2007, Vol.9, No.

Journal of Counseling and Gospel 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.55

pISSN : 1739-0745 / eISSN : 2799-6530
https://journal.kci.go.kr/jocag

Asperger’s disorder is one of several autism spectrum disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and by restricted interests and activities. Asperger’ s disorder is different from the other autism spectrum disorder in having no general delay in language or cognitive development. Children with Asperger’s disorder approach others, but fail to react appropriately. They desire for friends, but they fail to develop friendships. Prevalence of Asperger’s disorder is around 1 child per 200-300 children. Although the prevalence estimates arise slowly, there is little consensus on diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s disorder. Recent researches focus only on cognitive aspects, by employing neurological tests. Many children with Asperger’s disorder are misdiagnosed with atypical autism. The purpose of this paper is to suggest typical syndrome that will be helpful to differentiate atypical autism from Asperger’s disorder. This paper also deal with screening tools that be helpful to prevent delayed diagnosis and then offers preventive methods and treatment.

Depression as flue of emotional disorder in the postmodern society affects our whole being, body, affection, cognition, will and spirit. Here, symptoms and causal factors of depression were examined. Inner dynamics of Christian depressed including excessive feelings of guilt and worthlessness about themselves and of the anger against other people, themselves and even against God, were examined. Depression may be partly in our genes, childhood experience, our way of thinking, our brains and ways of handling emotions. Generally it is said that recovery from depression can only come about through a continuous act of will, a self-discipline applied to emotions, behavior, and relationships in the here and now. But this study dealt with the problem of the Christian depressed with holistic approach, namely pastoral counseling approach with spiritual dimension, since we diagnosed depression affects our whole being. Accordingly, I took theological perspective and dealt with the contents of value system and quality of faith of the depressed by utilizing their God-images. It is the hypothesis of this study that through the true and biblical knowledge of God-images and experience of the goodness and therapeutic power of that Godimages, healing and recovery from depression comes about. Second hypothesis is that if people’s God-image change, their view to themselves, other people and world also change. Therefore, the content and role of God-images were scrutinized.

Seung-Hui Cho murdered 32 innocent people, leaving 25 wounded, in Virginia Tech massacre. Who was Cho and what made this terrible rampage happen? He demonstrated extreme shyness in childhood, and he seemed to have stored devastating anger in adolescence. His unique personality and a new environment as an immigrant conjointly contributed to the dreadful killings. Cho showed psychological traits of both social phobia and anti-social personality disorder. He had history of receiving therapy because of his unusual behaviors and thoughts. Social anxiety aggravated his inability in public speaking, which in turn collected peers’mocking. Humiliation and fear deepened his anxiety, and he was well aware of its causes clearly as other social phobics do. On the other hand, his mischievous behaviors on campus may explain a possible diagnosis of anti-social personality disorder. His aggression that was eventually realized in fact was previously organized and carefully planned, which is distinctive from those with anti-social personality disorder. In addition to his individual troubles, he experienced serious social isolation at school and even in his family. Pastoral theology points to both his individual problems and his social environments. Theological reflections of his case swing in ambivalence between two poles: his life as a victim and his killing of innocent people as a criminal. He had once been abused and now he abused other people’s rights as well as his own freedom of conscience. Therefore, pastoral theologians and counselors must understand the need of individual redemption and social reformation for a Christian healing through this incident.