• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.385-395
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• 2017

This qualitative research is conducted to explore the balancing experience of work and child care of North Korean female defectors. Five of North Korean female defectors from double income family in their 40's were selected and interviewed. The interview data were analyzed by a phenomenological qualitative method. The five categories were derived from the data and included as follows: , , , , . Based on the results of the research the suggestions for practical services, such as parenting education, career path development programs and policies with gender perspective were made. Limitations of the research and further research recommendations were suggested as well.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.55-69
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the female sexual dysfunction of North Korean defector women and to identify related factors. Methods: A total of 110 North Korean defector women who married and lived in South Korean community more than 1 year participated in this study. A self-report questionnaire was used to obtain data. The dependent variable is the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Independent variables were demographic factors (age, education, residential environment, sexual experience(rape), sex knowledge and sex attitude). Data were analyzed using the SPSS for descriptive statistics, t-test, two-way ANOVA, and Multiple Hierarchical Regression. Results: The mean score of sexual function for North Korean defectors was 18.94(SD:5.88). Sexual functioning for North Korean defector women was relatively low, 18.94 in comparison to Rosen's cutoff scores of 26.6. In multiple regression analysis, the sexual function level was significantly higher in elderly, high educational level, stable residential situation, non rape, and conservative sexual attitudes. Conclusions: The results show the status and description of sexual dysfunction in North Korean Women defectors in South Korean community and can be a basic reference for study about sexual dysfunction. However, more study about North Korea Defector Women with sexual dysfunction should be interviewed and evaluated.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the experiences of married North Korean women's child-rearing, working lives, and their home and work environment in depth. Methods: This study adopted van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological method to qualitatively analyze data. The participants were 8 married North Korean women defectors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations from July 4 to August 20, 2018. Results: Nine essential themes emerged: more personal challenges after overcoming a life-threatening crisis; hopes of firmly settling in this land; the wound from the north, which chased them here; a body that becomes stronger through hardship; being stuck in a past full of anxiety and pain; the present is full of hope; hope for the future; sense of alienation from coworkers that cannot be overcome; and sense of power to endure an exhausting work life. Conclusion: This study provided a broader understanding of the life and experiences of married women from North Korea. It highlights the need for nurses to recognize their importance in nursing care. The study also suggests that academic and practical approaches for nursing, and basic data for a nursing intervention for married women from North Korea be provided. The study findings can be used as a basis for preparing a national policy that will help North Korean defectors to find employment and gain stability.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and clinical characteristics of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in North Korean defectors (NKD). Methods : The study population consisted of 300 NKDs registered in the multi-regional adaptation center (Hana Center), within three years of settling in South Korea. We conducted in-person interviews and a survey with each subject, based on the North Korean version of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (NK-CIDI) and various clinical scales. Results : Lifetime prevalence of PTSD in NKDs was 15.3%, approximately nine times higher than South Koreans (1.7%). Although experiencing broader type of traumas with higher rate than South Koreans, NKDs revealed lower odds of PTSD in most type of trauma (p<0.05). Conclusion : NKDs are at higher risk of experiencing different types of trauma than the general population in South Korea, and it is further validated that prevalence of PTSD is also higher. Careful evaluation for comorbid psychiatric symptoms and type of traumas prior to PTSD treatment for NKDs is necessary to facilitate more appropriate intervention for each subject, according to personal experience.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2018

This study examined the resilience of North Korean defectors, resilience and the factors influencing resilience, and explored methods of improving their resilience. 129 North Korean defectors, who were trained in B city, participated in the survey from November, 2016 to February, 2017. The resilience, health promoting behavior, and self-esteem were measured. The mean scores were 3.46 for resilience. There were significant positive correlations between resilience and self-esteem. The influence of the independent variables on the on the resilience was examined using regression analysis. Models including the variables explained 11.7%(F=9.460, p<.001) of the variance for the resilience. These findings demonstrate that it is essential for nurses to continuously intervene and help North Korean defectors so as to promote their resilience and self-esteem.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.49-58
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal trajectories of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression and to identify the factors that influence these trajectories in North Korean Defectors (NKD). Methods : NKD (n=300) who registered in the multi-regional adaptation center (Hana Center), within three years of settling in South Korea, were recruited into this study. Life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression were assessed with self-report questionnaires over a period of 4 years (7 waves of data). Latent growth modeling was conducted to assess the changes in life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression. Results : Findings from both unconditional and conditional models (with gender, South Korea settlement age, household income, marital status, and PTSD at wave 1) indicated a linear increase in loneliness and depression, and a linear decrease in life satisfaction over the 4-year period. In the conditional model, gender predicted the intercept of life satisfaction and depression. In addition, PTSD predicted the intercept of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression and slope of depression. Conclusion : Our finding suggests that the mental health of NKD tends to deteriorate over time after settling in South Korea. Therefore, continuous support is necessary for their successful adaptation to the South Korean Society.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.101-126
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• 2003

The purpose of present study is to investigate what is the most important factor among personality, social relation perception, and cultural influence on North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias, and how their self-enhancement bias influences on their psychological adaptation in South Korea. To implement this, we compared the self-enhancement bias of South Korean undergraduates and North Korean Defector undergraduates, and social desirability, too. However, there was no significant result. Based on this outcome, we focused on 121 North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias mechanism. We found that personality and social relation perception factors influenced significantly on their self- enhancement bias and furthermore their self-enhancement bias affected on their psychological adaptation. In addition to this, we identified sex difference at this mechanism. That is, women showed the same pattern with the existing findings in the study of self-enhancement bias mechanism, but men showed somewhat different pattern.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.395-402
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• 2017

This study examinedthe adaptive flexibility of North Korean adolescent defectors in order to examine how they should see themselves and cope with various situations, and analyzedthe effect of their resilience on their self-esteem and social problem-solving ability. The study subjects were 223 North Korean adolescents (10 - 25 year olds) living in South Korea. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 statistical programs. The study results showed that the resilience of North Korean adolescents had a statistically significant effect on their self-esteem and social problem-solving ability. In particular, resilience had a high correlation with self-esteem, and self-esteem had a high correlation with social problem solving ability. In addition, self-esteem was the mediating factor between resilience and social problem-solving ability. The self-esteem of North Korean adolescent defectors played a particularly important role. Therefore, professional protection and support should be provided with the help of related experts such as youth leaders and counselors who would be able to enhance the self-esteem of North Korean adolescent defectors.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

The purpose of this paper is to examine how multi-cultural acceptability affects the perception of necessity of unification through structural equation model. The multi-cultural acceptability, familiarity with North Korean defectors, and awareness of unification were selected as the latent variables and the full / partial mediator models were built for structural equations. The observed variables for each latent variable were data that were collected through the National Survey on the Integration of North and South Korea conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification in 2015. As a result, the acceptance of multiculturalism had a significant effect on the intimacy of the defectors, which had a positive effect on the recognition of the need for unification. The intimacy of the defectors was more influential as a parameter for full mediation than for partial mediation. Although the consciousness of unification gets weakened by postwar generations, that the phenomenon that changes into a multicultural society plays a part in recognizing the necessity of unification. In addition, the increase of North Korean defectors may ultimately become a factor in recognizing the need for unification. This study demonstrated that increasing the acceptance of multiculturalism can increase the need for unification, which means that more research fields can be derived.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.193-217
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• 2005

Due to the increasing concerns with the North Korean defectors, the researches have been increased. When it is compared with other areas, the researches about the North Korean defectors are rare. The sample size of this study is 164, which makes it possible to do statistical inferences. As statistical methods, t-test, ANOVA and hierarchical multiple regressions are used. This study examines the effect of the adjustment stress and the social support on the depressive symptoms. Demographic factors such as gender, age and education are controlled. The context factors-the period of the stay in the third place, the period of residence and the existence of the education in Korea- are used as control variables. The research results show that the level of social participation of the women is higher than that of men. Also, there are differences of the functional social support by the age group. The research result indicates the education of South Korea is an important factor to reduce the depressive symptoms. The research result also shows that the jobless is an important stressor. Among structural social support, the member of religious or social group is an important factor for reducing depressive symptoms. Among functional social support, the emotional social support is an important factor of adaptation, but the effect of instrumental social support is the opposite. Therefore, the adequacy of social support in a specific situation must be considered.