The Language Use of a Bilingual Korean Teacher and Bilingual Korean Students in a Korean Heritage Classroom

Many Korean parents in the U.S. send their children to heritage Korean language schools so that they maintain and further develop Korean as they acquire English. It is, thus, worthwhile to investigate how a Korean teacher and Korean students (as emergent bilinguals) used Korean and English in a Korean heritage classroom. The chapter addresses two research questions: (1) How did the teacher use Korean and English to make her instruction comprehensible during discussions about multicultural children's literature? (2) To what extent were there differences in the two groups of students' (Korean-American and Korean immigrant) use of translanguaging in their oral responses? The findings show that the teacher uses both Korean and English to make her instruction comprehensible and to facilitate her students' participation in class discussions. The findings further reveal differences in the two groups of students' use of language in their oral responses to multicultural texts.

What stops Korean Immigrants from Accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services?

Background: Access to child and adolescent mental health services by ethnic minorities has been poorly studied. Despite rapid growth of the immigrant Korean population, evidence indicates that few Korean families utilise these services in New Zealand. Those that do tend to present late and with significant morbidity. We sought to understand barriers to service access from Korean parents’ perspectives.Method: Seven focus groups were undertaken with 31 Korean parents of children aged 18 and under. The focus groups were semi-structured, held in the Korean language and utilised two case scenarios of common childhood/adolescent mental illnesses around which a set of broad, open ended questions were posed. All conversations were audiorecorded, transcribed and translated into English. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software.Results: Both attitudinal and structural barriers were identified. Attitudinal barriers included attribution of mental illness to external stressors or parenting problems, social stigma, denial or normalization of children’s behaviour, fear of family disempowerment, and mistrust of public mental health services. Structural barriers included parents’ lack of information regarding available services, logistical difficulties in access, communication difficulties, concerns over the quality of translators, and cultural competence of service providersConclusion: Significant barriers prevent Korean immigrant families from accessing child and adolescent mental health services in New Zealand. Measures to improve access, for example by countering stigma, are urgently required.

Subjective Perceptions of South Korean Parents Regarding the Effectiveness of Taekwondo Education for Adolescents and Its Characteristics: The Q Methodology Application

This study aims to determine why Korean parents provide adolescent children with continuous physical education through Taekwondo. The Q methodology was applied. The final 25 Q-samples were selected by composing the Q-population. Twenty parents who provided their children with Taekwondo education for more than 10 years were designated as the P-sample. Q-sorting was performed on the P-sample. Centroid factor analysis and varimax rotation were performed using version 2.35 of PQ method program. The study observed four factors with a total explanatory variance of 69%. Types 1 to 4 (N = 5, 7, 5, and 3) pertained to a powerful means of enhancing mental health, the driving force behind stable school life and social development, improvement in psychological and social areas for a successful transition to adulthood, and increased awareness of the values of Taekwondo and importance of physical activity, with eigenvalues of 4.59, 6.42, 3.16, and 1.18 and explanatory variances of 0.16, 0.32, 0.12, and 0.09, respectively. Furthermore, consensus statements for each type were investigated as Q18 and Q17. These findings supported the academic foundation of proper Taekwondo education in adolescence and confirmed it as a powerful means of exerting a positive impact on adulthood.

A community-engaged approach to examining barriers and facilitators to accessing autism services in Korean immigrant families

This study adopted a community-engaged approach to explore Korean parents’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to accessing autism services in British Columbia, Canada. Understanding the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse families and their children may help facilitate the development of more inclusive, appropriate, and culturally sensitive services. Semi-structured interviews with 20 Korean parents of autistic children were analyzed using a thematic approach. Barriers and facilitators at the system, provider, and family/cultural level were identified. Barriers at the system level included delays and waitlists for services, and ineffective school policies to address child behavioral challenges. At the provider level, barriers included a lack of qualified professionals, negative attitudes, and lack of guidance navigating services. For family/cultural-related barriers, language and communication difficulties, out-of-pocket costs, and stigma impeded service access. Facilitators at the system level included family-centered care and prioritization of mental health supports. At the provider level, strengths included culturally competent and bilingual professionals. The family/cultural-related facilitators identified were informal support networks, characteristics of the parent, and connections to cultural community organizations. The findings emphasize the need to understand and consider diverse experiences, preferences, and values in the design and provision of autism services for families and their children. Lay abstract Perceptions and experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse groups in accessing autism services in Canada are extremely limited. Thus, this study partnered with a community member to explore Korean immigrant parents’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to accessing autism services in British Columbia, Canada. Interviews were conducted with 20 Korean parents of autistic children. Barriers and facilitators at the system, provider, and family/cultural level were identified. Barriers at the system level included delays and waitlists for services, and ineffective school policies to address child behavioral challenges. At the provider level, barriers included a lack of qualified professionals, negative attitudes, and lack of guidance navigating services. For family/cultural-related barriers, these included language and communication difficulties, out-of-pocket costs, and stigma impeded service access. Facilitators at the system level included family-centered care and prioritization of mental health supports. At the provider level, strengths included culturally competent and bilingual professionals. The family/cultural-related facilitators identified were informal support networks, characteristics of the parent, and connections to cultural community organizations. The findings emphasize the need to understand and consider diverse experiences, preferences, and values in the design and provision of autism services for families and their children.

Planning for future care provision for children living with disabilities: A cross-cultural consideration

Cultural context has a significant influence on family support and parenting for children living with disabilities and has been powerful in shaping treatment and service provision. For parents, a pervasive concern lies with planning for future care provision for their child, and here culture plays a role. This qualitative research explores how cultural context shapes the future care provision plans for Korean parents by examining similarities and differences of future care provision-planning between Korean migrant families in New Zealand and those living in Korea. Specifically, the article examines the influence of familism on planning for future care among Koreans.

A Qualitative Case Study on Influencing Factors of Parents’ Child Abuse of North Korean Refugees in South Korea

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influencing factors of parental child abuse by North Korean refugees who are living in South Korea. In-depth interviews were conducted with five parents who escaped from North Korea. The study identified three categories of factors impacting child abuse: the weakening of family functions from past experiences before and after defection, the stress of adapting to the culture of an unfamiliar society, and low parenting self-efficacy. North Korean parents suffered from emotional and functional crises from past traumatic events and, at the same time, experienced additional acculturative stress as a “minority” after entering South Korea, even as they continued to deal with Maternal Parenting Stress. These complex factors have been shown to lead to child abuse in migrant societies. This study contemplated the context of child abuse through specific examples. The results could provide thoughtful insights into child abuse among migrants and refugee parents, and provide evidence-based intervention plans for its prevention.