Chronological Changes of Delusions in Adolescent

Kim, Yang Tae; Rim, Hyo Deog

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to analyze a changing picture of the delusional types and contents in Korean adolescent psychotic patients during the last three decades.
METHODS
The subjects were Korean adolescent psychotic patients with definite delusion who had been admitted to Kyungpook University Hospital and classified into three groups:the first group consisting of 39 patients from January 1, 1977 to December 12, 1978;the second group consisting of 41 patients from January 1, 1987 to December 12, 1988;the third group consisting of 44 patients from January 1, 1997 to December 12, 1998.
RESULTS
1) There was no significant difference in sex, age, religion, and parent distributions in three groups. The ratio of college or university graduates was increased in third group. As to birth order, the ratio of the eldest in third group was higher than that in the first two groups. 2) With respect to delusional type, persecutory delusion was the most common in the three groups. With regard to delusional content, delusion with friend theme was the most common and the frequency of it had been increasing. 3) In case of males, frequencies of reference delusion and delusion with friend theme had been increasing, whereas frequency of delusion with superpower theme decreasing. In case of females, frequencies of grandiose delusion and delusion with superpower theme had been increasing. 4) In case of 18-21 agers, frequencies of persecutory delusion and delusion with friend theme had been increasing. The type and content of delusion became diverse as age increased in the three groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that recent shifts in adolescent culture in Korea have had influence on the content of delusion in adolescent psychotic patients.