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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 1/2014

01-02-2014 | Original Paper

Mental Health of Intermarried Immigrant Women and Their Children in South Korea

Authors: Sun Hea Lee, Yong Chon Park, Jaeuk Hwang, Jooyeon Jamie Im, Donghyun Ahn

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

This study was aimed to examine the mental health status of immigrant women through international marriages and its effects on emotional and behavioral problems of children. Seventy-four intermarried immigrant women and 86 native Korean women were enrolled from the same district of Seoul metropolitan area. The mental health problems of study participants and their children were examined. Increased risks of having a higher level of anxiety were observed in immigrant women compared to native Korean women. Children of the immigrant group were likely to have more internalizing and externalizing behavioral symptoms than those of the native group. This pattern was more apparent in children of mothers with higher levels of anxiety. The present study found a higher risk for mild anxiety in intermarried immigrants than in native Korean women. Furthermore, considering that immigrant children seemed to have more emotional and behavioral problems relative to native children if their mothers have higher levels of anxiety, special attention should be paid to prevention and early intervention for mental health problems of intermarried immigrant women.
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Metadata
Title
Mental Health of Intermarried Immigrant Women and Their Children in South Korea
Authors
Sun Hea Lee
Yong Chon Park
Jaeuk Hwang
Jooyeon Jamie Im
Donghyun Ahn
Publication date
01-02-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 1/2014
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9747-7

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