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Lee, Lee, Kim, and Kim: Social Support and Acculturative Stress in Migrant Workers
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2009; 39(6): 899-910.

Published online: 31 December 2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2009.39.6.899

Social Support and Acculturative Stress in Migrant Workers

Soon-Hee Lee1, Young-Joo Lee2, Sook-Young Kim3, Shin-Jeong Kim4

1Professor, Department of Nursing, Chungju National University, Chungju, Korea.

2Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Shinheung College, Uijeongbu, Korea.

3Associate Professor, Seoul Women's College of Nursing, Seoul, Korea.

4Professor, Department of Nursing, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kim, Shin-Jeong. Department of Nursing, Hallym University, 1 Okcheon-dong, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea. Tel: 82-33-248-2721, Fax: 82-33-248-2734, ksj@hallym.ac.kr

Received 13 May 2009       Accepted 15 December 2009

Copyright © 2009 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to collect basic data on social support and acculturative stress in migrant workers.

Methods

Between August, 2007 and January, 2008 171 immigrant workers completed data collection using a questionnaire. Workers were recruited from 2 churches, one in Seoul and the other in Gyeonggi Province. Mean and standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and Stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze the data.

Results

The average score for social support was 3.73 (±0.65) and for acculturative stress, 2.52 (±0.65). There were significant differences acculturative stress according to gender (t=2.152, p=.033), kind of job (t=2.597, p=.040), and have community or not (t=2.899, p=.005). There was a significant negative correlation between social support and acculturative stress (r=-.270, p=.001). Factors influencing acculturative stress were existence of participants having a community of people from their home country or not (R2=.151, p=.002).

Conclusion

More studies are needed to identify the variables that influence acculturative stress in immigrant workers.

Keywords: Social support, Acculturative stress, Migrant workers

Figures and Tables

Table 1
General Characteristics of Participants (N=171)
jkan-39-899-i001

*Multiple responses.

Table 2
Degree of Participants' Social Support (N=171)
jkan-39-899-i002
Table 3
Degree of Participants' Acculturative Stress (N=171)
jkan-39-899-i003
Table 4
Difference of Acculturative Stress according to Participants' General Characteristics (N=171)
jkan-39-899-i004
Table 5
Relationship between Participants' Social Support and Acculturative Stress (N=171)
jkan-39-899-i005
Table 6
Variable Affecting Acculturative Stress of Participants (N=171)
jkan-39-899-i006

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