• Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2014

The number of multicultural families with children are growing in South Korea. When it comes to childrearing, co-existence of two different cultures in these families pose unique challenges as husbands and wives navigate differences in norms and practices. The goal of this study was to examine what predicts involvement in child care among South Korean fathers in multicultural families. We hypothesized that the degree of wives' adaptation to South Korea and husbands' cultural characteristics, such as family ideology and cultural competence, would influence father involvement in child care. The sample consisted of 138 Korean fathers and their wives from China. Participants completed a questionnaire. Results showed that South Korean fathers engaged in a moderate level of child care activities. As hypothesized, their Chinese wives' level of adaptation to South Korea and their own cultural characteristics were significantly associated with their involvement in child care. South Korean fathers were more likely to get involved in child care when their wives were less acculturated. Also, culturally considerate and less traditional men in terms of family ideology were more likely to perform child care.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.73-86
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• 2020

This study examines the North Korean defectors' economic and psychological adjustment status in South Korean society focusing on the specificity of North Korean defectors with the social integration perspective. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 225 North Korean defectors in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do and conducted analysis using the SPSS 22.0 program. The results of the study are as follows. First, the economic adaptation of North Korean defectors was evaluated to be generally low. Second, North Korean refugees' psychological and social adjustment status is generally lower than average, especially cultural adaptation stress, friendship, and satisfaction with physical and mental health. Third, the psychological and cultural adaptation strategy and social support of defectors affected the life satisfaction positively and the adaptation stress had significant negative impact on life satisfaction. Therefore, strategies which reducing adaptive stress and enhancing psychological and cultural adaptation strategies are needed to be implemented in South Korean society. Based on results, policy alternatives were discussed.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.185-196
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to describe initial adaptation processing of North Korean refugee children & Adolescents. Four children, four adolescents and Five faculties were participated in depth-interview. Results indicate that North Korean refugee children and adolescents have difficulties in adaptation. They have problems such as insufficient learning proficiency, confusion in curriculum, cultural gap, difficulty in making a friend, destruction in the family. But at the same time, we found out their unique and positive aspect which might help to overcome their problems. In conclusion, specific concerns and policies should be provided to support their school achievement and social adaptation.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.124-131
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• 2013

South Korea is changing into a multi-cultural society, due to an increase in international marriage, foreign workers and transcultural immigration. In addition, the number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea has increased and now, there are approximately 25000. Therefore, this review have focused on a research that pertains to adaptation and mental health concerns of their children. Children who have immigrated themselves or whose parents have immigrated, might experience language barriers, difficulties in school adjustment, identity confusion and mental health problems. However, their academic performance and developmental status are known to be variable and be affected by socioeconomic status and their parents' educational level. Studies that evaluated the psychological problems of North Korean adolescent refugees' indicated the need for interests in both emotional and behavioral problems. The risk factors of North Korean adolescent refugees' mental health are suggested to be past traumatic experiences, long duration of defection and short period of adaptation. When mental health professionals provide assessment and treatment, they should consider the pre- and post-migration experiences & cultural background that affect the illness behaviors and attitudes toward mental illnesses. Lastly, the majority of children with multi-cultural background are still under an adolescent period and we should follow up with long-term perspectives.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.57
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• pp.83-112
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• 2017

This study aimed to investigate the mediating effects of spiritual well-being and ego resilience in the association between parent-child relationships and cultural adaption among children from multi-cultural families. For this purpose, surveys were administered to 4th to 6th graders in 200 elementary schools (150 multi-culturally focused and 50 in preparation for multi-cultural education) located in seven provinces in Korea. For the current study, we analyzed data collected from 706 children in 119 schools by utilizing structural equation modeling. To verify the mediating effects and its significance, a Sobel test was conducted. The results showed that parent-child relationships within the multi-cultural families was positively and significantly associated with spiritual well-being and ego-resilience in children, but not with children's cultural adaptation. Also, the results of the Sobel test showed significant mediating effects of spiritual well-being and ego-resilience in children in the association between parent-child relationships and children's cultural adaptation. Based on these results, policy and practice implications for children from multi-cultural families are suggested.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.242-253
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to assess immigrant women's needs for pregnancy and postpartum adaptation and to test the reliability and validity of the scale. Methods: To construct scale items, critical issues and difficulties associated with pregnancy and postpartum adaptation of immigrant women were identified and categorized through a literature review. Fifty-two scale items were constructed, and data for validity and reliability testing was collected with a questionnaire survey from 367 immigrant women. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and reliability coefficients. Results: The final measurement scale to assess immigrant women's pregnancy and postpartum adaptation consisted of 48 items and 7 factors (adaptation to daily activity during pregnancy, cross-cultural understanding and personal respect, understanding of the process of pregnancy and delivery, baby rearing and family support, physical and emotional adaptation after childbirth, nutrition during pregnancy, and sexual life adaptation). The seven factors accounted for 64.26% of the variance, and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ was .96. Conclusion: The scale developed by this study is a reliable and valid instrument and can be used to assess needs of pregnancy and postpartum adaptation and can be utilized in providing nursing interventions for immigrant women.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.272-280
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• 2017

This article compares the content of a Korean movie, Miss Granny, and its Chinese adaptation, 20 Years-old Again. Popular in both countries, two movies are based on a same synopsis with similar characters and plots. With similarities, they also display differences originating from distinct social, cultural, and political conditions in each society. Firstly, Miss Granny displays women in Korea closer to mother figures than any other social roles, while 20 Years-old Again does more individualized and sexually active female images. Secondly, the former shows Korean men as the heads of houses in the Confucius tradition, but the latter does Chinese men more demoted and democratized. Thirdly, the former depicts the Confucius social caste system still surviving against oblivion, as the latter does the system being able to be overcome by serving the country. As main reasons of these differences, this article takes historical, social, and cultural differences that both societies have experienced from the early $20^{th}$ century.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2015

Purpose: The process of designing a questionnaire is complicated. Many questionnaires on nursing phenomena have been developed and used by nursing researchers. The purpose of this paper was to discuss questionnaire design and factors that should be considered when using existing scales. Methods: Methodological issues were discussed, such as factors in the design of questions, steps in developing questionnaires, wording and formatting methods for items, and administrations methods. How to use existing scales, how to facilitate cultural adaptation, and how to prevent socially desirable responding were discussed. Moreover, the triangulation method in questionnaire development was introduced. Results: Steps were recommended for designing questions such as appropriately operationalizing key concepts for the target population, clearly formatting response options, generating items and confirming final items through face or content validity, sufficiently piloting the questionnaire using item analysis, demonstrating reliability and validity, finalizing the scale, and training the administrator. Psychometric properties and cultural equivalence should be evaluated prior to administration when using an existing questionnaire and performing cultural adaptation. Conclusion: In the context of well-defined nursing phenomena, logical and systematic methods will contribute to the development of simple and precise questionnaires.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-70
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to describe knowledge status of current research related to maternal adaptation of women immigrants by marriage in Korea. Methods: Eighteen quantitative current researches published from January, 2006 to August, 2014 that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These 18 articles finally selected for systemic review from 5,168 articles. All current researches included the mother within one year after childbirth and one variable related to maternal adaptation at least. Results: Variables related to psychological adaptation (48.1%) were mostly studied. In detail, parenting stress (17.3%) and parenting competency (15.4%) were frequently surveyed. Also, social support (7.7%), husband rearing support (5.8%) of relational adaptation, and acculturation (3.8%) of cultural adaptation were importantly studied. In addition, frequently used instruments for each study variable were analyzed and evaluated. As major results, parenting stress and parenting efficacy were significantly influenced by social support or husband rearing support and acculturation, and had an effect on parenting behaviors. Various maternal education programs were effective in improving maternal role confidence or parenting efficacy and decreasing parenting stress. Conclusion: Nursing intervention programs for improving maternal adaptation should focus on decreasing parenting stress and increasing parenting efficacy by improving social support and acculturation level of women immigrants by marriage in Korea.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.109-122
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• 2010

The present study aims to investigate cultural similarities and differences that influence interracial couples (between Korean men and Vietnamese women) when adapting to Korean family culture in terms of interculturalism. The interviewees consisted of three generations. This study used in-depth interviews. Data was collected from January to August 2008. 15 families (45 people) were used for analysis. Results were as follows: (1) the patriarchal culture of the two nations had a positive influence on the adaptation of members during family interactions(2) the culture of filial piety is a value system that both nations believe is important. However, different rituals had a negative influence on the practice of filial piety (3) the community-oriented culture is regarded as important in the two nations. However, Vietnamese wives cannot lead a free community life because Koreans see them in negative terms (4) the Vietnamese traditional wedding custom called "NopJjeOh" had a negative influence on the adaptation to the Korean family culture (5) the preference for sons in Vietnam is not as high as in Korea. This difference had a negative influence on adaptation (6) clear differences between the daily lives of the two nations had a negative influence on adaptation to Korean family culture. In conclusion, Korea and Vietnam have many similarities in culture, which enable Vietnamese wives to adapt to Korean culture more easily than other foreign wives. If various programs are developed to promote the mutual understanding between both cultures based on these research findings, it would further contribute toward social integration in Korea.