Over the past two decades, the racial and ethnic diversity of the Korean population has increased due to the rise in the inflow of foreigners, including marriage immigrants and migrant workers, and the growth in the number of Koreans returning from ab...
Over the past two decades, the racial and ethnic diversity of the Korean population has increased due to the rise in the inflow of foreigners, including marriage immigrants and migrant workers, and the growth in the number of Koreans returning from abroad. That is, South Korea has become a representative East Asian nation that has more immigrants than emigrants thanks to the quantitative increase and qualitative diversity of immigration. Despite such demographic changes, Korean society is experiencing a sort of cultural retardation because it has failed to achieve social integration in terms of national consciousness and legal systems. In order for South Korea to become competitive in the multiracial and multi-cultural era, it should be more active in accepting multi-cultural society and principle that enables the native people and immigrants to live together in harmony. Especially, the healthy growth, development, and stable settlement of children and youths who have experienced various ethnic backgrounds in the multi-cultural society is a very important task for Korean society, which is facing the problem of low birth rate and super-aging population. In reality, however, due to their immigrant backgrounds, youths from immigrant families are objectified in the framework of "multi-culture" and subjected to prejudice and discrimination in Korean society.
This study, therefore, aimed at proving and analyzing the effect of social support and the meditating effect of ego-resilience, an individual's internal characteristics, in order to suggest policy tasks, from the perspective of social integration, which enhance the social adaptation of youths with immigrant backgrounds. To this end, the study analyzed theoretical considerations and preceding studies to begin with, designing an analysis model for an empirical study and generating variables in relevance with the research hypotheses. Questionnaires were distributed and collected in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, where youths with immigrant backgrounds concentrated, after requesting the cooperation of alternative schools and relevant educational institutions for youths with immigrant backgrounds. The collected data were subjected to the frequency analysis, factor analysis, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis in order to generate theoretical suggestions and policy implications. Based on the study results, policy tasks have been summarized as follows.
First, in order to increase the social adaptation and ego-resilience of youths with immigrant backgrounds, education for the integration between youths with immigrant backgrounds and youths from ordinary households should be pushed ahead. According to the study results, youths with immigrant backgrounds at ordinary school demonstrated higher emotional adaptation than those at alternative school, and satisfaction with school life had a positive effect on social adaptation and ego-resilience. Furthermore, in order for youths, who will live together in society, to understand one another and naturally develop world citizenship, integration education should be aggressively pursued, enabling learning Korean as a Second Language (KSL) and regular curriculum to be done at the same time within the public education which is officially certified.
Second, in order to improve the emotional adaptation of youths with immigrant backgrounds, institutional supports should be provided for their acquirement of Korean nationality. The results showed that youths with immigrant backgrounds whose nationality was Korea had higher emotional adaptation and that youths with immigrant backgrounds demonstrated higher interpersonal adaptation and emotional adaptation when they perceived themselves as Korean. Therefore, on and offline contents not only on Korean language but also on Korean social culture and basic law should be developed for them, increasing their access to education and aggressively helping them to acquire basic knowledge needed to live as Korean citizens.
Third, in order to improve the emotional adaptation and interpersonal adaptation of youths with immigrant backgrounds, a systematic psychology and counseling program and a program for the establishment of self-identification should be provided. The results showed that while youths with immigrant backgrounds who perceived themselves as Korean had higher degree of emotional adaptation and interpersonal adaptation, most of youths with immigrant backgrounds perceived themselves as foreigners (36.8 percent) or as both Koreans and foreigners (32.4 percent). For youths with immigrant backgrounds suffering from identity confusion and maladjustment, specialized bilingual counselors should be trained and then assigned at local youth training centers or youth counseling centers, offering specialized counseling services.
Fourth, in order to enhance family support, programs meant to increase the capability of households and educate parents should be developed. The results in this study demonstrated that the role of family, home environment and financial capability are very important factors for the social adaptation of youths with immigrant backgrounds. Therefore, in order to enhance the capability of homes, more education for parents and training for their employment need to be provided in cooperation with offices of education, local youth training centers and lifelong learning centers.
Finally, in order to strengthen the support of communities, a variety of contents, curriculums, teaching manuals for the persons concerned, teachers and instructors at immigrant support centers and welfare centers should be developed. The results showed that support from communities had a positive effect on the interpersonal adaptation of youths with immigrant backgrounds. Communities should help native Koreans and immigrants to understand each other's culture and environment and to create together the value of co-existence. Therefore, in o
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