• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.19-36
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• 2010

Previous studies on women who immigrated through marriage were focused on the frictional issues within the couples and their families as well as language tutoring. However, for the long-term integration of these women into society and the acquisition of status, it is most important to increase their economic value. Indeed many such women are facing economic difficulties, and have a strong desire to participate in economic activities. This study focuses on the economic self-sufficiency of these women through employment and entrepreneurship. We analyze their education level and employment experience and attempt to find the most effective policies to support them. We take particular interest in their entrepreneurial motivation and propose policies and frameworks for supporting their successful enterprise creation.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.26
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• pp.487-508
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyze communication between school and parents using the "letters to the parents", in order to examine possible areas of improvement for enhancing educational opportunities and school life adjustment for children from multi-cultural families. The letters to the parents used in elementary schools were analysed through genre analysis specifically for this study. At first, the Korean language textbooks for married female immigrants were investigated to see how many letters to parents were included in them. Second, letters to parents were collected to research their structure and content. They were categorized by the text type according to functions and speech acts. It is expected that the results of this study will be helpful for the Korean language education of married female immigrants.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.111-121
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was 1) to investigate professional sports fans' perception of immigrants and changes of athletes' nationalities, and 2) to examine how the fans' perception affected the perception of changes of athletes' nationalities. Results indicated that first the fan showed a neutral attitude toward the immigrants. In the results of the regression analysis containing foreign athletes naturalized as Korean citizens as the dependent variable, independent variables (i.e., gender and acceptance) explained 39.1% and 38% of the dependent variable, respectively, within [naturalization positive]. Within [naturalization negative] female fan and exclusive perception of immigrants positively predicted the objection to changes of athletes' nationalities. Lastly, in the results of the regression analysis containing Korean athletes who naturalized as foreign citizens as the dependent variable, fans who were older and rated higher on exclusive perception of immigrants had more negative perception of the dependent variable. Female fans perceived changes of athletes nationalities as personal choice.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.789-805
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• 2014

This study is performed to verify immigrant wives' perceived conflicts with mother-in-laws and coping experiences. In order to understand in-depth conflicts between female immigrants and their mother-in-laws, we selected 8 foreign daughter-in-laws who have stayed over 5 years in Korea. We applied van Manen's phenomenological methods. After the data analysis, 7 fundamental themes were derived and these are as follows: First, mother-in-laws as a prison guard, second, living a conscious life of other's eyes, third, annoying words from mother-in-laws, fourth, treat married female immigrants as invisible woman not as family members, fifth, saying we are one finger which can overcome pains from biting, sixth, mother-in-laws can't let her son go, seventh, not distributing love. In addition, coping behaviors were as follows: they just deal with living a conscious life of other's eyes, making a feeble complaints, accepting it with understanding, resisting the situation, evading and enduring the circumstances. Husband was most reliable supporter and secured hiding place. Her friends were her spirit supporters.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.290-301
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• 2013

This study aimed to explore the effect of the intimacy with social workers on the use of social welfare services of marriage-based female immigrants. Also, this study verified the effect of the quantity of the welfare service-related information as a mediated variable on the use of social welfare services. For this purpose, this study collected data from a total of 304 immigrant women married to Korean men living in City of Busan, City of Ulsan, and South Gyeongsang Province, and the data was analysed by SPSS 21. As the result of study, the intimacy with social workers had significant influences on the use of social welfare services of the married immigrant women. The results also showed that the intimacy with social workers contributed to the quantity of the welfare service-related information. Based on these results, implications of the important roles of social workers and the directions of their effective roles for the marriage based female immigrants to use the social welfare services were suggested.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.519-530
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience in cultural competence of multicultural counselors working with female immigrants by marriage. In-depth interviews, followed by a phenomenological analysis, were conducted on 10 multicultural counselors. 6 themes were emerged from data analysis: facing difficulties due to linguistic and cultural differences, feeling doubts about self and one's ability, reflecting self, putting efforts to learn other cultures and groups, realizing changes, and feeling insecure still. 3 categories appeared from the 6 themes above: difficulties, efforts to change, and change and limitations. Based on the results, social work suggestions for increasing cultural competence of multicultural counselors were discussed.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1-22
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of Filipino marriage immigrants' acculturation stages in regards to their Korean family life culture and to identify the source of the support for each stage, hence to provide information for educational programs that would promote successful acculturation for each stage. The following findings have been obtained through in-depth interviews with 18 female Filipino immigrants to Korea. In a range of obstacles from the Honeymoon Stage to the Confusion stage, the first are the language and the aspects of the food/cooking/ingredients/diet that are different from their own culture. Especially, pregnancy/childbirth is a major change in one's life and the biggest challenge in the acculturation process. As food and cooking are the first change that the immigrants have to face and get accustomed to in the early stage of their Korean life, the food culture is rather easier for the immigrants to get accustomed to than other parts of Korean life. From the Honeymoon Stage to the Harmony Stage, the immigrants make efforts to help their family in the home, while they look to their future in their children during the Autonomy Stage. Regardless of how long they have been in Korea, from the Honeymoon Stage to the Autonomy Stage, the immigrants have a hard time with the patriarchal environment in Korea due to the bilateral nature of kinship in the Philippines. Secondly, the immigrants receive the most support from their husband, family, and the tutors in Korean culture, while their mothers-in-law are the main source of the support for the Korean diet. At the Confusion Stage, the immigrants start visiting the regional multicultural family support centers and get help from the friends they meet there while depending on the TV for cooking tips. From the Harmony Stage, they may seek a job through the community network with their own effort and their children's help. In the Autonomy Stage, they are concerned about their children rather than their own parents, and they find their own identity as a Korean and realize that their effort is important.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.179-188
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• 2016

Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to document the dietary behaviors, dietary changes, and health status of female marriage immigrants residing in Gwangju, Korea. Methods: The survey included 92 female immigrants attending Korean language class at a multi-cultural family support center. General characteristics, health status, anthropometric data, dietary behaviors, and dietary changes were collected. Results: Mean age of subjects was 31.3 years, and home countries of subjects were Vietnam (50.0%), China (26.0%), Philippines (12.0%), and others (12.0%). Frequently reported chronic diseases were digestive diseases (13.2%), anemia (12.1%), and neuropsychiatry disorder (8.9%). Seventeen percent of the subjects was obese ($BMI{\geq}25kg/m^2$). Dietary score by Mini Dietary Assessment was 3.45 out of 5 points. Dietary scores for dairy foods, meat/fish/egg/bean intake, meal regularity, and food variety were low, and those for fried foods and high fat meat intake were also low. Thirty-three percent of subjects answered that they have changed their diet and increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables after immigration. Length of residence in Korea was positively associated with BMI and waist circumference. Length of residence tends to be positively associated with dietary changes and obesity as well as inversely associated with disease prevalence. Conclusion: The study shows that length of residence is inversely related to disease prevalence. However, this association is thought to be due to the relatively short period of residence in Korea and thus the transitional phase to adapting to dietary practices. As the length of residence increases, disease patterns related to obesity are subject to change. Healthy dietary behaviors and adaptation to dietary practices in Korea in female marriage immigrants will not only benefit individuals but also their families and social structure. Therefore, varied, long-term, and target-specific studies on female marriage immigrants are highly needed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.326-336
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• 2015

This study intended to identify the factors of breast and cervical cancer screening behaviors in married female immigrants and provide information for the development of intervention programs to promote the behaviors. Pender's Health Promotion Model was the conceptual framework of this study. The subjects of this study were 157 female immigrants living in Daegu and Gyeongbuk area. It was found that 33.1% of subjects had mammography, 22.9% of them did breast self-examination, and 51% of them had cervical cancer screening test. The breast cancer screening behavior increased 1.25 times as the score of social support increased one point, 1.13 times as the score of perceived benefit increased one point, 3.58 times when the subjects had experiences of breast and cervical cancer education, and 1.24 times as the score of action plan increased one point. The cervical cancer screening behavior increased 2.89 times when the subjects had experiences of breast and cervical cancer education, and 1.23 times as the score of social support increased one point. However, the cervical cancer screening behavior decreased 0.82 times as the score of perceived barriers increased one point.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand spousal support, demand for health education, and quality of life for married female immigrants. Methods: A total of 120 subjects with adequate communication skills participated in this study from March 1, 2006 until January 30, 2007. Participants were female visitors at the Immigrant Consultation Center in "M City", "Y County" and "M County" in South Jeolla Province. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of a total of 42 items. Data were analyzed using SPSS/win 10.2 to describe subjects' characteristics by frequency, and descriptive statistics, and to test group differences by t-test and ANOVA. Results: The highest demand for health education was exercise, and followed by stress management and diet. The level of spousal support for subjects was below average, and the level of quality of life was above the medium. The most difficult thing in their life was the difficulty in language. There was a significant difference in quality of life by level of education, level of life satisfaction, number of childbirths, and age. There was also a significant difference in spousal support by level of life satisfaction. Conclusion: There is a need for a multidimensional strategy to improve the quality of life and spousal support for immigrant females in international marriages.