• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.403-409
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• 2009

Due to recent upsurge in international marriages, the socio-cultural adaptation, the reinforcement of family stability, and the social integration support of marriage-based immigrant family have been the major social issues. This paper tries to show the current status of marriage-based immigrants and their children nation-wide. Specifically, it analyzes the statistical trends in international marriages, traits of marriage-based immigrants and their children, their attitudes towards child raising and education, and presents policy measures to enhance their life quality.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.171-192
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• 2009

This research is a case study based on face-to-face interviews with eighteen Mongolian marriage-based immigrants. The purpose of the study is to understand Mongolian family living in general and the Mongolian immigrants' family living in Korea in order to help the immigrants in their initial settlement period and the crossculture families by providing them with the information on Mongolian family living. Based on the findings of the study, marriage-based immigrants need a great deal of support for Korean language and adaptation to the new life style during their initial settlement period. Meanwhile, the immigrants that have lived in Korea more than three years can benefit from differentiated types of support such as career reinforcement programs or empowerment programs. Also, their children should be encouraged to become bilingual in their mother's native language with appropriate education and support system, and they will be able to become a great asset to our society in the future.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.518-531
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to develop and test a measurement for assessment of stress of female marriage immigrants in Korea. Methods: Forty four preliminary items were initially developed based on literature review and focus group interviews. Those items were evaluated by experts for content validity, resulting in six factors and 26 items. The 26 items were translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, and English by professional translators and were reviewed by native speakers of each language who are fluent in Korean. For testing validity and reliability, data were collected from 323 female marriage immigrants residing in five regions in Korea. Results: As a result of item analysis, 25 items were selected. Factor analysis yielded 21 items in four factors, including 1) household economic 2) parenting and discrimination 3) cultural and 4) emotional stressors, explaining 61.3% of the total variance of stress of female marriage immigrants in Korea. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was .903 for the overall instrument and .692-.892 for four factors. Conclusion: Measurement of stress for female marriage immigrants in Korea has high validity and reliability. Therefore, this measurement may be utilized for systematic assessment of stress and for identification of areas of support for female marriage immigrants in Korea.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.26
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• pp.509-533
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to examine the sociolinguistic competence of female marriage-immigrants through analyzing their free colloquial discourse. Because previous studies on female marriage-immigrants have not been performed based on the natural illocutionary data, an accurate diagnosis of their communication method will be necessary for the efficiency of the Korean education aimed at them, and for the development of their communication ability. For this study, the colloquial discourse situation from five female marriage-immigrants from China, the Philippines and Vietnam was recorded. The sociolinguistic characteristics were analyzed centering on the use of designation, respect terms, and regional words. 'Eomma' was used as a designation for their husband's mother, which means that 'intimacy' worked for the designation of their husband's mother. The respect-word classes for others were limited to the 'haeyo' form and the 'hae' one, and the reception for listeners was often discarded. In addition, the influence of regional words was found in the vocabulary and grammar, and the more proficient the Korean language, the more frequent the regional word occurrence. Based on the above result, the teaching method of Korean for the immigrants shall be suggested as follows: the teaching has to focus on respect words positively influencing the relationship with the counterpart.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

This study investigated how the characteristics of female international marriage immigrants, their husbands, their children, and their families affected their parenting self-efficacy, using a sample of 187 female international marriage immigrants, from China, the Philippines, or Vietnam, now living in Pusan and Gyungnam, Korea. We used questionnaires were based on the studies by Choe & Chung (2001), Shin (1997), Lee (1996), and Lee & Song (1991), and with the addition of demographic characteristics. Analysis results showed that the mother's parenting self-efficacy subscales correlated positively with mother's educational level, social support, and Korean language level; husband's educational level; and family income, and negatively with mother's depression, husband's age, and mother's acculturative stress. Multiple regressions indicated that husband's support was the strongest predictor of female international marriage immigrants' parenting self-efficacy.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.64-77
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• 2017

This study was conducted to develop a nutritional education program based on the health belief model to improve nutritional status among Vietnamese female marriage immigrants in Korea. The education program was developed through literature review, focus group interviews, expert consultation, and pilot tests. Based on theoretical requirements and needs of beneficiaries, the education program was consisted of 16 sessions with nine topics: 'how to evaluate own dietary habits and nutritional status', 'health problems according to dietary habits and nutritional status', 'understanding six food groups', 'healthy eating plan', 'understanding food cultures of Korea and Vietnam', 'traditional and seasonal Korean foods', 'how to cook Korean food', 'nutrition management of family members', and 'practicing of healthy dietary life'. Program contents in each session consisted of activities that could induce outcome and value expectations, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and barriers and cues to actions regarding dietary behavior. This nutritional education program based on the health belief model would be helpful to implement healthy diet behaviors in Vietnamese marriage immigrants and their families. Extension of these nutritional education programs to health centers and multicultural family support centers would improve the current poor nutrition status of Vietnamese marriage immigrant women. Further studies are needed to validate our program.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2011

With the recent increase in the number of foreign settlers in our country, a societal system is needed which they can adapt to more easily. The results of the study were as follows. First, from the result of analyzing the 171 programs of the multi-cultural family support system, it could be seen that in order for the marriage immigrants to more successfully adapt, various programs are needed. Second, when the study had an interview with 13 marriage immigrants from China, Vietnam and Philippine about their adaptation to residential environment, they had a high satisfaction with their residential environment when their spouses' educational level was high. In, they appraised that South Korea was superior to their native land in scale and facilities of buildings and the buildings of their native land were superior to those in South Korea in terms of soundproof applications, natural lighting and ventilation, which were indoor environmental elements. Third, they were generally satisfied with their residential environment. However, they stated that it took 6 months~ two years to adapt to the Korean residential environment because of the differences in the residential environment compared to their homeland. A based on the research result, the housing adviser is necessary in the marriage immigrants.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.234-245
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• 2015

This study aimed to investigate factors related to Chinese female marriage immigrants' dietary adaptation. An in-person survey was conducted by a research institute on Chinese female marriage immigrants married to Korean men, having one child or more aged 1~6 years old, and having resided in Korea for at least 1 year before the survey. Data were collected from 309 respondents comprising 151 Han Chinese and 158 Korean-Chinese during the summer of 2013. About two-thirds of respondents were in their 30s and had resided in Korea for 5 to 10 years. Based on the overall mean score for dietary adaptation level (3.50 out of 5 points), the respondents were classified into two groups: low dietary adaptation group (mean score 3.11) and high dietary adaptation group (mean score 3.81). The results of comparative analysis between the two groups showed that the levels of acculturation (p<0.01) and healthy dietary behavior (p<0.01) for the high dietary adaptation group were significantly higher than those of low dietary adaptation group. The number of respondents of the high dietary adaptation group reporting increased food diversity (p<0.01) and decreased frequency of skipping meals (p<0.01) was significantly higher compare to the low dietary adaptation group. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors related to dietary adaptation. General characteristics, levels of acculturation, and healthy dietary behavior were included as independent variables. As a result, levels of acculturation and healthy dietary behavior as well as education level, monthly household income, and length of residence in Korea were associated with dietary adaptation. In conclusion, Chinese female marriage immigrants showing acculturated and healthy dietary behaviors adapted well to Korean dietary life. The results from this study suggest that diet-related adaptation support programs for Chinese female marriage immigrants may positively affect their acculturation and dietary behaviors.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.125-141
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• 2013

This research aims to integrate study results through a meta-analysis of previous studies on the variables related with social support for female marriage immigrants. Based on the results, this study established the foundation of an integrated social support system for female marriage immigrants which considers both the functional perspective and structural perspective of social support, and suggested plans for an efficient support system. All social support was positively associated with female marriage immigrants marriage life, child-rearing behavior and attitude, reduction of stress and depression and psychological stability. In relation to the effect size of each variable related with all social support, the marriage variable had the biggest relationship with it, followed by the parenting variable, the psychological variable and the stress variable in that order. With reference to the relationship with related variables according to the sub-domain of social support, from the structural perspective, spousale support showed a high relationship with the marriage variable and the stress variable. It was also especially, very highly related with the marriage variable. In addition, a married woman's family support and expert support had an intermediate relationship with the marriage variable, and the husband's family support and friend support had a low relationship with it. From the functional perspective, material support had a very high relationship with the marriage variable, whereas it had a low relationship with the stress variable and the psychological variable. Emotional support was also highly related with marriage variable, but showed an intermediate or low relationship with the psychological variable and the stress variable. On the other hand, informational support displayed an intermediate relationship with the stress variable and the psychological variable, and a high relationship with the marriage variable. Lastly, evaluative support had a high relationship with the marriage variable and the psychological variable. Based on these results, this study proposed plans for an integrated social support system as follows. First, education ought to be provided for the spouses, and support for marital adjustment should be offered. Second, there plans should be made for continuous bonding with the family of origin, and support should be given to address changes in awareness of the relationship with the husband's parents. Third, it is required to revitalize the local community and self-help groups, and provide the female marriage immigrants with opportunities to participate in social activities.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.327-338
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• 2011

In order to promote and comprehend marriage immigrants' culture, it is essential to understand the life of their families in their counties. For this study, data by a Philippine CFO(Commission on Filipino Overseas) has been analyzed, and the study researcher has attended an educational program run by the PDOS(Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar). Also, in order to understand the immigrants' families in their country, interviews have been done with some of the CFO employees, people arranged to immigrate to Korea through marriage, and female immigrants who are married. First, Filipino females have a positive attitude toward marriage with a foreign male. Most immigrants are from the rural parts of their country, and their families tend to rely on their daughters more than their sons. Therefore, they decide to marry Korean males and immigrate in order to support their families. However many of them do not have enough information about Korea. Second, Philippine's family system is of bilateral kinship, and traditionally, men and women are treated equally. Therefore, Filipino females tend to be well-educated, outgoing, and vibrant. Thus, they can create an active role in married life for themselves and support their family members. Lastly, based on videos and class materials on the topic of domestic violence that are used in the pre-educational programs for females planning to immigrate to Korea, the content of the program is to be revised.