Journal of the Psychiatric Association of Thailand

Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations (AFPA): History and Role of Thai Psychiatrists

Pichet Udomratn — 2025-12-26

Developing and Evaluating the Bounce-Back Bullying (BBB) Online Program: Effects on Bullying Behavior and Resilience among Secondary School Students

Aranya Jittithaworn — 2025-12-26

Objective: To compare bullying behaviors and resilience between the intervention group and the control group at post-intervention and follow-up.

Method: The quasi-experimental research design was used in this study. The samples consisted of one hundred and six students in grades 7 - 9, who were purposively selected and divided into two groups: an intervention group (31 participants) and a wait-list control group (75 participants). Those in the experimental group obtained a thirty-minute 9 times online program delivered through the Mux Mahidol platform. Meanwhile, the wait-list control group attended regular school activities and waited to join the program after the end of the study period. Participants were assessed with bullying behaviors and resilience questionnaires at baseline, the end of the program, and a 12-week follow-up. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test.

Result: Among the participants in the intervention group, 15 were female (48.40%), 15 were male (48.40%), and 1 identified as another gender (3.20%), with a mean age of 13 years. Most were in Grade 7 (48.40%). In the control group, the majority were male (38 participants, 50.70%), with a mean age of 13 years, and most were in Grade 8 (46.70%). The intervention group reported significantly lower levels of cyberbullying behaviors than the control group at the end of the program (p = 0.025), and lower reinforcement of bullying at the 12-week follow-up (p = 0.048). However, there were no significant differences between groups regarding traditional bullying behaviors and resilience.

Conclusion: The Bounce Back Bullying (BBB) online program was found to reduce cyberbullying behaviors and reinforcement of bullying. Therefore, it may be applied as a supplementary activity to help adolescents recognize, understand, and appropriately cope with bullying.

Association of Gaming and Quality of Life among Thai Adolescents

Witchapong Ariyasuntorn — 2025-12-26

Objective: To investigate the association between different gaming groups (addicted, problematic, and non-addicted) and the quality of life domains: physical health, mental health, education, social functioning, and overall well-being.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey of Thai adolescents aged 13 - 18 years, from January 20 - 23, 2024. The research instruments included demographic data, a game addiction screening test, and the Gamers’ Quality of Life Scales. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the association between the gaming groups and quality of life.

Results: Of the 326 participants, 53.15 were male with a mean age of 16.2 years. The prevalence rates for the addicted, problematic, and non-addicted gaming groups were 15.6%, 25.5%, and 58.9% respectively. The results showed that the non-addicted gaming group had a better quality of life in the physical health, mental health, education, and overall domains compared to the problematic gaming group. Furthermore, the non-addicted gaming group had superior outcomes in all domains of quality of life compared to the addicted gaming group.

Conclusion: Thai adolescents in the problematic gaming group had a worse quality of life in the physical health, mental health, and education domains compared to the non-addicted gaming group. Additionally, both the problematic and addicted gaming groups had poorer quality of life in the mental health and social domains than the non-addicted group.

Attitude Toward Mental Illness and Associated Factors among Preclinical Medical Students at One University in Bangkok

Thitiwat Charoonruck — 2025-12-26

Objectives: To investigate attitudes toward mental illness and associated factors among preclinical medical students at one university.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 343 preclinical medical students (years 1 - 3) enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine at a university in Bangkok during the 2024 academic year. Participants were selected using stratified sampling. Data were collected from June 1 to October 30, 2024, through self-administered questionnaires covering demographics, direct and indirect experiences with mental illness, attitudes towards mental illness using the Thai version of the Mental Illness: Clinicians' Attitudes Scale (Medical student version) MICA-2, and mental health status using the 15-item Thai Mental Health Indicator (TMHI-15). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression.

Results: Medical students were 50.7% male, with an average age of 19.2 years. The majority (51%) had mental health scores comparable to the general population. The average MICA-2 score was 43.2 points. Factors associated with attitudes toward mental illness included the following; lower mental health levels were associated with a more negative attitude toward mental illness (β = 2.492, p = 0.012), higher mental health levels were associated with a more positive attitude (β = -4.056, p < 0.001), and having previously experienced suicidal ideations, death wishes, or self-harm thoughts was associated with a more positive attitude toward mental illness (β = -2.225, p = 0.036).

Conclusion: Preclinical medical students in this study generally demonstrated positive attitudes toward mental illness. Mental health status was associated with these attitudes towards. Promoting mental well-being and supporting students who have experienced mental health challenges may contribute to fostering more positive attitudes towards mental illness.

Association between the Number of Posterior Occlusal Pairs and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province

Warut Chalittikul — 2025-12-26

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the number of posterior occlusal pairs, and cognitive impairment among older adults in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province.

Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among older adults (aged 60 and above) in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, from September to October 2019. A total of 270 participants were recruited using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected via a general information questionnaire, cognitive screening using the Thai version of the Mini-Cog, and an oral examination by a single, calibrated dentist to record the number of functional teeth and posterior occlusal pairs. The relationship was analyzed using logistic regression.

Results: The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 65.6%. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified factors significantly associated with cognitive impairment: age (adjusted OR = 12.158, 95% CI: 2.629 - 40.732), education level (adjusted OR = 3.306, 95% CI: 1.528 - 7.152), and the number of posterior occluding pairs (adjusted OR = 1.964, 95% CI: 1.134 - 3.400).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the association between the number of posterior occlusal pairs and cognitive impairment. These findings highlight the necessity of integrating oral health strategies, particularly the promotion of oral health to maintain functional masticatory teeth, into public health programs for dementia prevention and health promotion among older adults and middle-aged adult populations in Thailand.