• Human Ecology Research
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.485-498
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• 2019

This study examined the mediating effect of internal locus of control in the relationship between family and friend support and acculturative stress of North Korean adolescent refugees. Participants consisted of 101 North Korean adolescent refugees (40 males and 61 females) aged 13 to 24, who live in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Busan. SPSS 25.0 and Mplus 5.12 were used to analyze data. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated and structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the mediating effect. The results of this study are as follows. First, a higher level of family support and friend support were associated with a higher level of internal locus of control. A higher level of internal locus of control was associated with a lower level of acculturative stress among North Korean adolescent refugees. Second, the level of internal locus of control mediated the relationship between friend support and acculturative stress. This study is meaningful in that it examines the specific paths affecting acculturative stress of North Korean adolescent by examining family and friend support, which are environmental factors, and internal locus of control, which is internal factor of individuals. The study results suggest that improving friend support as well as increasing the level of internal locus of control for North Korean adolescent refugees can be an effective way to prevent or intervene acculturative stress.

• 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.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.287-297
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to identify variables influencing the psychosocial adjustment of North Korean adolescent refugees in order to establish a structural equation model and design an intervention strategy to improve psychosocial adjustment. Methods: The subjects included 290 North Korean adolescent refugees aged 16~24 years who were enrolled in alternative schools or regional adaptation centers. They were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Results: The goodness of fit measures of the model were as follows: $x^2=131.20$ (p<.001), GFI=.93, CFI=.91, TLI=.86, RMSEA=.08, and SRMR=.07. The results estimated from the structural equation model indicated a good fit of data to the hypothesized model, which proposed that stress and emotional intelligence are associated with psychosocial adjustment. The major variables influencing psychosocial adjustment were stress, emotional intelligence, which was a significant direct effect, whereas attitude of parenting showed an indirect effect on psychosocial adjustment through emotional intelligence. These variables account for 50.0% of psychosocial adjustment. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop a program and intervention plan that can enhance emotional intelligence and thereby relieve the stress of North Korean adolescent refugees. The program should also include parenting education so that parents have positive attitude of parenting.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.683-689
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• 2017

Given that the ratio of adolescents among North Korean refugees is increasing, it is the right time to study the present situation of juvenile North Korean defectors. North Korean adolescents tend to find themselves in an uncomfortable situation as they experience unfamiliar lives in South Korea, and act passively in various situations. A proper resolution of such problems in this situation will help them adapt smoothly to South Korean society. This study investigates the relationship between social support, self-esteem, and problem-solving abilities of North Korean adolescent refugees based on a survey on 213 North Korean teens which was performed for 24 days beginning on June 14 2017. The study results show that emotional, material, informational, and evaluative support for North Korean adolescent defectors, which is a type of social support, had a positive effect on their self-esteem, and self-esteem in turn had a positive effect on their problem solving ability. In addition, self-esteem had a mediating effect on the relationship between the four types of social support and problem solving ability of North Korean adolescent defectors. This study suggested a practical plan to improve the problem solving ability of North Korean adolescent defectors for their smooth adaptation to South Korean society, through social support and improved self-esteem of North Korean adolescents, such as program development or self - development training.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.243-255
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and examine the effects of a psychosocial adaptation program for North Korean adolescent defectors. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with 28 North Korean adolescent defectors who were recruited through alternative schools. The experimental and control groups consisted of 14 participants each. A program was conducted across eight sessions, each lasting about 90-120 minutes. The data were analyzed using the x² test, t-test, paired t-test, and analysis of covariance. Results: No significant differences were observed in the score changes for psychosocial adaptation (t=0.25, p=.808), post-traumatic stress symptoms (t=0.32, p=.749), cultural adaptation stress (t=0.05, p=.957), and self-efficacy (t=0.35, p=.726) in either group before and after the intervention. No intergroup differences were observed for psychosocial adaptation (t=0.12, p=.902), post-traumatic stress symptoms (t=0.07, p=.946), cultural adaptation stress (t=0.01, p=.994), and self-efficacy (t=0.58, p=.570). Conclusion: These findings suggest that psychosocial adaptation, stress, and self-efficacy cannot be improved by a short-term intervention program alone. It was also determined that the cultural characteristics of the North Korean adolescent defectors were not sufficiently considered before implementing the program. Therefore, it is essential to provide an in-depth orientation for the participants before implementing the program.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.357-369
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• 2020

This study examined the influential relationship between self-differentiation, interpersonal relationships, and social support of adolescent North Korean defectors as well as the mediating effects of social support in the relationship between self-differentiation and interpersonal relationships. For this study, the participants were selected among student North Korean defectors aged between 9 and 24 years. With these participants, a survey was conducted from November 4 to December 14, 2019. Two hundred eighteen questionnaires were used in the analyses, which were conducted with SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. The analyses yielded the following findings. The self-differentiation of the adolescent North Korean defectors had a positive impact on interpersonal relationships. The self-differentiation of adolescent North Korean defectors had a positive impact on social support, and the social support of adolescent North Korean defectors had a positive impact on interpersonal relationships. In the relationship between self-differentiation of adolescent North Korean defectors and their interpersonal relationship, social support had a mediating effect. This study showed that by improving the level of social support and self-differentiation of adolescent North Korean defectors, it would be possible to improve their interpersonal relationship issues.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2010

Objectives : This study investigated the influence of traumatic experience on the ego identity, self-esteem, and general psychopathology of adolescent North Korean refugees. Methods : The participants were 146 adolescents North Korean refugees who attended H High School for North Korean refugees. We divided the subjects into two groups according to the severity of their traumatic experience : the more-traumatic-experience group and the less-traumatic-experience group. Each group performed self-report assessments including an assessment to reveal demographic characteristics, the Traumatic Experiences Scale for North Korean Defectors, the Scale for Ego identity, the Scale for Self-esteem and the Symptom Check-90-Revision (SCL-90-R). Statistical analysis of t-test and multiple regression utilized SPSS 12.0 for Window for comparison between more-traumatic-experience group and less-traumatic-experience group. Results : The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder among adolescents North Korean refugees was 37%. The factor with the greatest influence on ego identity was length of time living in South Korea, while, for self-esteem the most influential factor was perception of health. The more-traumatic-experience group had lower self-esteem scores on some subscales of the Scale for Ego identity. They had higher scores on all SCL-90-R subscales than the less-traumatic-experience group. Conclusion : Adolescent North Korean refugees experienced high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder. The more traumatic-experience-group had lower self esteem and poorer ego identity and mental health than the less-traumatic-experience group.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2020

Objectives: There is an increasing number of North Korean adolescents in South Korea. These adolescents need clinical attention as they experience a high risk of suicidal behavior because of the childhood adversity and acculturative challenges that they face before and after arriving in South Korea. This study assessed the risk of suicide attempts among North Korean adolescents compared to South Korean adolescents, and investigated the contributing factors for each group. Methods: We used data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (KYRBS) spanning 2011 to 2018, in which 404 adolescents had a father and/or mother who was a North Korean native. Data on 1,212 propensity-matched South Korean adolescents were extracted from the 2011 to 2018 KYRBS. Prevalence was calculated and compared by group. Separate odds ratios were calculated by group. Results: The North Korean group had a significantly higher suicide attempt rate [unadjusted odds ratio (OR)=8.27; adjusted OR=8.45]. Multivariate analysis indicated that having a low or high socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with suicide attempts in North Korean adolescents, while being female, having a high socioeconomic status, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms were significantly related to suicide attempts in South Korean adolescents. Conclusion: The results found similarities and differences in the factors associated with the likelihood of suicide attempts in the two groups. From these results, different approaches are needed when planning interventions for each group.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.39-41
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• 1993

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.231-238
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• 2015

Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze the factors that could affect the health-promoting behaviors of North Korean adolescent refugees residing in South Korea. Methods: Questions about their sociodemographic variables, subjective health status, healthy living habits, and health-promoting behaviors were asked. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in religion (t=2.30, p<0.05), having family members in South Korea (t=2.02, p<0.05), and subjective health status (t=4.96, p<0.01). Scores on health-responsible behaviors were higher with higher age (t=2.90, p<0.01) and for subjects without family or friends (t=2.43, p<0.05). Higher physical-activity behaviors were observed in males (t=3.32, p<0.01), in those with better subjective health status (t=3.46, p<0.05) and lower body mas index (t=3.48, p<0.05), and in smokers (t=3.17, p<0.01). Nutritional behaviors were higher in those who followed a religion (t=2.17, p<0.05). Spiritual growth behaviors were higher in those who followed a religion (t=4.21, p<0.001), had no family in South Korea (t=2.04, p<0.05), and had higher subjective health status (t=5.74, p<0.01). Scores on interpersonal relationships and stress-management behaviors were higher for those with higher subjective health status. A multiple regression analysis showed greater effects on health-promoting behaviors when subjective health status was better. Older people and non-smokers exhibited more health-responsible behaviors, while more physical-activity behaviors and spiritual growth activities were observed when subjective health status was better. Interpersonal relationship behaviors had positive effects on those with good subjective heath status and on non-smokers. Conclusions: Based on the results of the current study, an alternative was suggested for promoting health in North Korean adolescent refugees.