OBJECTIVE: We investigated the performance of North Korean refugees on attention tasks, and the relationship between that performance and psychiatric symptoms. METHODS: Sustained and divided attention was assessed using the computerized Comprehensive Attention Test in North Korean refugees and in South Koreans. All participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (DES-II). RESULTS: The North Korean refugees showed slower reaction times (RTs) on the visual sustained attention task compared to the South Koreans after controlling for age and sex. North Korean refugees had a greater number of omission errors (OEs) on the divided attention task and a higher standard deviation (SD) of RT. Total DES-II scores of the North Korean refugees were associated with the number of OEs and the SD of RT on the sustained attention task, and with the number of OEs on the divided attention task. CONCLUSION: North Korean refugees showed poorer performance on computerized attention tasks. In addition, attention deficit among North Korean refugees was associated with their dissociative experiences. Our results suggest that refugees may have attention deficits, which may be related to their psychiatric symptoms, particularly dissociation.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Reaction Time ; Refugees*

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the causes of burnout among South Korean counselors for North Korean refugees. METHODS: Data were collected using open-ended questions in a survey from 85 South Korean counselors for North Korean refugees, and a content analysis of the textual data from the questions was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 192 statements were selected from the data and those were categorized into 3 domains, 8 categories, and 24 sub-categories. Institutional, client, and social recognition domains emerged. Findings indicate that the causes of burnout were derived from the following categories: 1) the categories for the Institutional domain were physical environment, work conflict, and work overload, 2) for the client domain, lack of cooperation, selfish attitude, and limits to interventions, and 3) for the social recognition domain, lack of rewards and identity confusion. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that community mental health professionals need to understand these causes of burnout among the counselors working with North Korean refugees. It is also necessary to do further research to develop strategies to prevent burnout and potential mental health problems for these counselors.
Counseling ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Refugees ; Reward

No abstract available.
Emigrants and Immigrants ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Refugees ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude on tuberculosis by parents of North Korean refugees' children. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected from July to November, 2014 in Hanawon and 74 North Korean refugee parents participated in the study. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: The score for knowledge was 17.72 out of 30 points, for awareness in attitude, 49.34 out of 60 points and for prevention behavior in attitude, 48.39 out of 60 points. There were positive significant correlations among knowledge, attitude and health interest. There was also a significant positive correlation between awareness and prevention behavior in attitude, and between prevention behavior and health interest. CONCLUSION: North Korean refugee parents showed a low level of knowledge and a negative attitude. The implication of these results is an awareness of the need for education on the causes, transmission and importance of treatment for tuberculosis. This kind of education can guide North Korean refugee parents to obtain correct information and positive attitudes and therefore, be able to effectively practice appropriate health behaviors in tuberculosis management for their children.
Child* ; Education ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Parents* ; Refugees* ; Tuberculosis*

OBJECTIVE: As the number of North Korean adolescent refugees drastically increased in South Korea, there is a growing interest in them. Our study was conducted to evaluate the mental health of the North Korean adolescent refugees residing in South Korea. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 102 North Korean adolescent refugees in Hangyeore middle and high School, the public educational institution for the North Korean adolescent refugees residing in South Korea, and 766 general adolescents in the same region. The Korean version of Child Behavior Check List (K-CBCL) standardized in South Korea was employed as the mental health evaluation tool. RESULTS: The adolescent refugees group showed a significantly different score with that of the normal control group in the K-CBCL subscales for sociality (t=29.67, p=0.000), academic performance (t=17.79, p=0.000), total social function (t=35.52, p=0.000), social withdrawal (t=18.01, p=0.000), somatic symptoms (t=28.85, p=0.000), depression/anxiety (t=13.08, p=0.000), thought problems (t=6.24, p=0.013), attention problems (t=4.14, p=0.042), internalized problems (t=26.54, p=0.000) and total problems (t=5.23, p=0.022). CONCLUSION: The mental health of the North Korean adolescent refugees was severe particularly in internalized problems when compared with that of the general adolescents in South Korea. This result indicates the need for interest in not only the behavior of the North Korean adolescent refugees but also their emotional problem.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child Behavior ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Refugees ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: This study was done to develop a theory on the early childhood caring experience of North Korean refugee mothers and how such caring affects how they deal with the socio-psychological problems they face as North Korean refugees. METHODS: Data were gathered by in-depth interviews, participant observation, and medical records, and were analyzed using the Grounded Theory methods of Strauss and Corbin (1998). RESULTS: From open coding 62 concepts, 23 subcategories and 11 categories were derived, and the North Korean refugee mothers' caring experience was revealed to be 'hopeful upbringing'. A central theme common to the participants was 'coexistence of expectations and worries'. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide theoretical grounds to understand North Korean refugee mothers' child care experiences and offer personalized nursing and a deeper understanding of their needs by looking at their experience. Findings may also be useful to help nurses who care for North Korean refugee mother-child dyads in the community and in clinical settings to gain insight on this special needs group, and facilitate the development of interventions based on better understanding of the mothers' experiences.
Child ; Child Care ; Clinical Coding ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Refugees

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the physical and psychological health status of North Korean defector children and identify associated factors. METHODS: The participants in the study were 103 children ranging in age from 7 to 14 years old. Physical health status was evaluated through height and weight measurements as well as clinical laboratory results. Psychological health status was assessed using structured survey interviews. Data were analyzed utilizing Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics. RESULTS: On arrival in South Korea, 19% of the children did not meet the child growth standards of South Koreans for height and 15% for weight. However, twelve weeks after, these percentages had decreased significantly. It found that 38.5% of children presented mild posttraumatic reaction and 40.4% presented moderate reaction. Scores for externalizing and internalizing behavior problems were 0.38+/-0.30 and 0.59+/-0.36 respectively. Posttraumatic reaction was higher in girls (t=0.41, p=.03), and boys showed higher externalizing problems (t=2.04, p=.04). Externalizing problems were correlated with gender and internalizing problems were associated with posttraumatic reactions and externalizing problems. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that North Korean defector children need timely developmental assessments and tailored intervention programs to meet child growth standards need to be developed.
Child ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Refugees ; Republic of Korea ; Child Health

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the mediation effect of stress between the experience of discrimination and life satisfaction among North Korean refugees who resettled in South Korea. The findings of the current study provide empirical evidence for the need of social interventions to mitigate adverse effects of stress on North Korean refugees who are subject to social discrimination on a daily basis. METHODS: In this study, we included 500 subjects among 2,138 North Korean refugees who took refuge in South Korea in 2007. The interview started from April 6th 2009 and finished on May 25th 2009. We conducted moderator effect analysis with Path analysis was conducted because we confirm the experience of discrimination was affected by life satisfaction and stress can affected life satisfaction as a moderator. RESULTS: The experience of discrimination significantly affects stress and stress significantly affects life satisfaction. However, the experience of discrimination was not directly related to life satisfaction. The more stress the study respondents experienced, the lower the life satisfaction they reported. CONCLUSION: The present finding suggests that the effects of discriminating experiences on the life satisfaction of North Korean refugees in South Korea were mediated by their own perceived stress.
Discrimination (Psychology) ; Humans ; Korea ; Negotiating ; Refugees ; Social Discrimination ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the quality of life and social adjustment of North Korean refugees who consulted psychiatric clinics. METHODS: A total of 66 North Korean refugees who consulted a psychiatric clinic were included in the analysis. A psychiatrist conducted interviews with the subjects, and PTSD was diagnosed using the clinician-administered PTSD Scale. The quality of life of the subjects was evaluated using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale. RESULTS: Thirty five (53%) were diagnosed with PTSD. Quality of life was found to show association with understanding the language in South Korea, difficulty interacting with South Koreans, and experience or feeling of neglect. Quality of life of the PTSD group was lower than in the Non-PTSD group. Difficulty adapting to South Korean society was also higher in the PTSD group. Experience or feeling of neglect was negatively correlated with the quality of life in the PTSD group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study may be helpful in providing a specific direction for psychiatric intervention strategies to improve overall quality of life and adaptation to life in South Korea.
Humans ; Korea ; Psychiatry ; Quality of Life ; Refugees ; Social Adjustment ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the prevalence of insomnia and its clinical characteristics in North Korean refugees. METHODS: North Korean refugees living in South Korea (48 males, 129 females; mean age 38.22+/-12.24 years) and South Koreans (112 males, 203 females; mean age 39.48+/-10.32 years) completed the following questionnaires: the Self-reported Questionnaire on Insomnia, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Trauma Exposure Check List for North Korean Refugees, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). RESULTS: North Korean refugees had insomnia more often than South Koreans did (38.42% vs. 8.89%). Depression combined with insomnia was also more prevalent in North Korean refugees (28.25% vs. 3.17%). Compared with South Koreans with insomnia, North Korean refugees with insomnia showed higher CES-D scores. The North Korean refugees with insomnia had experienced a larger number of traumatic events, and had higher CES-D and IES-R scores compared to North Korean refugees without insomnia. Insomnia in North Korean refugees was also associated with the presence of significant depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. CONCLUSION: Insomnia was common in North Korean refugees and was closely associated with depressive and PTSD symptoms. Our study suggests that complaints of insomnia may indicate more severe psychopathology, especially in refugees.
Depression* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Psychopathology ; Refugees* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic