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Kim, Kim, Woo, Park, and Keum: Communication abilities, Interpersonal Relationship, Anxiety, and Depression in Korean Soldiers
Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2011; 20(1): 81-90.

Published online: 31 March 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2011.20.1.81

Communication abilities, Interpersonal Relationship, Anxiety, and Depression in Korean Soldiers

Sunah Kim1, Hyun Lye Kim2, Chunghee Woo3, Suin Park4, Ran Keum5

1Professor, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Korea.

2Research Professor, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Korea.

3Doctoral Student, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Korea.

4Master's Student, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Korea.

5Director, Goyang Community Mental Health Center, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Keum, Ran, 2nd floor, Goyang Community Mental Health Center, 33-28 Wondang-ro, Deogyang-gu, Goyang 412-812, Korea. Tel: 82-31-969-2333, Fax: 82-31-968-2334, keumran@yahoo.co.kr

Received 16 January 2011       Revised 14 March 2011       Accepted 18 March 2011

© 2011 The Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing

(open-access):

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore status and level of communication ability, interpersonal relationships, anxiety, and depression in Korean soldiers and identify factors that influence depression.

Methods

A cross sectional study design was employed. The instruments were PCI (Primary Communication Inventory), RCS (Relationship Change Scale), STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and CES-D (The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale). Data were collected from 961 soldiers from Gyeong-gi Province and analyzed using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program.

Results

The mean score for PCS, RCS were 87.0±11.43; and 98.8±14.17 respectfully and for STAI-I (state-anxiety), and STAI-II (trait-anxiety), 34.7±10.36; and 36.6±9.64 respectfully, and for CES-D, 11.2±7.0. Of the participants 22.2% were in the clinical group for depression. Major variables showing significant correlations were family intimacy, intimacy with friends or colleague, and inconvenience in not being able to use computer or internet. STAI-II, intimacy with friends or colleague, STAI-I accounted for 44.2‡ of the variance in depression.

Conclusion

The study results suggest that a systemic approach needed to relieve soldiers' anxiety and depression. Development of program for communication training, activities for leisure and interpersonal relationship during military life could contribute to lessening depression and anxiety in solder.

Keywords: Communication abilities, Interpersonal relationship, Anxiety, Depression, Soldiers

Figures and Tables

Table 1

General Characteristics (N=961)

jkapmhn-20-81-i001
Table 2

Descriptive Data of Major Variables (N=961)

jkapmhn-20-81-i002

†Mean of each item.

Table 3

Correlations among Variables (N=961)

jkapmhn-20-81-i003

X1=duration of military service; X2=economic status of family; X3=family intimacy; X4=friends of colleague intimacy; X5=inconvenience not using computer or internet; X6=communication ability; X7=interpersonal relations level; X8=trait anxiety; X9=state anxiety, X10=depression.

Table 4

Influencing Factors on Depression in Clinical Group by CES-D

jkapmhn-20-81-i004

Notes

This research was supported by the Goyang Community Mental Health Center's Military Mental Health Project Fund.

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