Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide. The importance of neurophysiological markers in their diagnosis and treatment is increasing. This review aims to explore characteristics of heart rate variability (HRV), a physiological marker that reflects the balance of the autonomic nervous system, and its relevance to anxiety disorders. Additionally, it discusses how HRV measurements can be practically applied in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders. HRV has been subjected to time-domain analysis, frequency-domain analysis, and non-linear analysis. Numerous studies have reported reduced HRV and changes in its indexes for patients with anxiety disorders, although findings have been inconsistent. Particularly, HRV indexes that reflect low parasympathetic nervous system activity could be used to understand biological characteristics in the assessment and treatment of pathologic anxiety as a transdiagnostic biomarker of anxiety disorders. HRV biofeedback training has shown promising effects in alleviating anxiety symptoms and restoring autonomic balance, positioning it as a potentially important therapeutic intervention for anxiety regulation and management. With recent advancements in digital therapeutics, HRV-based interventions are becoming increasingly accessible. However, individual differences in HRV, influence of various confounding variables observed in HRV research, complexities of study design, and limited specificity of HRV for psychiatric diagnoses hinder its clinical application. This paper highlights the potential role of HRV in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders and proposes directions for future research.

Objective : To evaluate functional equivalence of Maumgyeol MINI, a smartphone-based mental health assessment tool, with Maumgyeol Basic, a clinically validated biosignal system, and to determine whether MINI could serve as a valid, scalable alternative to Basic for physiological monitoring and mental health assessment by examining correlations between biometric indices derived from each platform. Methods : Thirty-six adults completed both the MINI and Basic assessments. Key heart rate variability (HRV) metrics-including Total Power (TP), Very Low Frequency (VLF), Low Frequency (LF), and High Frequency (HF)-were extracted from photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals. Partial correlation analyses with age and gender controlled were conducted to examine cross-platform alignment. Results : Significant, moderate-to-strong partial correlations were observed across all HRV indices: VLF (r=0.43, p=0.009), HF (r=0.58, p=0.0002), LF (r=0.46, p=0.005), and TP (r=0.56, p=0.0004), indicating consistent physiological patterns between the two systems. Conclusion : Results of this study support the functional equivalence of Maumgyeol MINI and Basic in capturing physiologically meaningful HRV metrics. These findings suggest that MINI is a valid and accessible option for large-scale or remote mental health monitoring, particularly when wearable smart devices are not feasible.

Objective : Peer Support, in which individuals who share common experiences provide instrumental or emotional support to each other, is a crucial resource for the well-being of medical students. However, structured training in peer support systems and research on their effectiveness is lacking. Thus, the objective of this study was to explore the effects of peer support training on medical students' perceptions and behaviors regarding care for others and self-care. Methods : This qualitative study examined the effects of peer support training based on reflective essays written by 28 medical students from a single medical school in Korea. The training included lectures, workshops, and assignments covering self-awareness, self-management, communication, and mentoring skills. A thematic analysis was performed following Braun and Clarke's model. Results : Thematic analysis identified three main themes and 10 subthemes representing changes in students' care for others and self-care. Theme 1, strengthening empathic communication skills, included three subthemes: respect for others' diverse perspectives, acquisition of active listening skills, and practice of empathic communication. Theme 2, developing mentoring-specific competencies, included three subthemes: formation of a mentee-centered mentoring attitude, enhancing self-confidence in mentoring, and understanding the limitations of mentors. Theme 3, promoting well-being through self-care, included four subthemes: understanding the importance of self-care, improving self-awareness, the practice of self-management, and the formation of new supportive relationships within the school. Conclusion : Our findings confirmed the impact of peer support training in fostering comprehensive development of care for others and self-care practices. This study highlights that peer support training can enhance students' competencies as mentors and their personal growth.

Objective : To investigate graduating medical students' preferences for psychiatry as a specialty and factors influencing their career choices over 13 years. Methods : Data were collected through an annual graduation survey conducted at a medical school in Seoul from 2009 to 2021. The survey included questions on preferred specialties and factors influencing career choices. A total of 1,468 responses were analyzed after excluding incomplete or invalid responses. Analysis of variance and independent-sample t-test were used to compare factors influencing career preferences among specialty preference groups. Results : Among the respondents, 7.2% selected psychiatry as their first-choice specialty, while 7.7% considered it as a second or third option. Demographic characteristics of students preferring psychiatry did not significantly differ from those of the total sample or other specialty preference groups, except for surgical specialties in terms of gender distribution. Compared to students preferring other specialties, psychiatry-preferring students placed significantly greater importance on the residency training environment (lifestyle factors). In contrast, they assigned significantly lower importance to academic career opportunities. Conclusion : Understanding factors that motivate medical graduates to develop an interest in psychiatry and choose it as their specialty can help attract talented individuals and ensure a stable pipeline of psychiatric specialists.