The impact of economic crisis on Korean housewives and high school students: Indigenous analysis of stress, appraisal, coping strategies.

초록

This study examined the concept of stress as perceived by Korean students and adults adopting the indigenous psychologies approach. The goal of the indigenous psychologies approach is to develop appropriate theories and methodologies that are sensitive to, and meaningful in, a particular cultural and social context. From this perspective, rather than the participant responding to the research instrument generated by the researcher, the participants themselves generate the type of events that are stressful to them, how they appraise and cope with such situations, type of social support received, and the effectiveness of their coping strategy. A total of 235 participants (158 students, and 77 adults) completed and open-ended questionnaire before the onset of economic crisis in November, 1997. Similar questionnaire was administered to a total of 609 respondents (336 high school and university students and 273 houswives) after the economic crisis in March-June, 1998. These reponses were categorized, coded and analyzed qualitatively. Prior to the economic crisis, the overall results for the adult sample indicated that family conflict was the most stressful, followed by interpersonal conflict. For the student sample, academic achievement was reported to be the most stressful, followed by interpersonal conflict. Participants reacted emotionally to these stressful situation and adopted a passive coping style by attempting to avoid the situation or by self-regulation. In terms of social support, they received the most help from their friends, followed by family members. The type of social support they received was mostly emotional social support. Although active coping style led to better adaptational outcome, the vast majority adopted a passive coping style. The overall pattern indicated a bias towards the emotional aspects rather than cognitive aspects of the stressful situation and by adopting emotional-focused coping style rather than problem-solving approach. etc.