Abstract

This study investigates the effect of self-esteem and Korean ability on acculturative stress of marriage-based immigrant Asian women in Korea. It also attempts to find out whether self-esteem has any mediating effect between Korean ability and acculturative stress. By using purposive sampling method, 280 samples were collected among Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese women in Daegu from Oct. 12th to Nov. 3rd, 2008. The results are as follows: The higher the score of self-esteem and that of Korean ability is, the lower the score of acculturative stress is respectively. It is proved that self-esteem has mediating effect between Korean ability and acculturative stress. Therefore it is emphasized that programs which can improve self-esteem should be provided to marriage-based immigrant women, especially to those who do not have sufficient Korean ability. Sending money to home country shows both direct and indirect effects and subjective economic evaluation shows direct effects on acculturative stress score. For the purpose of the study acculturative stress scale has been modified based on Sandhu and Asrabadi(1994), which turns out to be useful to measure acculturative stress of marriage-based immigrant Asian women in Korea because it reflects their life circumstances quite well. Some practical implications of social work are suggested through discussion.

본 연구는 결혼이주여성의 문화적응스트레스에 대한 자아존중감과 한국어 능력의 영향을 파악하고자 280명의 베트남, 필리핀, 중국 출신 결혼이주여성을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 자아존중감이 높을수록, 또 한국어 능력이 높을수록, 문화적응스트레스가 낮아지는 영향관계에 있었다. 자아존중감은 문화적응스트레스의 모든 하위요인에 영향을 미치며, 자아존중감이 한국어 능력과 문화적응스트레스 간에 매개효과를 보였다. 본국송금은 직 간접적으로, 경제형편은 간접적으로만 문화적응스트레스에 영향을 미쳤다. 자아존중감 향상과 한국어 능력을 보완할 수 있는 개별화된 맞춤형 프로그램개발 및 결혼이주여성을 위한 문화적응스트레스 척도개발을 제안하였다.

Keywords

• marriage-based immigrant women;
• acculturative stress;
• self-esteem;
• Korean ability or language ability

• 결혼이주여성;
• 문화적응스트레스;
• 자아존중감;
• 한국어 능력;