Hyang-In Cho Chung

Development of a Cultural Competence Scale for Nursing Students

PURPOSE This methodological study was conducted to develop and test a cultural competence scale for nursing students. METHODS Based on the five constructs of cultural competency identified in the conceptual analysis of Suh, 76 items for the tool were derived initially. These items were reduced to 58 items after content validity tests (two times) by 6 multicultural experts. Data collected from 526 nursing students were utilized to test the validity and reliability of the preliminary tool. Item analysis, factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Cronbachs alpha were used for the analysis. RESULTS Twenty-seven items were selected for the final scale, and categorized into 5 factors explaining 62.1% of the total variance. Cronbachs alpha was .91 and the reliability of the subscales ranged from .76 to .91. Criterion validity between the developed tool and empathy (r=.26, p<.001) was significant. CONCLUSION The results show that this scale can provide scientific and empirical data when evaluating the effectiveness of school curriculums or multicultural empowerment programs regarding cultural competence of nursing students.

Child Rearing Experiences of Foreign Wives Married to Korean Husbands

PURPOSE This study was conducted to explore the child rearing experience and associated issues of foreign women married to Korean men. METHODS Eleven foreign women married to Korean men were selected by a purposive and snowball sampling method. Data were collected during the period from May to August, 2007 by a semi-structured interview guide. Transcribed interview data were analyzed using Giorgis step of phenomenological analysis. RESULTS The findings revealed six major themes and relevant subthemes: (a) having motherhood, (b) struggling with obstacles, (c) getting lost, (d) finding ways, (e) harvesting; and (f) looking into the future. CONCLUSIONS The participants were experiencing multiple acculturative stressors which negatively affected their capacity for rearing children. However, when they had appropriate support, they were able to achieve many successes. Moreover, they were self-directed and making their best efforts to realize their dreams. This study contributed to the limited knowledge on immigrant womens child rearing experiences. It supported the need for comprehensive community programs that meet a variety of needs for this population and the need for public education.

Experiences of Family Stigma among Mothers of Adult Children with Mental Illness in South Korea

ABSTRACT People with mental illness suffer from stigma in addition to the illness itself; their families also suffer from the stigma of having a family member with a mental illness. The aim of the present study was to explore the lived experiences of the family stigma among mothers of mentally ill children in South Korea. The work was qualitative in nature; we used the phenomenological method of Colaizzi. Mothers with an adult child enrolled as mentally ill patients in the Mental Health Centre of K Province in South Korea were eligible for inclusion. Findings: Six themes emerged; these were being ashamed, feeling of being ignored, isolating oneself from social relationships, becoming a mentally sick person, living like a guilty person, and becoming a part of the socially weak. The study contributes to our understanding of stigma experienced by family members in a socio-cultural context and will aid in the development of culturally appropriate strategies for the destigmatization of families of mentally ill persons.

Psychosocial Adjustment and Quality of Life of Children After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in South Korea

The purpose of this study was to describe the psychosocial adjustment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to examine the relationship of children’s characteristics with psychosocial adjustment and HRQoL in South Korea. Participants were 53 children who survived at least 100 days after HSCT, whose current age ranged from 5 to 17 years and their primary caregivers, mostly mothers. Parents completed the Korean version of Child Behavior Check List and Child Health Questionnaire 50-item parent-report version. Children with HSCT had significantly lower scores on the total scale for behavior problems and on most subscales than a normative sample, t = 2.09 to −4.75, P = .043 to <.001. Compared with the Taiwanese sample, scores in physical and psychosocial QoL (except bodily pain, mental health, and behavior) were significantly lower in children with HSCT, t = −2.91 to −9.84, P =.005 to <.001. Time since HSCT seemed to influence the physical (F = 8.61, P = .001) and psychosocial QoL (F = 3.98, P = .025) subscales. Social competence (r = .48, P = .001) and behavioral problems (r = −.37, P = .006) were associated with psychosocial QoL but not with physical QoL. After HSCT, children could benefit from psychological support to promote their adaptation to daily life and improve their QoL.