The Study on the Facilitating Factors in Early Successful Adjustment of Married Female Immigrants

결혼이민여성의 초기 적응 성공요인에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to find the factors that facilitate married female immigrants' early adjustment in Korea. For this purpose, 14 immigrated female participants living in Daegu were interviewed in-depth by using an open-ended questionnaire. The major findings are as follows: Through content analysis of participants' responses, three major factors were found to influence successful adjustment of married female immigrants personal factors, familial support and the social support system. Among the personal factors, having a conservative marital attitude, optimism and liking the partner rather than economic concern for the reason of marital decision making are contributing factors to the successful marital adjustment. Above all, familial support, a husband's good personality, care, and active support are the important factors in a foreign wife's adjustment and life satisfaction. Parent-in-law's help and tolerance playa role in a foreign daughter-in-law's successful adjustment. In the social support system, joined activities and the support of mends from the homeland make a contribution to decreasing the sense of isolation and to giving mental well-being for married female immigrants. The center for support of multicultural family gives them the opportunity to meet people from their homelands and to expand the social network.