Abstract

A Study on Acculturation Stress and Divorce Crisis of Marriage-Immigrant Women in Korea

:Focusing on the Mediating Effects of Marital Conflicts and
the Moderating Effects of Social Support

JIN, YULIAN.
Advisor : Prof. Han, In-Sub.
Dept. of Social Welfare,
Graduate School of Chosun University


This study investigates the moderating effects of social support on acculturation stress, conflicts in marred life and divorce crisis targeting female migrants. For this study, 500 copies of a questionnaire were distributed to subjects and 398 copies of responses were collected. Of these, 111 were excluded from the study as they were responses from subjects whose husbands had passed away or were unfaithful to the questions. A total of 287 were used for the final analysis (effective return rate 57.4%).
To evaluate the appropriateness of the study model and verify the assumptions on the relationships between the variables, this study demonstrated the causal effect model and assumptions using SPSS and AMOS 18.0.
The results of the descriptive statistical analysis showed the following: First, according to the ages of the subjects whether there are differences in acculturation stress, stress in married life, and social support. The subjects who were in their twenties felt homesick the most. As they grew older, they considered both the cultures of their original country and Korea positively and naturally, and accepted Korean culture more naturally and stably.
Second, in the analysis of differences between female migrants according to residence locations, those living in rural areas felt more unstable and homesick than those living in urban areas. The value of family still governs rural areas and the female migrants in rural areas experience more suffering due to regional speciality and being exposed to new culture.
Third, in the analysis of differences according to monthly family income, the group who did not know their family income had more feelings of differentiation, regret, anxiety, and divorce crisis. Such results indicate that insufficiency in monthly family income may cause families to be shattered. The higher the monthly family income, the more support they had from their husbands and husbands' families. That is, the higher the family income, the more the subjects were satisfied with their marriage with respect to their relationship with their husbands' families and the time they shared.
Fourth, in the analysis of differences according to the ways they had met their husbands, it was discovered that the group of subjects who met their husbands through dating services, administrative institutes, and religious organizations had the highest anxiety while those who married because of love had the lowest anxiety. This was interpreted as when couples got married with the assistance of dating services, their married lives were unstable.
Fifth, with respect to differences according to Korean language fluency, acculturation differentiation, homesickness, regret and anxiety were statistically significant. Subjects who were very poor in the Korean language had the highest differentiation, homesickness, regret, and anxiety. That is, as the language barrier is a basic factor in the conflicts they had, linguistic skill is a requisite for their stability in and adjustment to married life and new cultures. To effectively help them understand and integrate the cultures of both countries and adjust to Korea extra education or multi-cultural counselling should be provided.
In analysing independent, mediating, and subordinate variables, the results are presented as follows: First, with respect to acculturation stress and divorce crisis, differentiation, homesickness, and regret had a significant relation with divorce crisis while homesickness had a negative effect on it. When spouses felt homesick, they considered divorce 66.2% less as subjects were married because they wanted to live in Korea or to support their native families. The more homesick they felt, the more they considered their present families in Korea as precious and had stable lives.
Second, with respect to the relationship between acculturation stress and conflicts in married life, differentiation, homesickness, regret, and anxiety were significant to conflicts in married life while homesickness had a negative effect on it. The differentiation, regret, and anxiety the subjects felt from the new culture meant fear for the future, and were the most influential variables for conflicts in married life. In that such higher anxiety is an important factor in family life, organized intervention to mitigate acculturation stress is needed. Homesickness was rejected as it had a negative effect with family life and emotional conflicts.
Third, family life conflicts as a mediating variable had a mediating effect on anxiety and divorce crisis. That is, although anxiety did not have a direct effect on divorce crisis, it had an effect on it through conflicts in family life. Shock and confusion subjects experienced due to cultural differences in the process of marriage and adjusting to Korea intensified anxiety inherent in them. Because of this anxiety, social mistakes were excessively pointed out by family members and conflicts in home life occurred. When they had more conflict in their life, the quality in subjects relationships with husbands and extended family would deteriorate.

The results of analysing the moderating variables are presented as follows: First, according to acculturation stress and divorce crisis, acculturation stress and stress in marriage life, and stress in marriage life and divorce crisis, there were differences in the moderating effects of husband support. The type of social support which was mentioned the most with respect to married life is support from husbands. However, in this study the effect of spousal support was not significant to divorce crisis. In an international marriage, as the same experiences are likely to be interpreted differently, support from husbands may not occur. In other words, the expectation of a husband's support in marriage life is different according to race, sub-cultural context, family cohesion, and the relationships with relatives.
Second, according to acculturation stress and divorce crisis, acculturation stress and stress in marriage life, and stress in marriage life and divorce crisis, there were differences in the moderating effects of support from a husband's family. The highest husband's family support was found in this study, which was exceptional. Parents-in-law were the subjects of conflict with female migrants, but they were faithful supporters for their daughters-in-law.
Third, according to acculturation stress and divorce crisis, acculturation stress and stress in marriage life, and stress in marriage life and divorce crisis, there were differences in the moderating effects of support from their native country. Support from native friends was relatively high, which was interpreted that they understood each other and shared the same culture through communication. The subjects could communicate with native friends, and share their emotion and native culture. That is, the friends helped the subjects have fewer conflicts in married life through emotional consolation, stability, and familiarity. They gave actual help through mutual support, provided information and knowledge, and enhanced positive motives to successful role playing.
Fourth, according to acculturation stress and divorce crisis, acculturation stress and stress in married life, and stress in married life and divorce crisis, there were differences in the moderating effects of support from Korean people. Part of the reasons the moderating effects of support from Korean people was high was because 44.3% of subjects were married for more than eight years. This means that many female migrants had developed a certain degree of relationship networks with Korean friends.

This study has meaning and suggests the following:
First, this study can supplement existing studies theoretically. As existing theories can not explain female migrants as a new group in Korea, this study considered the specific factor of acculturation stress in female migrants and enhanced understanding on them. It was discovered that acculturation stress had an effect on divorce crisis. In particular, variables of differentiation and regret played an important role in maximizing divorce crisis. When subjects felt differentiation and regret the most, their divorce crisis was highest.
Second, in investigating the effects of conflicts in married life on divorce crisis, the conflicts were significant to divorce crisis. The more conflicts subjects had in married life, the more intense their divorce crisis. This means that conflict in married life is a factor that causes and triggers a divorce crisis, and when conflicts are controlled or resolved, a divorce crisis will decrease. Therefore, to prevent divorce in married couples, reasonable conflict preventive programs should be developed. Under the assumption that conflicts are inevitable in married life, to decrease or resolve conflicts which are already present, a lot of resources are needed. Failure in this will eventually lead to family disorganization.
Third, it was discovered that the moderating effect of social support can be adjusted. This means that to understand the relationship between acculturation stress, conflicts in married life and a divorce crisis, a more organized and valid explanation is available. Such results showed that support from a husband, a husbands' family, native people, and Koreans are absolutely influential factors for having fewer conflicts in married life and in mitigating a divorce crisis. Therefore, to increase social support for subjects, programs designed to enhance family function, integrate family, and solve problems should be developed. Also, private organizations should listen to the difficulties female migrants who have been living in Korea and encourage them to have informal relationships with native friends or friends from other countries as they can support each other in their lives.
Fourth, as a political implication, acculturation stress in female migrants is recognized as having static effects on conflicts in married life and divorce crisis, and the subjects felt differentiated by Korean people. Therefore, as a way to decrease the conflicts and divorce crisis, it is suggested that a policy to decrease differentiation by Korean people should be developed. In other words, in a situation where Korean people have to live with migrants, all members of Korean society should learn how to live together. Migrants have to be supported to acquire and learn Korean language and culture, and Korean people have to acclimatize to living together with migrants. The key to symbiosis or coexistence is for all members of Korean society to acquire the attitude to consider themselves in the place of others.
In examining other countries such as Canada, the U.S., Australia, France and Germany which have experienced multiple cultures, it is important for Korean society to build a model based on the speciality of Korea rather than be attached to assimilation into a main culture. A dichotomous approach where assimilation is good and multi-culturalism is bad or vice versa is apt to be a formal approach which ignores the current Korean situation. A country with long tradition and history has a universal base on which national identity and emotional bonds have been maintained. It is desirable to properly accommodate diversity at the base. Universality should be balanced with diversity because diversity without universality can not be an ideology itself.