• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.45-64
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• 2016

In order to understand Korean American immigrants'adjustment to American society, it is important to understand how their life rituals and ethnic identities maintain or change over time and across immigration generations. To achieve this goal, this study examined how Korean Americans who resided in the New York City metropolitan area and New Jersey State performed life rituals and formed ethnic identities. A total of 18 Korean immigrants participated in one-on-one in-depth interviews and the interview data were analyzed with the themes. The results showed that Korean Americans performed life rituals integrating both Korean and American cultural aspects. Many Korean Americans attempted to perform life rituals based on American cultural holidays and procedures. However, a majority of these Koreans also strived to maintain Korean ethnic identities and also practice traditionally Korean life rituals as a way to preserve this ethnic identity. These findings suggest that across time and generation, Korean Americans prefer to maintain their Korean cultural identity, while not shunning the adoption of typical "American" rituals. The way that Korean Americans practice and develop identities differs very little across immigration generation. These findings provide insight on how the Korean government may support foreigners and immigrant families in South Korea and Korean Americans' acculturation processes in the U.S.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.41-51
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• 2008

The purpose of this article is to offer a guideline for residence planning for Koreans living in the United States. To achieve the goal, this article examines the Korean family's satisfaction rates of interior design and living conditions of houses in American cities, with a case study of families in Columbia, MO. A total of 105 valid samples(126 collected) out of 200 survey questionnaires distributed was acquired and processed with the statistical-aid software SPSS PC+ window version 14.0. The survey was analyzed using frequency, percentages, means, standard deviations, and multiple response analysis. The results are as follow: 1) Most of the Koreans preferred interior design and environment similar to their previous Korean residences. 2) Participants were not satisfied with partial/indirect lightings typical in the United States and desired more bright illuminating lights. 3) Participants kept their habit of taking off shoes indoors while living in the United States, therefore when designing a house for Koreans living in the U.S., designers should take this into account when designing for Korean residents. 4) Among the American interior elements, storage such as walk-in closets and bathroom cabinets were highly demanded by Koreans, thus possibly to be adopted to Korean houses. Researchers expect the results of this study would contribute to supplying comfortable and convenient living environments to those Koreans living in the United States.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.12 s.138
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• pp.1545-1553
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• 2004

This study assumes a bidimensional model of acculturation theory in order to understand the acculturation patterns of Korean-Americans and their fashion and shopping behavior. Bidimensional models of acculturation suggest that acculturating individuals may possess the components of both the heritage culture and the new, host culture. A combination of email and paper and pencil surveys was conducted with a convenience sample of Korean-Americans who are living in Seattle and vicinity area (n=108). The questionnaire included questions related to the respondents' and their parents' demographic information, the respondents perceived relationship with their parents, self-reported ethnic identification, ethnicity-related behaviors/attitudes, clothing involvement, shopping motivations, and fashion reference groups. The results support the bidimensional models of acculturation process as opposed to the linear model. Three different groups among Korean-Americans based on their ethnic identification pattern were found: a group with dominant Korean identity(Segregation group), a group with dominant American identity(Assimilation group), and a group with dual identity(Integration group). According to the results of MANOVA and subsequent Duncan and Scheffe tests, the Integration group showed distinct characteristics from Segregation group or Assimilation group, in terms of their ethnicity-related behaviors/attitudes, clothing involvement, shopping motivations, and fashion reference group influence.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.53-67
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• 2024

Objective : This study aimed to identify common activities with similar participation levels between community-dwelling individuals in the United States (US) and South Korea (Study 1), and analyze the changes in activity participation patterns across the adult lifespan in South Korea (Study 2). Methods : We administered the online survey-based Activity Card Sort version 3 (ACS-3) to adults living in the US and South Korea. In Study 1, we computed the average participation level and visualized 100 activities of the ACS-3 from both the US and Korean samples. The average participation level across the four age groups in Study 2 was calculated and visualized to understand the changes in patterns of involvement across the four ACS-3 domains in a Korean sample. Results : In Study 1, data from 161 Americans and 163 Koreans were analyzed. Of the 100 activities, 48 (instrumental: 20; leisure: 13; fitness/health: 6; social: 9) demonstrated similar levels of participation between the two samples. In Study 2, data from 420 Koreans were analyzed and a tendency for decreased participation with age was found in all domains, except for the instrumental domain. Conclusion : Common daily activities may be used as a means of intervention across cultures in occupational therapy. Protective approaches and support are recommended to optimize older adults' participation in daily life.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.636-643
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• 1995

This study was conducted to find some differences in infant feeding pattems between well educated Koreans and local populations living in Texas, USA. Initiation rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the hospital was 35.9% in Koreans and 60.4% in Americans. At 2, 4 and 6 months, exclusive breastfeeding rates were 34.0%, 20.8% and 13.2% for Koreans and 47.2%, 34.0% and 27.2% for Americans respectively. There was a significant difference in age of weaning from breast between these two groups(p<0.01). In Koreans the most common reason for the early termination before 4 months was maternal report of milk insufficiency. 55.6% of Koreans and 42.3% of Americans fed infants on scheduled rather on demand feeding. Primary sources of advice about feeding were medical professionals in Americans while baby's grandmother was the main source in Koreans. In Americans, choice of breastfeeding was not associated with ethnicity, maternal education, and family income in the study. Interventions to promote and support participants of Women Infants and Children(WIC) may play a role in Americans. It might be suggested that effective nutrition education programs targeting for Korean mothers to promote breastfeeding should be needed urgently and systematically.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.119-127
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• 2009

The main goal of this research was to understand housing environment as well as the living behaviors of Korean people who reside in foreign countries. This study includes examination of dwelling units, especially focusing on dwelling behaviors by space types, arrangement and use of the space, and the according residence patterns of the Koreans in the United States. Focus group interview method and survey method were conducted; photography were taken as a visual evidence; and results were analyzed by researchers. This study strongly indicates that most of Koreans try to keep their own way of living in foreign cultures and rather readjust the housing spaces and living patterns to their own culture. The results from this study have limitations in generalizing all Korean families living in foreign cultures, because a convenience sample was used. Although studies of Korean families in Columbia, MO may not provide information that can be generalized to the entire population of Koreans overseas, we expect that this study provides useful insight in understanding and estimating the future trends in residential planning for Koreans.

• Korean Journal of Comparative Education
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.97-121
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• 2018

The numbers of Korean immigrants and students in the United States are steadily increasing, but there have been very few studies of their second language literacy development (Cole, Maddox, Lim, & Notari-Syverson, 2002; Scarcellar & Chin, 1993; Shin, 1994; Skilton-Sylvester, 2001; Yu, 1994). Nor do the very few studies explore the inseparable relationship between Korean literacy and English literacy within a cultural context. This study aims to compare their views on Korean writing with those on English writing to see trace the multiliteracy development of Korean learners of English in the United States. I conducted in-depth oral interviews with Korean immigrants and students of various ages. They were asked to state everything they could remember about what they have learned to write and read in their native language and in their second language across their lifetimes, focusing particularly on the institutions they attended, materials they used, people involved in their learning, and their motivations for writing. The results reveal that the participants developed a view of writing specific to the Korean context and after they moved to the United States, they struggled to readjust the values and meanings they had had for Korean literacy to the second language context. The results of this study suggest future multiliteracy studies are needed to explore multiliteracy development in terms of the meanings and values language learners associate with their multiliteracy and help educational institutions and communities to approach second language learners' multiliteracy development as a life-long experience.

• Proceedings of The Korean Society of Health Promotion Conference
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.121-149
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• 2005

미국 캘리포니아 주의 건강문제로는 흡연, HIV/AIDS, 천식, 정신질환, 아동비만, 유방암, API, 건강한 생활양식 형성, 인종간의 건강격차 등을 들 수 있다. 이러한 건강문제를 해결하기 위해 캘리포니아주에서 진행되는 지역사회 중재전략은 지역사회 단체와의 협력이라는 특성을 지니고 있으며, 도시지역의 노인이나 다양한 인종들을 대상으로 하는 프로그램들의 경우는 교회를 통한 접근방법이 빈번하게 활용된다. 중재 프로그램들은 지역사회 조직모형과 역량강화의 개념을 활용하며, 문화적으로 다른 배경을 가진 인구집단을 대상으로는 이들의 요구에 맞는 프로그램을 진행하는 형태로 기존의 프로그램을 채택하는 것이 아닌 이들의 다양한 요구에 맞도록 수정된 프로그램을 제공하고 있다. 개인 간 의사소통을 활용하여 사회적 관계망의 활성화를 도모하며, 일반인이 건강지도자가 되는 교육모형도 활용하고 있다. 한국교민사회 자문위원회(Korean Community Advisory Board, KCAB)는 CDCPRC(CFCH)의 기금으로 진행되는 연구 프로젝트를 수행할 목적으로 1993년 설립되었다. 장기적인 지역사회 건강증진을 위하여 전문가와 일반인 지도자들이 지역사회에서 협력하는 방법을 활용하며 요구도 진단, 수행 평가, 건강옹호와 같은 다양한 사업을 진행한다. 회원들은 핵심 회원과 일반회원으로 구분되고 이들은 사업의 수행과 관련된 의사결정에 도움을 주게 된다. 한국교민사회 자문위원회가 수행한 프로그램은 'Health is Strength', 'Virtual Village Program'이 있으며, 현재는 'Quitting is Winning'이라는 미국거주 한국 남성을 대상으로 하는 인터넷 금연 프로그램을 수행하고 있다. 또한 캘리포니아 주 거주 한국인의 건강상태에 대한 조사를 진행하고 그 결과를 보고하는 프로젝트를 진행하고 있다. 이들이 하는 주요 업무는 지역에서 발생되는 건강문제에 대한 우선순위를 파악할 수 있도록 하여 한국교민들의 건강요구를 파악하고 사업의 우선순위를 설정하는데 도움을 주고 있다. 센터에서 진행되는 한국교민 대상 연구나 사업에 가장 효과적일 수 있는 방법에 대한 지침이나 정보를 제공한다. 또한 문화적으로 민감한 사항이나 적절성 여부에 대한 확인을 하며 연구결과를 보고하고 확산하는데 도움을 주고 있다. 캘리포니아 주는 다양한 인종들이 거주하는 지역이다. 따라서 문화적 민감성이나 문화적 대응전략, 문화적 적절성은 건강증진사업을 수행할 경우에 매우 중요한 이슈가 된다. 또한 이들은 소수민족인 경우가 많아 언어장벽으로 인하여 의료서비스 이용에 제한을 받게 된다. 따라서 보건의료전문가들은 이러한 문화적 요소들을 능숙하게 다루는 기술이 필요한데, 이러한 기술이란 문화가 다른 사람들 간에는 갈등이 존재한다는 점을 인식하고, 건강관련 믿음과 건강행동에 영향을 미치는 사회문화적 요인들을 파악하고, 대안적 해결책을 제시하며, 결과를 평가할 수 있는 능력을 의미한다. 이러한 영역에서 health care interpreter는 소수인종의 보건의료 서비스의 원활한 이용을 위하여 매우 활발한 역할을 수행하고 있다.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-96
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• 1997

The main purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of sex ratio imbalance at birth in Taegu which has experienced the extremely imbalanced sex ratio at birth since mid-1980s. This paper attempts to compare the determinants of sex ratio imbalance at birth, such as sex discrimination against women, son preference, prenatal sex identification followes by sex-selective induced abortions, among married women aged 25 to 44 in Taegu with those in Bay area, California in USA. The research is based on the survey data which were conducted in Taegu, Repulic of Korea and Bay area, California in USA. The findings of this analysis suggest that married women in Taegu are more likely to feel sex discrimination against women than married women in Bay area. Furthermore, the percentage of married women's effort for son bearing before pregnancy is much higher than that of married women in Bay area. We also have found that the percentage of sex-selective induced abortion in Taegu is six times higher than that of married women in Bay area. According to the logistic regression analysis, the determinants of sex-selective induced abortion among married women in Taegu are discrimination against women, son preference, prenatal sex identification. On the other hand, age is the only variable which has an important impact on sex-selective induced abortion among married women in Bay area. From the findings of this study, we can conclude that son preference based on Cofucianism is the most important impact on sex ratio imbalance at birth in Taegu where son preference is much stronger than other regions in Korea. The phenomenon of extremely imbalanced sex ratio at birth in Taegu is the result of combination of these factors, such as strong son preference, seeking to have at least one son within small family size, and prenatal sex identification followed by sex-selective induced abortion.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.123-151
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• 1999

미국사회에서 노인의 거주지 적응양식은 인종간에 차이가 크다. 일반적으로 소수인종노인은 백인 노인에 비하여 자녀와 함께 사는 경향이 강하다. 이에 대하여 문화적 입장에서는 소수인종은 백인에 비하여 가족부양규범이 강하다고 주장한다. 다른 한편 경제적 입장에서는 소수인종은 그들의 생애를 지배하는 빈곤 때문에 규모의 경제를 통하여 가계비용을 줄이기 위하여 확대가족을 유지할 수밖에 없다고 주장한다. 본 연구는 노인이 질병과 빈곤에 적응하는 방식에 있어 인종간 차이를 검토함으로써 기존의 경제학적 논의와 문화적 논의의 적합성을 검정하는데 목적을 두고 있다. 이를 위하여 노인의 거주지 적응에 대한 문화적 영향과 관련하여 두가지 가설을 검정하고 있다. 첫째, 소수인종 노인은 백인노인에 비하여 빈곤과 질병상황에서 가족으로부터 더 오랜기간 보호를 받는지를 검토한다. 둘째, 소수인종 노인은 백인노인에 비하여 건강이 악화될 때 더욱 신속하게 가족으로부터 보호를 받을 수 있는지를 검토한다. 분석을 위해서 1984년에서 1990년기간 동안 실시된 "고령화에 대한 종단적 조사(Longitudinal Survey on Aging)"를 이용하여 마르코비안 다중생명표 모형과 사건분석을 수행하였다. 본 연구결과에 따르면 소수인종 노인은 가족부양규범의 문화적 이점을 그다지 크게 다지고 있지 않다. 인종간 사망력과 시설입소의 차이를 통제할 때, 소수인종 노인은 백인노인에 비하여 보다 흔하게 자녀동거에서 단독거주형태로 혹은 그 반대방향으로 거주지 변화를 경험하고 있다. 백인 노인은 소수인종에 비하여 질병상태와 관련하여 자녀와 동거하는 경향이 더 강하다. 사망력과 시설입소의 인종간 차이를 통제할 때 소수인종노인이 백인노인보다 쉽게 자녀동거에서 단독거주로 이행하는데 이는 소수인종에서 가족부양체계가 불안정함을 의미한다. 또한 빈곤시에 소수인종 노인은 백인노인에 비하여 쉽게 자녀와 떨어져 살게 된다. 이러한 결과는 소수인종 노인에 대한 가족의 지원은 그 가족의 경제적 제약속에서 매우 안정적이지 못함을 시사한다. 못함을 시사한다.