• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.11
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• pp.552-558
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• 2021

The food shortage in North Korea is a serious situation that has spanned the mid-1990s to today. North Korean refugee children, even those born in North Korea, China, or South Korea, had poor nutritional status at birth; thus, their growth and nutritional status should be continuously monitored. This review focused on the health status of North Korean children and the nutritional status of North Korean refugee children upon settling in South Korea. Immediately after entering South Korea, North Korean refugee children were shorter and lighter than South Korean children and had a serious nutritional status. Over time, their nutrition status improved, but they remained shorter and lighter than South Korean children. A new obesity problem was also observed. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor their growth and nutritional status.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.41-69
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to promote the use of cultural facilities of North Korean refugee mothers with young children by finding out their past experience of cultural facility use. The subjects of this study were 183 North Korean refugee mothers with young children and a total of four research participants. A survey and in-depth interviews were used to draw reliable research results. The research results are as follows: First, as to uses of cultural facilities, North Korean refugee mothers with young children got information about cultural facilities through the Internet community such as Internet cafes and blogs. Their considerations for using cultural facilities were diversity of activity programs and subdivision of performances and arts activities. Over 50% of mothers responded that cultural facilities were needed to enhance the creativity of their children. Second, concerning difficulties of cultural facility use, the most difficulty was high costs, and the second most difficulty was absence of cultural facilities nearby their residence. Third, as to the needs of cultural facility use, a children's library was needed the most for children's development. They responded that the most necessary policy for cultural facility use was to increase cultural vouchers for low-income households and to expand recipients of these vouchers.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.201-228
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• 2013

The research goal of this study is to investigate the realities and difficulties of English education for young children of North Korean refugee mothers. The subjects of this study were 201 North Korean refugee mothers of 3-5-year-old children. They were surveyed and some of them were interviewed on their children's English education. The results of the study are as follows. First, most of the North Korean refugee mothers in this study provided their children with English education since their children were 3 years old. The major reason for the English education was their children's peer group who received English education early in their lives. Their educational interaction periods with their children were less than 10 minutes, and they had their young children study English alone, focusing solely on their assignment. Next, North Korean refugee mothers claimed that the biggest difficulties for teaching English to their children were cost, lack of information, lack of time to teach English, and unsatisfactory English education. They expressed that the cost for English education was a burden on the family to some extent.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.129-141
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• 2024

Purpose: The study investigated the relationships between key variables, including the level of parenting knowledge, acculturative stress, depression, and the strengths and difficulties associated with their children's emotions and behavior, among North Korean refugee mothers who faced the challenging task of adapting to Korean society while raising their children. Methods: A descriptive study design was used. Data were collected from 130 North Korean refugee mothers between September and November 2023. Results: The participants had very limited parenting knowledge, and 82.3% of them scored 21 or higher on the depression scale used in community epidemiological studies. Higher levels of parenting knowledge and lower levels of depression were associated with lower levels of acculturative stress. Moreover, higher levels of depression were associated with more emotional and behavioral difficulties in children. Maternal depression, age, and employment status were identified as factors that influenced emotional and behavioral problems in preschool-aged children. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of providing parent education and mental health support programs for North Korean refugee families in order to improve parents' parenting skills and emotional well-being.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.17-36
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• 2016

Objective: Taking note of the fact that North Korean refugee children experience frequent separation from their mothers and long-term maternal deprivation during their childhood, this study examined the relationship between children's separation experiences and attachment. Methods: A total of 37 children aged from 5 to 9 were assessed on their attachment using the Separation Anxiety Test, and their mothers reported on their child's separation experiences. Results and Conclusion: The major findings of this study were as follows: first, the result of evaluating their attachment pattern showed North Korean refugee children had a high level of insecure attachment with a high tendency for avoidant attachment. This avoidant attachment tendency is probably due to growing up in a repressed emotional environment by frequently experiencing maternal separation in North Korea, China, and even after settling down in South Korea. Second, children's secure attachment level was higher if they did not experience separation from their mother, if their mother had a high level of education in South Korea, or if they lived with a big family.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.216-226
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude on tuberculosis by parents of North Korean refugees' children. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected from July to November, 2014 in Hanawon and 74 North Korean refugee parents participated in the study. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0. Results: The score for knowledge was 17.72 out of 30 points, for awareness in attitude, 49.34 out of 60 points and for prevention behavior in attitude, 48.39 out of 60 points. There were positive significant correlations among knowledge, attitude and health interest. There was also a significant positive correlation between awareness and prevention behavior in attitude, and between prevention behavior and health interest. Conclusion: North Korean refugee parents showed a low level of knowledge and a negative attitude. The implication of these results is an awareness of the need for education on the causes, transmission and importance of treatment for tuberculosis. This kind of education can guide North Korean refugee parents to obtain correct information and positive attitudes and therefore, be able to effectively practice appropriate health behaviors in tuberculosis management for their children.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.182-189
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of parenting stress in North Korean refugee fathers on their parenting behavior. Methods: A descriptive study design was used. Data were collected during 2014 and 2015 in a settlement support center for North Korean refugees and 99 North Korean refugee fathers participated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Results: Warmth encouragement parenting behavior received the highest score. The score for parenting stress was 81.98 out of 180, and 32.3% of participants were found to need professional help (${\geq}PSI\;90$). There were significant negative correlations between warmth encouragement parenting behavior and parenting stress. There were also significant positive correlations between rejection neglect parenting behavior and parenting stress. Predictors of warmth encouragement behavior were parent-child dysfunctional interaction which explained 10.1% of the variance. Predictors of rejection neglect behavior were parent-child dysfunctional interaction, number of children and wife's education level which explained 33.4% of the variance. Conclusion: Findings show that North Korean refugee fathers' parenting stress significantly influenced warmth encouragement and rejection neglect parenting behavior indicating a need to identify ways to decrease parenting stress. Parenting education can guide North Korean refugee fathers to strengthen parent-child positive interactions and therefore promote their children's growth and development.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.59-78
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• 2015

This study aims to explore the relationship between North Korean refugee mothers' perceived home psychological characteristics and ego-resilience of their young children focusing on moderating effect of social support. For this purpose, we sampled 96 North Korean refugee mothers with 3-5 year old children. Home psychological characteristics consisting of family strength, family environment and family functioning, social support, and ego-resilience was analyzed by Pearson correlation analyses and hierarchical regression method. The results of this study were as follows. First, there is a significant correlation between North Korean refugee mothers' perceived home psychological characteristics and ego-resilience of their young children. Second, the perceived factors by North Korean refugee mothers of home psychological characteristics explained their young children's self-resilience 73.4% of the time and social support had a significant moderating effect. These results suggest that more effective social support to North Korean refugees has to be offered. Not only financial but emotional support is also needed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2017

Objectives : This study was designed for the purpose of the relationship between psychopathology and suicide in North Korean Refugee Adolescents. Methods : The subjects were 104 North Korean Refugee Adolescents. We investigated the The Korean version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We also investigated the suicide ideation, planning and attempt. The self-report was taken to the North Korean Refugee Adolescents. Results : The Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Score(Z=-4.050, p<0.001), Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Score(t=-2.757, p<0.01), Rosenberg Self-Seteem Score(Z=-2.328, p<0.05) were significantly associated with the suicide ideation in North Korean Refugee Adolescents. In logistic regression analysis, only The Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Score(p<0.005) expected the suicidal ideation. Conclusions : The management of depression would be helpful to reduce the suicide in North Korean Refugee Adolescents.