• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1145-1155
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to explore the concept spirituality and to gain understanding of nursing intervention that may improve spiritual well-being. The concept analysis framework developed by Walker and Avant (1995) was used to clarify the concept. In the study, 'Harmonious interconnectedness', 'Transcendence', 'Integrative Energy' and 'Purpose and Meaning in Life' emerged as the critical attributes of spirituality. The first attribute, 'harmonious Inter- connectedness', has three categories including intrapersonal, (self), interpersonal (others/ nature) and transpersonal (the Supreme Being). The second attribute, 'Transcendence', is defined as the ability to extend one's own self beyond the limits of usual experiences and to achieve new perspectives. This attribute is demonstrated by 'coping with situations', to 'self-healing', and 'transformation'. The third attribute of spirituality is 'Integrative Energy', which integrates all dimensions and acts as a creative and dynamic force that keeps a person growing and changing. 'Integrative Energy is also defined as an inner resource that gives a sense of empowerment. Therefore the highly spiritual person demonstrate 'inner peace', 'growing', 'inner strength,' and 'well-being'. The fourth attribute 'Purpose and Meaning in Life' represents a sense of connectedness with one's inner values and with a greater purpose in life. It is demonstrated by 'hope' and 'a powerful life'. In this study, the antecedents of the spirituality represented as 'spirit' and its potential enablers were 'Introspection/reflection', 'Interconnectedness with all living things', and an 'Awareness of a Higher-Power'. The consequences of this concept may be described as 'physical, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being'. Empirical referents of this are 'purposeful life' 'self-worth' 'hope' 'love' 'service' 'forgiveness' 'trust/belief' 'inner peace' 'self-actualization' 'religious practices' 'transformation' 'inner strength' and 'coping'. In conclusion, spirituality can be defined based on these critical attributes. Spirituality is a dynamic, integrative energy based on a feeling of harmonious interconnection with self, others and a higher power. Through it, one is enabled to transcend and to live with meaning and purpose in life.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.237-263
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• 2006

The recent domestic violence research has emphasized an integrated approach to wife battering and child abuse to overcome separated understanding and problem-solving alternatives of the two phenomena in the past. This phenomenological study is designed to understand struggles and dilemmas of battered women and their children related to their surviving and coping with domestic violence in a mother-child relationship. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten battered women who have children and reside in shelters in Seoul and Anyang, and were analyzed by Atlas.ti(a qualitative software program) to maximize the efficiency of data analysis. Domestic violence can be transformed into and integrated with child abuse anytime, so battered women and their children share their crises and challenges related to motherliness and filial love. However, the mutual, existential meaning embedded in the mother-child relationship can be the most important sources to mobilize their life energy and resilience in their copping efforts. The social work interventions for battered women and their children should be integrated with a premise of deep understanding of the complex realities of domestic violence victims.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.138-144
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• 2017

Purpose: Following legal reform in 2013, the annual number of asylum seekers entering South Korea has increased from 1,143 in 2012 to 5,711 in 2015. We interviewed six African refugee mothers of young children regarding their health needs and barriers to access maternal child health services. Methods: We recruited mothers who had visited a clinic for immigrants between July 2013 and August 2015. Participants were African refugee women, aged over 18 years, who had given birth in Korea within the previous 5 years and had come to Korea over a year before recruitment. Interview questions examined participants' experiences in pregnancy and childbirth and concerns regarding their child's health status. Initial data analysis involved all researchers' immersion in the entire collection of transcripts. We then noted recurrent topics and themes and identified similar issues. Results: At the time of giving birth, 5 participants were asylum seekers and one had undocumented status. The following barriers impeded their access to maternal child healthcare: socioeconomic factors (unstable social identity, low economic status, difficulty obtaining health insurance), language barriers (lack of linguistically appropriate health information, limited access to translation services), and cultural barriers (religious and cultural differences). Weak social support also hindered access to healthcare soon after migration; however, social links with the community emerged as a key coping strategy following settlement. Conclusion: We identified barriers to maternal and child healthcare and coping strategies among African refugee mothers in Korea. Future research should assess refugees' health status and improve health access and literacy among refugee mothers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.266-278
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a substantive theory on self-management conducted by the adolescents with chronic kidney disease from their lived experience. Methods: Data was collected through in-depth interviews from May to December in 2015 with thirteen adolescents with chronic kidney disease. The data collected were analyzed on the basis of Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory. Results: The core of the category found in this study was "overcoming the unstable sense of self- control and integrating disease experience into their life". The causal conditions triggering the central phenomenon were "restriction in daily life" and "manifestation and aggravation of symptom". The central phenomenon in the experience of self-management within the adolescents with chronic kidney disease was "unstable sense of self control". The intervening condition for unstable self control were "micro system support" and "motivational resources". This study found that the adolescents with chronic kidney disease followed a series of strategies when they faced the central phenomenon, including; passive coping, reappraisal of illness, active coping, compliance with treatment, controlling physical activity, and adjusting school life. With these strategic approaches, the adolescents with chronic kidney disease could maintain their active lifestyles and achieve their health behaviors. The process of self-management by these adolescents passed through four phases; limited experience caused by diseases, effort for normalization, reorganizing their daily lives, and integration with daily lives and self-management. Conclusion: This Study explored the process and experience of self-management of adolescents with chronic kidney disease. These findings can be used for basis for developing substantive theory and nursing intervention strategy for adolescents with chronic kidney diseases.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-85
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• 2014

This study aims to highlight the social aspects of genetic discrimination as another shadow that biotechnology can influence on social life. To do so, the definition of "genetic discrimination" and three perspectives (exceptionalism, expressivism, and human right discourse) were reviewed. In addition, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of the United States and the Bioethics and Safety Act of Korea were analyzed. Several social implications for establishing the research and policies of genetic discrimination based on the existing research results of perceived genetic discrimination (the experiences, fears, and coping strategies of genetic discrimination) were suggested. These included public consensus on the definition of genetic discrimination and emphasis on a human rights approach against genetic discrimination; concerns regarding genetic discrimination in both the personal and public domains; raising the consciousness of both health care providers and the public regarding genetic discrimination; and developing psycho-social coping strategies for decreasing the fear of discrimination of asymptomatic people (hereditary carriers).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.473-479
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• 2020

This study examined the meaning of the experiences of university students majoring in occupational therapy, where their practice was discontinued due to COVID-19, and to provide basic data for future measures. This study was a phenomenological study. The subjects of this study were seven students. Interviews were analyzed according to Colaizzi data analysis. As a result of an interview, it was organized into 17 themes, six themes clusters, and two categories. The themes clusters were indifference, problem recognition, wandering, coping, aftermath, and anticipation for coping. The students experienced a confused and frustrating situation after recognizing the problem of COVID-19 and experienced anxiety and regret as they experienced the interruption of their fieldwork. The students expected all universities to implement a batch and quick response at the same time. In the future, a systematic communication and delivery system is needed to quickly prepare and implement countermeasures at the same time as institutions, associations, and universities.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.587-609
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate parenting experiences among grandmothers raising their grandchildren from grandmothers' perspective, and a variety of their physical health, psychological and social challenges they were facing in everyday life. In addition, this study explored new issues, changes, and difficulties grandparents and their grandchildren were going through during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven grandmothers raising their grandchildren without their cohabiting parents participated in an in-depth interview, and the qualitative date were obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. Analyses identified 5 main categories: 1) my emotion, worries, and coping with parenting grandchildren, 2) difficulties and obstacles facing in real life of the parenting, 3) conflicts and coping with growing grandchildren who showed new characters, 4) relationships and emotions among grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, and 5) needs and desires toward social services and support. Sixteen themes and 60 sub-themes were also derived. The majority of grandmothers expressed diverse difficulties in their dail y lives including ambivalent emotions regarding grandchild-rearing(rewards and burden), economic hardships, physical health limitations, and a lack of communications with their grandchildren. Further, findings indicated profound generation conflicts which had been even deepened during school close period in COVID-19 pandemic and had been associated with increased hours of using internet and playing computer games. The top priority of the social service needs among interviewed grandmothers was learning support for their grandchildren. Emotional support and social support to cover their lack of family interactions, and financial support were the next of their desired social services. Implications to improve social services for grandparent-headed families are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.605-634
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate families' responses and attitudes and the experiences of Korean LGBT individuals after revealing their sexual identity and sexual orientation and to determine how families' attitudes affected the mental health of these individuals. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were performed with 12 male and female LGBT participants, ranging from 19-30 years of age, who resided in Seoul and metropolitan areas, and reported coming out to or being outed by their families. One-to-one interviews were carried out using semi-structured questions, and the data from the interviews were analyzed using consensual qualitative research (CQR). Most of the families had very negative responses and attitudes to the participants coming out and exhibited rejection or avoidant attitudes; only a few of the families responded with receptive attitudes. As a result, the LGBT participants reacted with friction and coping behaviors, such as persuasion, participation in professional counseling, abandonment or avoidance, and running away from home. Most of the effects of the families' attitudes on the participants were negative psychological effects, such as anger, sadness, a sense of alienation, depression, anxiety, fear, trauma, helplessness, lowered self-esteem, alcohol dependence, and suicidal ideation and attempt, while receptive attitudes provided a sense of stability. For all participants, they reported that they were more likely to be hurt by their families' negative attitudes than by social attitudes. This study is significant because it provides framework for specifying families' attitudes and LGBT individuals' experiences after coming out in Korean society. It also outlines LGBT individuals' coping behaviors, psychological difficulties, and the process of coming out and provides suggestions for individuals to overcome. The results are expected to help counselors create practical strategies to better understand LGBT individuals and the psychological difficulties they may experience and provide proper interventions while counseling both the individual and the family.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.295-332
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• 2017

The main purpose of this research is to analyze stress, social support and coping behavior of adults based on their level of self-efficacy. A total of 899 adults (399 male; 500 female), each with a child attending either elementary and secondary school, participated in the study. The inter-rater reliability for the open-ended questionnaire utilized in the study was 93.4%, with a Kappa coefficient of .92. The range of Cronbach α for the variables measured through a quantitative method was .87~.92. The results were as follows: First, the representative responses to the question about their most painful stress experiences were, financial difficulties, child rearing and duties of workplace. The Lower Efficacy group, compared to the Upper Efficacy group, responded much more with financial difficulties related responses. There were significant differences in the level of stress symptoms according to level of self-efficacy. The Lower Efficacy group expressed stronger levels of stress symptoms when compared to the Upper Efficacy group. Second, in terms of social support, the participants responded that they received the most help from their family members, followed by none(self), and friends. When comparing the two efficacy groups, the Upper Efficacy group responded most frequently that they received social support from their family members, whereas the Lower Efficacy group indicated none. There were significant differences in the level of relational conflicts according to the level of self-efficacy. The Upper Efficacy group showed much less conflict in parent-child relations, spousal relations and relations with their boss, compared to the Lower Efficacy group. Third, for the type of social support participants received, the most frequent response was emotional support, followed by none, and advice. Relatively, when comparing the two groups with each other, the Lower Efficacy group responded more frequently with none, whereas for the Upper Efficacy group responded more frequently with advice. There were significant differences in the amount of emotional support received according to level of self-efficacy. The Upper Efficacy group received much more emotional support from their spouses and their bosses compared to the Lower Efficacy group. Fourth, the most frequently adopted coping style to stress was self-regulation, followed by direct problem solving, and nothing(none). The most frequent response for the Upper Efficacy group was direct problem solving, whereas for the Lower Efficacy group was nothing(none). There was a significant difference in coping efficiency to stress according to level of self-efficacy. The Upper Efficacy group coped more efficiently with stress than the Lower Efficacy group.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2017

Purpose: To explore the meaning of prayer in Korean patients with end-stage cancer who profess Christianity or Buddhism, given the significant differences between these religions. Methods: The Colaizzi (1978) analysis method was employed. In-depth interview were performed with 13 participants (seven Christians and six Buddhists) who were admitted to a University-affiliated hospital in Korea. Results: The six categories emerged: 1) communication with God, 2) mind discipline, 3) spiritual growth, 4) mysterious experiences, 5) perception of death and after-life, and 6) various forms of prayers. Conclusion: The participants' prayer experiences were described in a religious context. Christians believed that prayer is communication with God while Buddhists regarded it as disciplining of minds. Despite some differences between the religious groups, a general meaning of prayer was a desperate desire to solve their health issues by relying on God or someone who is more powerful than themselves. They also experienced personal and spiritual growth through prayer. This study explains the phenomenon of prayer experiences and shows that prayer is an important coping mechanism.