A Study of Self-Esteem As a Mediator Between the Career Maturity and Social Support of Adolescent North Korean Refugees in South Korea

Background:Adaptation problems of adolescent North Korean refugees are getting more important in South Korea as the number of adolescent North Korean refugees increases. While a number of previous studies mainly explore North Korean refugees’ problems of adaptation such as psychological and socio-cultural adaptation, less attention has been paid to the needs of adolescent North Korean refugees, especially, needs of career counseling for them. To fill the gap, this study diagnoses career maturity of adolescent North Korean refugees and verifies self-esteem as an important mediator between social support and career maturity.

Methods:The survey for this research conducted from October 10 of 2013 to November 7 of 2013 with 100 questionnaires is analyzed. The pilot survey was conducted a on October 10, 2013, to make sure that the questionnaire is suitable, understandable, and ethical for adolescent North Korean refugees who are sensitive and have negative attitude toward survey. The factors were investigated with career maturity, social support, self-esteem and the demographic factors including gender, age, birthplace, school years, and duration of residence in South Korea. In order to verify mediation effect, multiple regression analysis method was used.

Among 101 adolescents in total, 52 (52.0%) are female and 48(48.0%) are male. The average age of adolescent North Korean participants is 19.46 years. The birthplaces of participants turn out to be that 93 (94.9%) were born in North Korea and only 5 (5.1%) participants were born in China. The average duration of residence in South Korea is 4.58 years.

Results:The result of the regression shows that estimated values of β’s in the relationship between social support and self-esteem is β = 0.2542. Also the relationship between self-esteem and career maturity is β = 0.2054, controlling the effect of social support and other control variables. The results tell us that social support of adolescent North Korean refugees significantly influences self-esteem and positive self-esteem helps them plan their career actively. Therefore, the result is showing that self-esteem is an obvious mediator between social support and career maturity of adolescent North Korean refugees.

Implications:  Social work practice implications are these following. First, social workers must first assist adolescent North Korean refugees identify what their career development needs may be. Second, adolescent North Korean refugees must be provided ample levels of these identified self-esteem and social support as immediately as possible upon arrival at the destination of resettlement, if not prior to arrival. Current resettlement programs have prescribed methods of career development that excludes the adolescent North Korean refugees’ input. Therefore, adolescent North Korean refugees do not fully benefit from the prescribed support about career development provided them. Lastly, policy modification must promulgate unified codes for all agencies engaged in providing social supports to adolescent North Korean refugees so that uniform services are provided across the board.