Although the global prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is very high, the experience of healing after such abuse has not been well documented. The goal of this study was to characterize the healing experience among CSA survivors presented in the literature. Metaethnography was used to synthesize an integrative literature review. The CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were used as data sources. Eight articles that explored healing experiences from CSA, published between 2007 and 2017, were included in the analysis. After performing a quality assessment, line-of-argument synthesis was used to construct the integrating scheme of healing experiences from CSA. CSA healing experiences included dissociating oneself from the memories of CSA, finding peace by creating a comfort zone, disclosure as the start of healing, attempting to establish identity through ongoing self-reflective activities, feeling comfort by sharing experiences and connecting with CSA survivors, and accepting CSA as part of the life history and stepping forward. Healing experiences from CSA synthesized from the analysis focused on personal growth, supporting previous theory on CSA health in the broader literature. A tailored care plan could be developed for CSA survivors who are at varying stages of healing.

With the number of smartphone users growing around the world, children are using smartphones from an increasingly early age. Consequently, a significant number of children are being exposed to the risk of smartphone addiction, which is emerging as a serious social problem. Smartphone addiction can negatively impact children’s physical, cognitive, and social development. Previous studies have demonstrated that parental smartphone addiction influences that of their children. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between parental smartphone addiction and children’s smartphone addiction and the mediating effects of children’s depression and social withdrawal. Data are drawn from National Youth Policy Institute’s 2018 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. Respondents comprise 2011 fourth-grade elementary school students and their parents. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 software. Results show that the relationship between parental smartphone addiction and that of their children has a significantly positive mediating effect on children’s social withdrawal, but no such effect on children’s depression and there were no serial effects of children’s depression and social withdrawal. Consequently, educational programs that control parents’ smartphone usage, improve the parent–child relationship, and engender social sensitivity should be developed to reduce and prevent smartphone addiction among children.

Given the global prevalence of breast cancer and its high mortality rate, adherence to long-term anti-hormonal therapy is crucial for preventing recurrence and improving survival outcomes. Previous research demonstrates how psychological factors including depression and empowerment impact medication adherence. However, comprehensive studies remain limited, especially in Korea. This study explores the effects of depression and empowerment on medication adherence among patients with breast cancer undergoing anti-hormonal therapy. This descriptive survey involved 183 patients with breast cancer from one hospital in South Korea; participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess medication adherence, depression levels using the Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and empowerment levels using a tool developed for women with breast cancer. Hierarchical regression explored relationships and influences between variables. Participants demonstrated an average depression score of 19.67 ± 11.25, with medication adherence measured at 18.06 ± 5.15 and empowerment at 106.40 ± 18.15, revealing that, among patients with breast cancer, many experienced depression with varying levels: 16.9% mild, 27.3% moderate, and 21.9% severe. Medication adherence levels were distributed, with 58.5% of patients categorized as non-adherent and 41.5% categorized as adherent. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between depression and medication adherence and a positive correlation between empowerment and medication adherence. Higher empowerment levels were associated with improved adherence. Conversely, high depression levels were associated with low medication adherence. This study enhances understandings of psychosocial factors influencing medication adherence in patients with breast cancer, highlighting patient empowerment as crucial for healthcare interventions. Thus, healthcare providers should implement targeted interventions including educational programs to inform patients about their treatment regimens, provide counseling services addressing mental health concerns such as depression, and establish support groups fostering a sense of community and shared experiences among patients. By integrating these strategies into patient care, healthcare professionals can significantly enhance patient empowerment and improve medication adherence toward better health outcomes for breast cancer patients. Future research could explore the long-term effects of these interventions on adherence and overall patient well-being.

Suicide is the topmost cause of death among adolescents in South Korea and is deeply related to depression. This study aimed to identify gender differences in the factors affecting depression among multicultural adolescents. This study is a secondary analysis using data from a national survey, the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS) conducted in 2017. The participants were 1160 multicultural adolescents ranging from 15 to 18 years, living in Korea, and whose fathers were Koreans and mothers were foreigners. The results showed that depression scores were higher for females (18.35) than males (16.38, t = 6.42, p < 0.001). In total, seven factors affected depression among male multicultural adolescents’ and the model explained 50.5% of the total variance (F = 77.99, p < 0.001), while four factors affected female multicultural adolescents’ depression, and the model explained 51.4% of the total variance (F = 100.02, p < 0.001). Significant gender differences were found in factors that influence depression among multicultural adolescents. Therefore, depression prevention programs for multicultural adolescents need to vary according to gender. Additionally, these programs should target families and teachers of multicultural adolescents as well.

Park JJ, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2017 Nov;32(11):1771-1778. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2017.32.11.1771