• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.125-146
• /
• 2010

A total of 181 college students(61 males 121 females) with at least 5 years of living abroad (Returnee Group) and another group of 181 students (92 males and 93 females) without extended period of living abroad (Comparison Group) participated in the study by completing a questionnaire consisting of Acculturation Index, Multidimensional Acculturation Scale, Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, CES-D, and WHOQOL. The results indicated that the Returnee Group, compared to the Comparison Group, reported as good adjustment toward college life in Korea and positive attitude toward the Korean identity, but a higher level of loneliness. When the Returnee Group were divided into 4 different groups on the basis of acculturation pattern, the Integration and Assimilation Type reported a better adjustment to college life, lower depression and loneliness and better quality of life than the Marginalization Type. The Mariginalization Type appears to be the most vulnerable group, experiencing difficulties in all areas of adjustment, and is clearly in need of interventions. Limitations of the present study and suggestions for future research were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 2015

Among the cultural groups that increase South Korea's diversity, there are adolescents returning to Korea after their stay abroad. From 15 in-depth interviews with those who stayed abroad for longer than 5 years, 11 codes were generated. The codes were divided into two categories: "assets" when the multicultural experience served as resources for the returnees adapting to Korean culture successfully and "disadvantages" when the multiple experience remained fragmented for the returnees experiencing difficulty in re-acculturation. The distinguishing factors between the success and difficulty in re-acculturation appeared to be the cultural identity as Korean and the "openness to experience." The interwoven nature of personal and social factors stood out, along with the role of cultural identity throughout the process. Also the "openness to experience" as a strategy of integrating the past experiences is discussed, as well as the implications of the findings and the suggestions for future studies in the contemporary multicultural South Korea as a host society.

• (The)Korea Educational Review
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.225-251
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine study abroad participation and its relationship with career decision self-efficacy. It also aims to explore the explanatory factors for this relationship using mixed methods. Data were collected from 258 study abroad participants using pre- and post-test surveys at the A university. Subsequently, qualitative interviews with 16 participants were conducted to explain quantitative results. Findings showed that the career-related achievement goal and participants' interactions with local students played an important role in participants' career development. On the other hand, the group of participants whose career decision self-efficacy decreased after participation were also identified. This finding can be understood from the qualitative finding that participants bounced back to their previous career plans after return, re-experiencing the barrier of reality in finding a job in the Korean society. This is different from the circumstances in a destination country they studied abroad in. In addition, the quantitative finding can be understood from the qualitative finding that some students decided to participate in study abroad program simply for vacation and international experiences, without trying to relate it to career exploration. Based on findings from this study, implications for higher education institutions running a study abroad program were discussed and suggestions for future research were provided.

• (The)Korea Educational Review
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.5-30
• /
• 2017

In this study, we analyzed the longitudinal effect of participation in an overseas exchange student program on foreign language competence, intercultural competence, and personal development. Data were collected over three time points from the pre-, post-, and post-post tests with Korean college students who participated in an overseas exchange program. Hierarchical linear model was conducted to examine whether the change of participation effects exists over time and which predictors affected outcomes. The results of unconditional growth model showed that foreign language competence, cultural competence, and personal development showed statistically significant differences in their initial status prior to departure to participate in an overseas program as well as their growth rate. The results of conditional growth model showed that parents' level of education and overseas experiences before college affected the initial status of foreign language competence, and gender and overseas experience before college affected those of cultural competence as well as personal development. In case of growth rate, overseas experience before college and destination country/region affected foreign language competence, and interactions between Korean participating students and local students affected cultural competence. For personal development, only overseas experiences before college affected its growth rate. Lastly, relevant discussion and implications were provided.