• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2010

Objectives : This study investigated the influence of traumatic experience on the ego identity, self-esteem, and general psychopathology of adolescent North Korean refugees. Methods : The participants were 146 adolescents North Korean refugees who attended H High School for North Korean refugees. We divided the subjects into two groups according to the severity of their traumatic experience : the more-traumatic-experience group and the less-traumatic-experience group. Each group performed self-report assessments including an assessment to reveal demographic characteristics, the Traumatic Experiences Scale for North Korean Defectors, the Scale for Ego identity, the Scale for Self-esteem and the Symptom Check-90-Revision (SCL-90-R). Statistical analysis of t-test and multiple regression utilized SPSS 12.0 for Window for comparison between more-traumatic-experience group and less-traumatic-experience group. Results : The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder among adolescents North Korean refugees was 37%. The factor with the greatest influence on ego identity was length of time living in South Korea, while, for self-esteem the most influential factor was perception of health. The more-traumatic-experience group had lower self-esteem scores on some subscales of the Scale for Ego identity. They had higher scores on all SCL-90-R subscales than the less-traumatic-experience group. Conclusion : Adolescent North Korean refugees experienced high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder. The more traumatic-experience-group had lower self esteem and poorer ego identity and mental health than the less-traumatic-experience group.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.101-110
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the mental health and health risk behaviors of multicultural adolescents according to their mothers' native country. Methods: For this study raw data from the 11th Youth Health Behavior Online Survey (2015) was examined. Mental health and health risk behaviors for 62,985 adolescents were analyzed according to their mothers' native country. Collected data were analyzed with the SPSS program using descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis, to which the complex sample design was applied. Results: The odds ratio of depression in multicultural adolescents compared to Korean adolescents was 44.92 (CI: 5.77-349.59) for adolescents whose mothers came from Cambodia and 3.00 (CI: 1.57-5.76) for adolescents whose mothers came from North Korea. The odds ratio of attempted suicide was 14.73 (CI: 3.09-70.22) for adolescents whose mothers came from Cambodia and 8.63 (CI: 3.45-21.62) for adolescents whose mothers came from North Korea. The odds ratio of problematic drinking in multicultural adolescents was 7.47 (CI: 1.71-32.67) for adolescents whose mothers came from Mongolia. Conclusion: Findings indicate that when planning a health promotion program for adolescents from multicultural families, a customized approach should be sought taking into account the characteristics of mothers' native country.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.41-57
• /
• 2016

This study aimed at developing a family life education program to assist North Korean defector adolescents in their acculturation and adjustment process into South Korea. The program focused on building positive social relationships and managing healthy living, to allow them to develop appropriate skills needed to achieve social self-sufficiency. Researchers conducted interviews with defector adolescents as well as teachers of charter schools for defector students in order to identify the adolescents' needs. The contents of the program were carefully chosen to reflect the needs identified through the interviews. The program provides hands-on projects that are relevant to students' lives and consists of 10 study units that deal with different aspects of family life: food and dietary life, appearance and clothing, housing and community life, family and personal relationships, consumption, etc. The program was implemented in September through December, 2015, at Yeomyung School, which is an alternative highschool for North Korean defector adolescents. The program is expected to help North Korean defector students adopt the skills by experience and apply them in their daily life situations.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.11
• /
• pp.683-689
• /
• 2017

Given that the ratio of adolescents among North Korean refugees is increasing, it is the right time to study the present situation of juvenile North Korean defectors. North Korean adolescents tend to find themselves in an uncomfortable situation as they experience unfamiliar lives in South Korea, and act passively in various situations. A proper resolution of such problems in this situation will help them adapt smoothly to South Korean society. This study investigates the relationship between social support, self-esteem, and problem-solving abilities of North Korean adolescent refugees based on a survey on 213 North Korean teens which was performed for 24 days beginning on June 14 2017. The study results show that emotional, material, informational, and evaluative support for North Korean adolescent defectors, which is a type of social support, had a positive effect on their self-esteem, and self-esteem in turn had a positive effect on their problem solving ability. In addition, self-esteem had a mediating effect on the relationship between the four types of social support and problem solving ability of North Korean adolescent defectors. This study suggested a practical plan to improve the problem solving ability of North Korean adolescent defectors for their smooth adaptation to South Korean society, through social support and improved self-esteem of North Korean adolescents, such as program development or self - development training.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.343-365
• /
• 2010

It is a follow-up study on acculturation types and adaptation level to South Korea among North Korean defecting adolescents who participated in the study with the same purpose five years ago(2003). The study of 2003(1st year study) was done with 90 adolescents, out of whom 46 participated in this study(2nd year study). The data from 46 subjects who participated in both 1st and 2nd studies were analyzed. The results on individual acculturation type showed that 40% of the respondents who belonged to 'marginal' or 'separated' types in the 1st study were changed to 'assimilated' or 'integrated' types in the 2nd. Twenty percent changed from 'assimilated' or 'integrated' types in the 1st study to 'marginal' or 'separated' in the 2nd. Furthermore, the higher is the acceptance level of South Korean culture, the lower are their psycho-social problems and the higher is the satisfaction level of daily lives in South Korea. While the higher is the preservation level of North Korean culture, the higher is aggression. Based on the results, the study developed discussion on diverse alternative plans for helping North Korean defecting adolescents in successfully adjusting to the South Korean society.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.25-50
• /
• 2020

This case study explored changes in resilience of North Korean defector adolescents who underwent supportive music psychotherapy that included song discussion and song writing. Participants were three adolescents who escaped from North Korea. Sixty-minute sessions were conducted twice a week over four weeks for a total of seven sessions. The sessions were constructed to enhance hardiness and goal-directedness and used the process of discussing song lyrics, writing original lyrics, and composing music to help the participants strengthen their inner resources and identify healthier and more adaptive strategies for living in South Korea. The resilience scale measured at pre- and post-intervention showed that all participants increased their total scores and subscores related to hardiness and goal-directedness. Also, observation and analysis of their behavior, verbal responses, and lyric writing during the sessions revealed that the participants engaged more in the song-based music therapy process as the sessions went on and also expressed more positive perceptions of their ability to manage challenges and stress. These results indicate that active engagement in decision-making related to creating lyrics and composing music helped the North Korean defector adolescents to perceive themselves as capable of coping with stressful situations and independently solving problems, which are important for enhancing resilience.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.9
• /
• pp.395-402
• /
• 2017

This study examinedthe adaptive flexibility of North Korean adolescent defectors in order to examine how they should see themselves and cope with various situations, and analyzedthe effect of their resilience on their self-esteem and social problem-solving ability. The study subjects were 223 North Korean adolescents (10 - 25 year olds) living in South Korea. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 statistical programs. The study results showed that the resilience of North Korean adolescents had a statistically significant effect on their self-esteem and social problem-solving ability. In particular, resilience had a high correlation with self-esteem, and self-esteem had a high correlation with social problem solving ability. In addition, self-esteem was the mediating factor between resilience and social problem-solving ability. The self-esteem of North Korean adolescent defectors played a particularly important role. Therefore, professional protection and support should be provided with the help of related experts such as youth leaders and counselors who would be able to enhance the self-esteem of North Korean adolescent defectors.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.117-122
• /
• 2017

North Korean youth is a youth aged 6 to 18 who lives in a South Korean society after having left North Korea. In this study, photo-in-education (PIE) provides North Korean youths with opportunities for cultural and arts education, and to help them adjust themselves to South Korean society. As a result, they, as young people who are exploring a new life in South Korea, have been able to express their own inner world through photos, videos, and writings. Also, young people have developed a bright and clear mind, and enhanced an expressive power and logical power that helps grow healthily and intelligently. Further, it is the aim of this education to help them to have a positive feeling for society and to do their best to become a healthy member of society, who will be able to contribute to society. Through PIE, it was found that North Korean defectors were able to see themselves positively and express their own inner self positively, despite that they are still in the negative and shady side of life.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.467-486
• /
• 2012

By identifying the state of adjustment regarding mathematical education for adolescents who escaped from North Korea and analyzing the relevant factors from multiple perspectives, this study is aimed at finding improvement methods for their math education adoptability. To fulfill such objective, this paper-reviewed the existing literature and research, conducted participatory observation, collected and analyzed survey research on math education adoptability for 43 students who are currently attending an alternative school for North Korean defectors. The results of this research are as follows: There is a serious pattern of maladjustment concerning math education of adolescents who defected from North Korea. The lack of basic skills in mathematical principles due to the gap in their studies results in poor academic performance, particularly in the advanced stages of learning. In the process of defection, environmental challenges, such as the loss of basic study skills which naturally results from the gap in their studies and differences in the educational curriculum between North and South Korea, are posing difficulties for these students.

• 한국지구과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.09a
• /
• pp.315-316
• /
• 2005