• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.5_spc
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• pp.169-203
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to compare happiness between Korean elderly residing in South Korea and those residing in New York City area in United States (Korean American elderly), and to investigate important factors determining their happiness. We collected data from 1,988 elderly residing in Chuncheon and Seoul in South Korea and 173 elderly residing in New York City area. All samples were over 65 years old in 2005. In general, Korean American elderly seemed happier than Korean elderly. Our specific data analysis showed that Korean American elderly had higher scores in non-agitation, satisfaction for aging, and satisfaction for life than Korean elderly. And they showed secure attachment more and insecure attachment less than Korean elderly. Social support network, satisfaction in psychological need, health, daily routines, and social background predicted happiness significantly for both Korean American elderly and Korean elderly. For American Korean elderly, satisfaction in psychological need predicted satisfaction for aging, satisfaction for life, and secure attachment significantly when social background, health, and daily routine were controlled. For Korean elderly, satisfaction in psychological need predicted all sub-factors of happiness significantly, and social support network also predicted happiness significantly when social background, health, and daily routine were controlled. Additional data analysis compared social support network, satisfaction in psychological need, health, daily routine, and social background between Korean American elderly and Korean elderly. Korean American elderly seemed to have more solid social support network and to have higher satisfaction in psychological needs than Korean elderly. Korean American elderly perceived themselves as healthier, and their life style related health was much healthier than Korean elderly. In social background, Korean American elderly had higher education and economic level than Korean elderly. Roles of social support network and satisfaction in psychological need for happy aging were discussed in terms of previous theoretical explanation of successful aging.