to CBT protocols, contributing to more tailored treatment approaches.
• Recommends future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to validate these findings and explore CBT’s impact on mood stabilization in BD patients.

Pavlova, B., Warnock-Parkes, E., Alda, M., Uher, R., & Clark, D. M. (2024). Cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder in people with bipolar disorder: a case series. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, 12(1), 1.

While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), previous studies...
04/03/2025

While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), previous studies have excluded Bipolar Disorder (BD) patients. This case series examines its impact on this population.

Key Findings
1. CBT is a feasible treatment for SAD in BD patients:
• 11 euthymic BD patients completed up to 16 CBT sessions and 3 follow-ups.
• 95% attendance rate, indicating high acceptability.
2. CBT is effective in reducing social anxiety:
• Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) scores dropped from 46.5 (pre-treatment) to 19.8 (post-treatment) and further to 15.8 at the 3-month follow-up.• 10 participants no longer met SAD diagnostic criteria after follow-up.
3. CBT demonstrated strong safety:
• No severe adverse events were reported, with no manic episodes or su***de attempts during or after treatment.
4. Impact of depressive symptoms on CBT effectiveness:
• 7 participants experienced clinical levels of depression during treatment but still showed long-term improvements.
5. CBT requires adaptation for BD patients:
• Managing safety behaviors (e.g., excessive self-monitoring to avoid triggering mania).
• Distinguishing positive emotions from mania, preventing patients from suppressing positive thoughts due to fear of manic episodes.
• Addressing distorted self-perceptions—some participants perceived themselves as “weird” or “annoying” due to past manic experiences.

Contributions
• First study to provide evidence on the safety and efficacy of CBT for SAD in BD patients, addressing a research gap.
• Demonstrates that CBT can be used for euthymic BD patients and significantly reduces social anxiety.
• Suggests modifications to CBT protocols, contributing to more tailored treatment approaches.
• Recommends future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to validate these findings and explore CBT’s impact on mood stabilization in BD patients.

Pavlova, B., Warnock-Parkes, E., Alda, M., Uher, R., & Clark, D. M. (2024). Cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder in people with bipolar disorder: a case series. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, 12(1), 1.

This article outlines 10 ways to maintain mental health in 2025, drawing from the latest scientific research and expert ...
22/02/2025

This article outlines 10 ways to maintain mental health in 2025, drawing from the latest scientific research and expert psychological advice to enhance cognitive function, emotional well-being, and overall life satisfaction.

Key Findings
1. Exercise boosts brain health, reducing depression and dementia risk.
2. Manage anxiety by facing fears and focusing on values.
3. Challenge your brain with reading and learning new skills.
4. Get enough sleep to improve emotional regulation; CBT-I is more effective than sleep meds.
5. Break stagnation with ”friction audits“ and future planning.
6. Stay cool as heat affects cognitive function.
7. Silence self-criticism with psychological distancing.
8. Prioritize physical health, as a healthy body supports a healthy mind.
9. Build social connections to combat loneliness and cognitive decline.
10. Forgiveness isn’t mandatory—healing is personal, and alternatives exist.

Contributions
• Provides actionable mental health strategies, covering areas like physical well-being, cognitive training, social connection, and emotional management.
• Emphasizes personalized mental health care, allowing individuals to choose strategies that work best for them.
• Introduces new perspectives on mental health, such as challenging the notion that forgiveness is necessary for healing, encouraging people to find what best supports their recovery.

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Caron, C., & Smith, D. G. (2024, December 30). 10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Healthy in 2025. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com

While many people might not think much about what they wear to therapy, this article shows that clothing choices may off...
20/02/2025

While many people might not think much about what they wear to therapy, this article shows that clothing choices may offer insights into their emotions, anxieties, and self-perception.

Key Findings
1. Clothing Influences the Therapy Experience:
• Some patients wear specific outfits, such as a set sweater and jeans, as a ritual to prepare for therapy.
• A patient’s attire may unintentionally express their emotions, including social anxiety, identity struggles, or confidence levels.
2. Therapists Pay Attention to Clothing:
• Many psychologists believe that clothing provides subtle psychological and emotional cues.
• Examples include a lawyer who wore traditional Kenyan attire, possibly reflecting cultural pride, and a patient whose lock-style necklace symbolized their involvement in the B**M community.
• These details often lead to deeper discussions in therapy.
3. Changes in Clothing Reflect Psychological Growth:
• Some patients modify their wardrobe as they progress through therapy.
• A woman seeking therapy for postpartum depression started dressing more formally to appear more confident.
• A patient recovering from an eating disorder initially wore baggy clothes but later chose more form-fitting outfits as her confidence improved.
4. Clothing Can Lead to Misinterpretations or Boundary Issues:
• Some patients feel that therapists‘ comments on their clothing can be too personal or even intrusive.
• One patient ended therapy after a therapist misidentified the brand of her coat, leading her to feel misunderstood.
• Some people deliberately dress up for therapy to project a more controlled or mature self-image.

Key Point of Views
• Clothing in therapy is more than just an outfit—it can be a symbol of a patient’s emotions, identity, and psychological progress.
• Therapists should be mindful of interpreting clothing choices, while also ensuring they respect boundaries and avoid overanalyzing personal attire.

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Misty White Sidell - What Is Your Outfit Telling Your Therapist? - The New York Times – Style - February 13th 2025.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common psychiatric disorder that is often unrecognized and untreated. Here is a study...
18/02/2025

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common psychiatric disorder that is often unrecognized and untreated. Here is a study that explored Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) treatment in patients with SAD.

Key Findings:
1. Both CBGT and MBSR effectively reduced negative emotions and improved the regulation of negative self-beliefs in SAD patients.
2. Differences in brain activity changes:
• CBGT increased activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is associated with cognitive reappraisal.
• MBSR enhanced activity in brain regions related to attention regulation and acceptance.
3. One-year follow-up showed long-term benefits for both therapies, with CBGT improving reappraisal skills and MBSR promoting acceptance.
4. Different mechanisms of action:
• CBGT reduces anxiety by modifying maladaptive thoughts about social fears.
• MBSR reduces anxiety by enhancing present-moment awareness and non-judgmental acceptance.

Contributions:
• First study to compare CBGT and MBSR in SAD patients at a neural level, providing insights into their distinct mechanisms.
• Offers neuroimaging evidence supporting the long-term efficacy of both therapies, emphasizing differences in emotion regulation strategies.
• Provides a scientific basis for personalized treatment selection, suggesting that therapy choice should be tailored to individual patient needs.

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Goldin, Philippe R., et al. ”Evaluation of cognitive behavioral therapy vs mindfulness meditation in brain changes during reappraisal and acceptance among patients with social anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial.“ JAMA psychiatry78.10 (2021): 1134-1142.

Comorbidity is highly prevalent in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study explores the relationship...
08/02/2025

Comorbidity is highly prevalent in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study explores the relationship between ASD, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), moving beyond the traditional concept of comorbidity.

Key Findings
• Significant Symptom Overlap Between ASD, SAD, and OCD: ASD patients scored second highest (after SAD) on the social anxiety questionnaire (SHY-SV) and second highest (after OCD) on the obsessive-compulsive questionnaire (OBS-SV), indicating notable symptom presence in these areas.
• ASD and PD Show Some Connection in Panic-Agoraphobic Symptoms, but ASD scores did not significantly differ from those of SAD and OCD groups.
• Supports the ”Neurodevelopmental Continuum“ Hypothesis, suggesting that SAD and OCD might be part of a broader neurodevelopmental disorder rather than distinct psychiatric conditions.

Contributions
• Challenges the traditional comorbidity concept, providing evidence that ASD, SAD, and OCD may stem from shared neurodevelopmental abnormalities rather than merely co-occurring.
• Emphasizes the need for individualized assessment, as future clinical interventions and diagnoses should consider the continuum between disorders rather than treating them as isolated conditions.
• Provides new perspectives on psychiatric classification, supporting a dimensional approach to diagnosis rather than categorical classification, potentially improving understanding and treatment of ASD-related psychiatric disorders.

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Dell’Osso, L., Amatori, G., Bonelli, C. et al. Autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety and obsessive–compulsive disorders: beyond the comorbidity. BMC Psychiatry 25, 37 (2025).

This study examines the role of generative strategies and working memory capacity (WMC) in improving word problem-solvin...
06/02/2025

This study examines the role of generative strategies and working memory capacity (WMC) in improving word problem-solving accuracy in children with math difficulties (MD).

Key Findings：
• Generative strategies (especially Relevant and Complete conditions) significantly improved problem-solving accuracy in children with MD.
• Complete condition was the most effective in helping children identify key problem components (e.g., problem statement, key numbers, operations).
• Restate and Relevant conditions improved working memory performance (operation span), suggesting cognitive benefits beyond problem-solving.
• Effects of generative strategies were moderated by WMC, with children having higher WMC benefiting more from the intervention.

Contributions：
• Demonstrates that generative learning strategies, particularly Relevant and Complete, can effectively enhance problem-solving in children with MD.
• Highlights the moderating role of working memory in strategy training and problem-solving, suggesting individualized interventions.
• Provides insights for developing targeted math intervention programs for children at risk for math disabilities.

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Swanson, H. L., Moran, A. S., Bocian, K., Lussier, C., & Zheng, X. (2013). Generative Strategies, Working Memory, and Word Problem Solving Accuracy in Children at Risk for Math Disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 36(4), 203-214.

Have you ever suffered from insomnia? What do you do usually when you have insomnia? Here is an article that explores th...
03/02/2025

Have you ever suffered from insomnia? What do you do usually when you have insomnia? Here is an article that explores the effects of listening to music on insomnia.

Key Findings：
• Listening to music significantly improves subjective sleep quality (as indicated by a reduction in PSQI scores), with moderate-certainty evidence.
• There may be minor improvements in insomnia severity, sleep-onset latency, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency, but the evidence quality is low.
• No significant effect was found on sleep interruption.
• Objective measures (PSG) did not show significant improvements in sleep parameters.
• No adverse events were reported.

Contributions：
• Provides moderate-certainty evidence that listening to music improves subjective sleep quality.
• Calls for further high-quality research to examine its effects on other sleep parameters and daytime consequences of insomnia.
• Highlights the potential influence of factors such as music selection and intervention duration on effectiveness.

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Jespersen KV, Pando-Naude V, Koenig J, Jennum P, Vuust P. Listening to music for insomnia in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2022, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD010459. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010459.pub3. Accessed 31 January 2025.

Traditionally, the male-to-female ASD ratio is cited as 4:1, but we don’t know if there are any females whose ASD diagno...
31/01/2025

Traditionally, the male-to-female ASD ratio is cited as 4:1, but we don’t know if there are any females whose ASD diagnosis is missed. This article investigates the true prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among females and quantifies biases in recognition and diagnosis.

Key Findings:
1. The true male-to-female ratio for ASD is approximately 3:4, not the traditionally reported 4:1.
2. Significant biases in recognition and diagnosis exist, particularly due to social camouflaging (e.g., girls appearing normal at school but showing ASD traits at home).
3. Around 80% of females with ASD are unrecognized or undiagnosed.

Contributions:
1. The findings highlight the critical need for better recognition and diagnosis of ASD in females, with targeted training for educators, clinicians, and families.
2. The study provides actionable insights to improve female ASD diagnosis and support systems.

McCrossin R. Finding the True Number of Females with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Estimating the Biases in Initial Recognition and Clinical Diagnosis. Children. 2022; 9(2):272.

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