The relationship between social support and acculturative stress from cultural adaptation of people displaced from North Korea to South Korea

This study analysed the relationship between social support, financial independence, self-enhancement bias, and stress from cultural adaptation. For an empirical analysis, the data from 225 people displaced from North Korea were analysed. Our results suggest that social support has a positively significant effect on financial independence and self-enhancement bias; furthermore, financial independence has been shown to reduce stress from cultural adaptation. Therefore, social support reduces stress from cultural adaptation through financial independence. These results demonstrate that the social support of South Korea is very important for people displaced from North Korea in terms of their safely establishing settled living. In addition, considering the fact that the status of China is rising in international society, the results of the present study provide important insights into the provision of psychological stability to people displaced from North Korea.     

Influence of Acculturative Stress of Married Migrant Women on Marriage Satisfaction: The Mediating Effect of Problem‐Solving Ability and Information Support

This paper aims to examine the mediating effect of problem‐solving ability and information support on the relationship between acculturative stress and marriage satisfaction of married migrant women. To this end, the research model was established on the basis of the stress‐coping theories and resource model, and existing relevant research, and the mediating effect was verified through a structural equation. The subjects were married migrant women living in Busan and Gyeongsangnam‐do. The data from 307 respondents to questionnaires was used for analysis. In accordance with the analysis, the goodness‐of‐fit of the measurement model and structure model was significant. Moreover, problem‐solving ability had a mediating effect on the relationship between acculturative stress and marriage satisfaction. However, information support had no mediated effect on the relationship between acculturative stress and marriage satisfaction. This paper suggests practical implications of improving marriage satisfaction of migrant women on the basis of the analysis results.     

Meta‐analysis of depression among marriage‐based migrant women in South Korea

Using meta‐analysis, this study examines the effect sizes of the variables related to depression and the moderating effects of depression among marriage‐based migrant women in South Korea to determine the implications for human service fields. This study identified 25 peer‐reviewed articles from 2000 to 2014 published in either Korean or in English. Results showed that (i) Korean language proficiency and economic hardship had significant effect sizes relative to depression; (ii) the psychosocial characteristics (i.e., acculturative stress, social support, marital satisfaction, life satisfaction, and self‐esteem) of this population had medium effect sizes relative to depression; and (iii) use of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, residence in agricultural areas, average age, and average length of stay in Korea had significant moderating effects. Based on these results, the authors discuss social work practices and policies for this population, suggesting the priorization of marriage‐based migrant women in agricultural areas who have lived in Korea for short lengths of time.     

The Impacts of Acculturative Stress and Social Competence on the Mental Health of Mainland Chinese Immigrant Youth in Hong Kong

Correspondence to Dr Daniel Fu Keung Wong, Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Adminstration, 1317 K K Leung Building, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.E-mail: dfkwong{at}hkucc.hku.hk Summary Attempts were made to examine migration stressors, social competence,and mental health status of immigrant youth in Hong Kong andto examine the effects of social competence on stress and themental health of immigrant youth. Data on 106 immigrant youth,which were collected through a structured questionnaire, wereanalysed. It was discovered that immigrant youth found survivalissues and losses, rather than cultural differences and unfulfilledexpectations, to be stressful. Male immigrant youth exhibitedmore psychological distress symptoms than female immigrant youth.Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that social competenceexerted moderating effects on stress and the mental health ofimmigrant youth. Immigrant youth who had a higher level of socialcompetence, in terms of self-control, empathy, assertivenessand the ability to read social cues, had less stress and enjoyedbetter mental health. In conclusion, personal and socio-culturalreasons are put forward to explain the findings. Practice andpolicy implications are also discussed.     

Job stress,daily stress,and depressive symptoms among low-wage workers in Korea: the role of resilience

This study examined the effects of job stress and daily stress on depressive symptoms and the role of resilience as a moderator among low-wage workers in South Korea. Using purposive sampling, we analysed 254 low-wage workers of private-sector organisations in Seoul and Gyeong-gi province. Results indicated that age, self-rated health, job stress, and daily stress were significant predictors of depressive symptoms, and the moderating effect of resilience was significant only for the relationship between daily stress and depressive symptoms. Findings suggest the significance of using different approaches to manage job stress and daily stress, which in turn will affect low-wage workers’ mental health.     

Longitudinal Effects of Economic Preparation and Social Activities on Life and Family Relationship Satisfaction among Retirees

This longitudinal study examined the long‐term effects of economic preparation and social activity on life and family relationship satisfaction among retirees, particularly baby boomers. Data was obtained from the 2009 and 2011 Korean Retirement & Income Panel Study. A fixed effects model was employed to estimate unobservable individual‐specific effects and to control for study participants’ individual characteristics. The results show that both economic preparation and social activities have long‐term effects on baby boomers’ life and family relationship satisfaction. This study reveals that multidimensional aspects of preparation increase the long‐term impact of life satisfaction for retirees.     

The Effects of Depressive Symptoms on Work Activities and Welfare Exit of Welfare Recipients in Korea1

The purpose of this research is to examine the link between depressive symptoms of welfare recipients and their work activity and welfare exit using a secondary dataset, entitled the Korean Welfare Panel Study. In 2000, the National Basic Livelihood Security System (NBLSS) was introduced to (i) ensure a basic standard of living for households in poverty, and (ii) promote work activity and welfare exit of the recipients. A considerable body of literature has reported that the policy outcome of the NBLSS is not a success. However, the reason for the low success rate is unclear. In contrast to studies in the USA, few studies in Korea investigated the effect of depression on welfare‐to‐work transitions. To bridge the gap in the literature, we examine the association between depression, work activity, and welfare exit using a logistic regression analytic method. The analytic results show that the level of depression (total score on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) was negatively associated with welfare recipients’ work activity and welfare exit, suggesting that depressive symptoms may be a significant barrier to promoting economic self‐sufficiency. Implications of the study findings are further discussed.     

The effects of child maltreatment on childhood behaviour problems in South Korea: findings from the fifth Korea Child and Youth Panel Survey (the 2014 KCYPS)

The study examines the effects of child maltreatment on children behavioural problems in South Korea. We found that 11.5% of children experienced physical abuse, 28.7% experienced emotional abuse and about 35% experienced neglect. After controlling for all socio-demographic factors, children who experienced physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect were more likely to develop internalised as well as externalised behavioural problems such as depression, aggression, underage smoking, underage drinking and engaging in cyber delinquency. The results point towards a need to develop social welfare interventions to mitigate physical/emotional abuse and neglect so as to prevent behavioural problems in South Korean children.     

The 2015 welfare reform of the National Basic Livelihood Security System in South Korea: Effects on economic outcomes

In July 2015, South Korea’s National Basic Livelihood Security System (NBLSS) was reformed for the purposes of eliminating welfare blind spots and reducing poverty. The reform is expected to affect the recipients’ economic behaviours and choices. In this study, we used changes in benefits and eligibility for the NBLSS under the customised benefit system to identify the effects of the change in the NBLSS on a proposed set of economic outcomes – income, labour supply, consumption, savings, poverty reduction. To estimate the effects, we used data from the 10th–12th waves of the Korea Welfare Panel Study and employed a difference‐in‐differences framework integrated with the propensity scores. We found that the NBLSS helps the poor to reduce financial and material hardships through income and consumption increments, but that it does not provide disincentives to the recipients from participating in the labour market or from saving.     

Early Life Stress: Effects on the Regulation of Anxiety Expression in Children and Adolescents

This study examined children's (N = 79; 9–10 years) and adolescents’ (N = 82; 15–16 years) ability to regulate their emotion expressions of anxiety as they completed a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST‐C). Approximately half in each age group were internationally adopted from institutional care (N = 79) and half were non‐adopted, age‐matched peers (N = 82). Institutional care was viewed as a form of early life stress. Coders who were reliable and blind to group status watched videos of the session to assess anxiety expressions using the Child and Adolescent Stress and Emotion Scale developed for this study. Children exhibited more expressions of anxiety than adolescents, and youth adopted from institutions showed more expressions of anxiety than their non‐adopted counterparts. The role of early life stress on observed anxiety expressions remained significant after controlling for differences in age, physiological stress responses measured through salivary cortisol reactivity, and self‐reports of stress during the TSST‐C. This suggests possible deficits in the regulation of expressive behavior for youth with early life stress histories, which cannot be explained by experiencing the task as more stressful.     

The effects of physical and psychological health on life satisfaction among older adults with a physical disability in South Korea: focus on gender differences

This study aims to investigate whether (a) functional disabilities, self-rated health and depression influence life satisfaction among older adults with a physical disability, and (b) whether the effects of the predictors differ by gender. The study utilises 2008 Korea Welfare Panel Study data. The findings reveal that functional disabilities and depression are negatively associated with life satisfaction, whereas self-rated health is positively related with life satisfaction. In addition, the effects of functional disabilities and income on life satisfaction vary by gender. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.