Objective : This study examined differences in body image among Taiwanese female college students in Eastern Taiwan. Method : A total of 109 Taiwanese women were grouped according to BMI category : severely underweight, underweight, acceptable weight, and overweight-Obese. They voluntarily completed a Body-Image Questionnaire, comprised of two parts ; the Part 1 about cognitive attitude toward body size, including (1) Self : I think I am :, (2) Ideal self : I would like to :, and (3) subject satisfaction with body ; the Part 2 is figure rating scale : self perception of body shape. Results : This study found that : In Part 1 : In contrast with BMI, many severely underweight, underweight, and acceptable subjects overestimated their body size. The percentage of subjects who wanted to lose weight to present their ideal body size was in proportion with BMI. On the contrary, subjects who wanted to gain weight and stay the same to present their ideal body size decreasing with BMI. There were significant differences between the four groups. The percentage of satisfied with their body decreased with BMI. In Part 2 : the number rating of how they thought they looked (Think), how they felt the most of the time (Feel), and how others saw them (Other) was the fewest in the severely underweight group and the most in the overweight-obese group. The ratings were in proportion with BMI and significantly different between the four groups. On the contrary, the ratings of their own ideal figure, the figure of most attractive to men (Attractive), and the male figure of most attractive to you (Opposite) were the same regardless body size (BMI). There were no significant differences between the four groups. Furthermore, the discrepancies between the figure of their own ideal, the most of attractive to men and the figure of how they thought they looked, how they felt the most of time, and how others saw them were significantly different between the four groups. Conclusion : The severely underweight, underweight, and acceptable weight subjects overestimated their body size. The number rating of how they thought they looked, how they felt the most of time, and how others saw them and the proportion of those wanted to lose weight to present their ideal body size increased with BMI. On the other hand, the subjects' own ideal figure, the figure they thought most attractive to men and the male figure most attractive to them were the same regardless BMI.

View full abstract

In Japan brain death organ transplantation was just started recently and many patients requiring transplant are still under strong mental stresses because of long waiting period, low possibility of transplant, long distance from their home to transplantation hospital. In order to investigate mental states of cadaver heart or lung transplant candidates, psychiatric diagnosis, psychological or behavioral problems and need for treatment were evaluated around the time of registration to waiting list and followed up. The subjects consisted of 71 heart transplant candidates (male 54, female 17, average age 35, SD = 18) in Osaka University Hospital and National Cardiovascular Center from December 1997 to May 2001 and 11 lung transplant candidates (male 4, female 7, average age 38, SD = 11) in Osaka University Hospital from April 2000 to May 2001. In about a half of the candidates their dwelling places were out of Kansai area. Forty eight (68%) of 71 heart transplant candidates were equipped with ventricular assist device during the follow-up period. This ratio is much higher than foreign candidates because of severe deficiency of brain death donors in Japan. Among total 82 candidates 41 had more than one DSM-IV diagnosis. Twenty-four candidates were diagnosed as Adjustment Disorder which was most frequent diagnosis. Three candidates had Depressive Disorder, two had Psychotic Disorder and three had Personality Disorder. Excluding the candidates who had only Cognitive Disorders, intelligence problems or Mental Disorders due to a General Medical Condition, 30 candidates (37%) were diagnosed as disorders with mainly psychological elements. Need for intervention in mental problems were divided into four levels such as (1) need for crisis intervention including psychotic state, suicidal idea, extreme agitation and violence, etc : 7 candidates (9%), (2) need for therapy or intensive observation : 23 candidates (28%), (3) need for some attention : 38 candidates (46%), (4) no need of specific concern : only 14 candidates (17%). Unstable emotions such as anxiety, depression and irritation were most frequent problems. Organic mental diseases such as delirium, cognitive dysfunction and personality change due to cerebrovascular disease were important, too. Behavioral problems such as poor compliance, violence, neglect of rules, withdrawal and regression were difficult to treat because personality problems were often behind them. Such high rate of necessity for mental treatment or attention indicates that consultation-liaison activity is important in heart or lung transplantation. Especially candidates having severe mental problems may become contraindication for transplant. Urgent and sufficient mental treatment and support must be provided for them. In the future more efficient liaison structure should be made and consultation-liaison activity should be expanded into many hospitals that are not transplant hospital but have to manage transplant candidates. It would also be important to support family of candidates who experience strong and long-lasting mental stresses.

View full abstract

Background : It is said that the progression of bronchial asthma in children, especially where the child lapses into a worse condition is influenced by understanding both the degree of the disease and the psychological condition of the mother. In this study, we studied the attitude of asthmatic children's mothers to the patients, and tried to clarify these influences on the progression of bronchial asthma. Method : The subjects of the study are asthmatic children who are in the 4^<th> 5^<th> and 6^<th> grade of elementary school, and their mothers. The children are all pediatric outpatients of Showa Medical School Hospital. The total number is 28, including 15 boys and 13 girls. The number of moderate asthmatic patients are 6 and mild patients are 22. We made a simple questionnaire which asks about the mother's attitude toward childcare and toward the disease. This was filled out by the asthmatic children's mothers and compared with the physical factors of asthma. An egogram check list and SCT were filled out by the asthmatic children and also compared with the physical factors of asthma. Result : We found that the mothers scored high in terms of anxiety and interference in daily life childcare, with moderate asthmatic children's mothers interfering more than mild asthmatic children's mothers. With regard to the relationship between the egogram and severity, there was no difference between moderate asthmatic children and mild asthmatic children according to the present investigation. Conclusion : From the present investigation, we found that even where the genetic factors are strong, that doesn't mean it is difficult to get well, and there are cases in which genetic factors are strong and yet symptoms changed from moderate to mild. Thus it is thought that comprehensive treatment, including the environment arrangement and psychological support, is necessary and important. Consulting with each patient by using questionnaire investigation is one of the methods which can help prevent the aggravation of bronchial asthma in children.

View full abstract

There are many cases of young adolescents having over-adaptation or mal-adaptation at school or work place. Fasting therapy was performed for some of these cases. This report is a survey of treatment and adaptation after the fasting therapy. A total of 35 patients (male-5, female-30) received fasting therapy at our department. There were seven cases whose age were 13 and 14, 25 cases aged between 15 and 20 and three cases over the age of 21. There were 28 cases of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), three cases of hyperventilation syndrome (HVS), one case of eating disorder (ED), two cases of nervous vomiting (NV) and one case of obesity. In addition, there was one combined case of IBS and HVS and two combined cases of HVS and NV. Most cases ended disease free at the end of the fasting therapy. However, out of the 35 cases, 27 cases (77%) who were readapted returned to school and were socially readapted. One unknown case existed. There were seven cases (20%) of mal-adaptation who did not return to school and were not socially readapted. This included four patients with psychiatic disorders such as personality disorder or mental disorder. Also, twelve cases (34%) needed aftercare such as outpatient care and in three cases only counseling was involved. Nine cases (75% of aftercare patients) required medication. There were fifteen cases (43%) who did not need aftercare. Our fasting therapy decreased patient's symptoms with a 77% rate of successful adaptation. Also in many cases, minor tranquilizers and antidepressants were effective after fasting therapy, but they could bring forth hidden personality and/or mental disorders in somecases.

View full abstract