In order to overcome the lack of deep analysis and substantial research about Berry’s acculturation theory, the limit in the perspective of nation-centrism and cultural absolutism used in the previous research when looking at the North Korean refuge...
In order to overcome the lack of deep analysis and substantial research about Berry’s acculturation theory, the limit in the perspective of nation-centrism and cultural absolutism used in the previous research when looking at the North Korean refugee adolescents in South Korea, and the limit in the explorative research that depended mainly on review of literature, in-depth interview and observation in the study-methodological aspect, this study aims to illuminate the resilience of the North Korean refugee adolescents and its effect on their acculturation.
Therefore, focusing on the Berry’s acculturation theory, a standard that fits the characteristic of North Korean refugee adolescents was constructed and their pattern and level of acculturation were identified. Next, the difference of resilience among each pattern of acculturation in North Korean refugee adolescents was examined, and what subordinate factors of their resilience influence their acculturation in South Korean society were determined through a quantitative analysis. Lastly, the mechanism of resilience, the contextual conditions, the interactive phenomenon, and the intermediate conditions, which were not discovered through a quantitative analysis, were identified through a qualitative analysis.
The method of data collection was to conduct a purposive sampling and snowball sampling on the North Korean refugee adolescents(10-29) living in the entire area of South Korea, and 193 questionnaires were finally put to analysis. The questions were composed of three scales which are the socio-demographic characteristic, the cultural identity of South and North Korea, and the resilience. All of the questions were reviewed by the North Korean refugee adolescents and the technical workers and revised accordingly such that the North Korean adolescents can easily understand and answer the questions. The data analysis was conducted through SPSS/WIN 13.0 Statistics Package, and as the method of analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, cross-tabulation analysis, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe post-hoc and stepwise logistic regression analysis were used.
Also, as a result of analyzing the surveys collected in the quantitative study, the factors affecting the cultural integration were shown to be will, support, spiritual, and strong resilience. Therefore, in order to examine the process of how this resilience is created and developed, twelve North Korean refugee adolescents who were classified as the cultural integration type were interviewed. All of the interviews were recorded and the data analysis was conducted in the Colaizzi way.
The results of this study are as follows.
First, the acculturation level of North Korean refugee adolescents was identified based on Berry’s acculturation theory: 46 people in the integrated type, 44 people in the assimilated type, 50 people in the separation type, 53 people in the peripheral type. Also, as a result of analyzing and comparing the acculturation pattern according to the socio-demographic characteristic, a statistically significant difference was observed among the groups of different ages and at different levels of economic life.
Second, the overall resilience, according to the acculturation pattern of the North Korean refugee adolescents, was the highest in the integrated pattern and the lowest in the peripheral pattern. This difference turned out to be very significant statistically. All of the four patterns had the will resilience as the same highest subordinate factor of resilience and the spiritual resilience as the same lowest subordinate factor of resilience.
Third, the factors affecting the acculturation of the North Korean refugee adolescents were the economic living standard, the will resilience, the support resilience, the spiritual resilience and the strong resilience. That is, there was a more tendency to show the cultural integration pattern when the samples had a higher economic living standard, a lower strong resilience, and a higher will, support, and spiritual resilience. Therefore, the socio-demographic factors do not have a great effect on the resilience while the resilience has a great influence on the acculturation.
Fourth, based on the study results shown above, the situational and contextual conditions that enhance the support, will, and spiritual resilience of North Korean refugee adolescents and show the characteristics of the strong resilience were examined. As a result, the will resilience of the North Korean refugee adolescents was shown through the deadly process of escape from North Korea along with the painful life before escaping North Korea. Their painful experiences of staying in the third country and expectation toward their life in South Korea enhance their will resilience. At this time, they meet with the supporters which help them until they safely enter South Korea and obtain the support resilience. After arriving in South Korea and at the settling stage, they experience a great setback due to the indifference of South Korean people, their school life with the younger students, their hard times in studying, etc.
However, on account of the will resilience such as diligence, perseverance and strong will acquired through the painful life in North Korea, the near-death process of escaping North, and the adverse circumstances in other countries, they eventually figure out how to live in South Korea and establish their specific career path and plans, adapting well in South Korea. This will resilience is enhanced by the support resilience formed through the people who support and trust them such as their family, school teachers, religious leaders, Hanawon officers, volunteers and friends. Also, with the help of religion which gives them a spiritual consolation, their spiritual resilience is strengthened, and they can overcome difficult situations.
At the same time, they reveal the fact that they came from the North without any shame and form a confident interpersonal relationship, reinforcing the support resilience through a positive and optimistic thinking process. This enhancement reduces the strong resilience that negatively affects the acculturation and lead the North Korean refugee adolescents to have a positive self-image about themselves, have a positive belief about the meaning of life and adapt well culturally, making them able to have the cultural integration.
These study results show in the theoretical aspect that first, from the aspect of the study perspective, it is needed to introduce a strength perspective such as finding about the resilience. Second, from the aspect of the study details, the resilience that affects the acculturation of the North Korean refugee adolescents is important and it is necessary to consider much more variable factors in studying the acculturation. Third, to supplement the study-methodological aspect of the previous research, the quantitative approach and the qualitative approach should be conducted at the same time by attempting an integrative research, and this study is significant in the aspect of presenting a case of a different study method.
From the aspect of practice, first, the specialized service and program which can enhance the resilience and strengths of North Korean refugee adolescents must be developed. Second, it is necessary to develop and conduct various education and integrated programs on the information about North Korea and about unification for the South Korean adolescents. Third, the network with non-governmental organizations must be activated such that an integrative and systematic support system that fits each individual of North Korean refugee adolescents can be prepared.
Lastly, from the aspect of policy, first, a specific career-service supporting system must be constructed such that the individual ability, aptitude and potential of North Korean refugee adolescents can be identified and developed. Also, when making the education support for the North Korean refugee adolescents within the current system of society, a stepwise and integrative supporting system at each stage of elementary school, middle school, high school and college. Third, in supporting the acculturation of the North Korean refugees, the government’s active support for the civil organizations must be extended.
The applicability of Berry’s acculturation theory, various analysis and factor identification about the proper pattern of acculturation, the comparison study with South Korean adolescents and adults, verifying other adaptations beside acculturation and finding the component subordinate factors of the various types of resilience are left for future research.