• 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.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2015

This study is to investigate the relationship between health promoting lifestyles around the psychosocial aspects such as depression, stress and self-esteem of young North Korean defectors. In particular, the purpose is mentally still less of a mature compared to adults, adolescents need greater understanding. For this purpose, North Korean Youth 150 people were surveyed, questionnaires 85 parts were used in the final analysis excluded from the additional 65. To analyze the factors affecting the health of life was performed multiple linear regression. Analysis result, general self, school self, stress had significant influence on health promoting lifestyles. The conclusion of this study is social psychology factors such as stress self-esteem of North Korean Adolescents refugees is addressed health promoting lifestyles and causal relationship, and promote health of adolescents shows wonderful self-esteem. It suggests that the necessary establishment. This effort is called for to reliably establish the North Korean youth to be part of a future South Korean society.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status and dietary behavior of adolescents from North Korean refugee (NKR) families residing in South Korea (SK), who are known to be at a higher risk of malnutrition due to their lower socioeconomic status and facing other psychological challenges. Methods: A total of 178 adolescents (91 males and 87 females) from NKR families were included in the analysis, and their demographic details such as age, birthplace, parental nationality, and duration of their settlement in SK were collected through questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were also taken to determine their growth and nutritional status according to the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents. The study used the Nutrition Quotient for Korean Adolescents (NQ-A) questionnaire to assess the dietary behavior of the participants. Results: Approximately 11.8% and 10.1% of participants were identified with malnutrition and obesity, respectively. The total mean score for the NQ-A was 50.1. The mean scores for the individual factors of balance, diversity, moderation, environment, and practice were 49.2, 44.7, 43.8, 51.2, and 61.5, respectively. Approximately 47.2% of participants had a low NQ-A grade. However, there was no significant difference in the NQ-A scores according to their nutritional status or duration of time in SK. Conclusions: Adolescents from NKR families exhibited both malnutrition and obesity. However, their dietary behavior, as assessed using the NQ-A, did not vary with their nutritional status. The unique challenges and related dietary behavior of North Korean adolescent refugees should be taken into consideration, when developing targeted strategies for nutritional education and health management programs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.164-174
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting tuberculosis prevention behaviors in North Korean adolescent refugees. Methods: From September 16 to October 8, 2019, a survey was conducted to collect data from 143 North Korean adolescent refugees aged 13 to <25 at alternative and general schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The scale developed by Park (2008) and adapted by Cha (2012) was used to rate tuberculosis prevention behaviors in daily life with the aim of preventing high school students from getting infected with tuberculosis. The collected data were processed through frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression, using SPSS 25.0. Results: The mean score was 13.65 for knowledge of tuberculosis, 44.23 for attitudes towards tuberculosis, and 41.33 for tuberculosis prevention behaviors. Significant differences were found according to gender, country of origin, duration of stay in South Korea, tuberculosis examination, pre-entry chest x-ray, education about tuberculosis, alcohol intake, and subjective health status. A positive correlation was found between knowledge, attitudes, and prevention behaviors. The factors affecting tuberculosis prevention behaviors were attitudes (β=.38, p<001) and subjective health status (β=.26, p<.001). Conclusion: It is necessary to provide attitude-based education that can reinforce positive attitudes in order to improve North Korean adolescent refugees' tuberculosis prevention behaviors. This is expected to help them pay more attention to health care and become better at prevention behaviors. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a tuberculosis prevention education program with the aim of making them more knowledgeable about tuberculosis and providing them with systematic and sustainable education.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2023

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the oral hygiene status of children and adolescents from North Korean (NK) refugee families residing in South Korea (SK) and to find ways to improve it. Methods: This study examined 88 children in NK refugee families. Their oral hygiene ability were estimated using the Patient Hygiene Performance (PHP)-index for children. The Independent Samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were conducted on the oral hygiene status according to the characteristics of children of NK refugees, and covariance analysis was conducted by controlling for significant variables in the simple analysis. Statistical significance levels were set at than p<0.05. Results: The overall PHP-index of normal, poor, and severe poor were 14.8%, 5.7%, and 79.5%, respectively. Adjusted for sex, age, country of birth, duration of settlement, covariance analysis was performed to determine the PHP-index according to oral examination. PHP-index was 3.55±1.56 when the oral examination was conducted and 4.26±0.98 when the oral examination was not conducted; this difference was significantly (p=0.022). Conclusions: Children and from NK refugee families have severely poor oral hygiene. Therefore, education to improve the oral hygiene status is necessary.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.168-179
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• 2016

This study attempted to analyze the relationship between school life satisfaction and acculturation of elementary students of north Korean refugees in Daegu and Gyeongbuk region. The socio-demographic characteristics of elementary students in Daegu and Gyeongbuk were different from in capital territory or other parts of Korea. The acculturation of students living in Daegu and Gyeongbuk was distinctive. The proportion of assimilation was slightly higher than that of integration. However, 42 percent of students belonging to separation and marginalization passively accepted south Korean culture, so that they would have a difficult time in adjusting to new culture. Students getting older and being used to school life strongly inclined to accept south Korean culture; while, students born in north Korea tended to resist acceptance of south Korean culture. Most students were satisfied with school life. The satisfaction level was high in the relationship with teachers and school environment; while, the satisfaction level in learning activity was relatively low. In the relationship between school satisfaction and types of acculturation, students actively accepting new culture were relatively highly satisfied with their school life. A standardized short-term education oriented program for north Korean adolescents refugees living in south Korea should be shifted into the long-term support policy reflected in class and attribute in terms of acculturation.