Table 1Differences of Life Stress according to the Sociodemographic Characteristics (N=182)
Characteristics |
Categories |
n (%) or M±SD |
Life stress |
t or F |
p
|
M±SD |
Age (year) |
|
29.43±5.42 |
|
0.45 |
.634 |
<30 |
96 (52.7) |
2.43±0.85 |
30~40 |
77 (42.3) |
2.50±0.90 |
>40 |
9 (4.9) |
2.23±0.70 |
Education level |
No education |
25 (13.7) |
2.32±1.00 |
2.44 |
.051 |
Elementary school |
46 (25.3) |
2.69±0.91 |
Junior high school |
42 (23.1) |
2.55±0.76 |
≥High school |
69 (37.9) |
2.34±0.83 |
Economic status |
Low |
41 (22.5) |
3.16±0.77a
|
28.18 |
<.001 (a>b>c) |
Middle |
96 (52.7) |
2.39±0.76b
|
High |
45 (24.7) |
1.94±0.74c
|
Children |
No |
30 (16.5) |
2.25±0.62 |
-1.82 |
.074 |
Yes |
152 (83.5) |
2.49±0.90 |
Living with family in law |
No |
125 (68.7) |
2.48±0.90 |
0.56 |
.573 |
Yes |
57 (31.3) |
2.40±0.80 |
The perception of subject's health |
Unhealthy |
24 (13.2) |
3.07±0.84 |
3.84 |
<.001 |
Healthy |
158 (86.8) |
2.36±0.82 |
Job |
No |
99 (54.4) |
2.29±0.77 |
-2.70 |
.008 |
Yes |
83 (45.6) |
2.64±0.93 |
Marriage period (month) |
|
65.01±34.78 |
|
1.22 |
.303 |
<12 |
7 (3.8) |
2.15±0.93 |
12~36 |
22 (12.1) |
2.18±0.77 |
37~60 |
58 (12.1) |
2.49±0.79 |
≥61 |
95 (52.2) |
2.52±0.92 |
Korean communication ability |
Poor |
10 (5.5) |
2.55±0.90 |
2.50 |
.084 |
Fair |
134 (73.6) |
2.52±0.86 |
Excellent |
38 (20.9) |
2.17±0.85 |
Table 2Mean Score of Life Stress and Coping Style for Stress
Contents |
Score |
M±SD |
Total mean of life stress |
2.45±0.87 |
1. I have a conflict with my mother-in-law. |
2.12±1.38 |
2. It is difficult to endure conflicts with in-laws and their verbal violence. |
1.66±1.18 |
3. I feel bad when I cannot find an organization, an agency or a person to help my children's study. |
1.88±1.25 |
4. My heart is aching that I cannot rear up my children like other Korean children. |
2.66±1.55 |
5. I miss my family and friends at my home town. |
4.07±1.17 |
6. It is difficult to get a job or to have social life in Korea. |
3.04±1.39 |
7. It seemed as if my world caved in when I found the reality was different from what I expected. |
1.91±1.29 |
8. I am very awful because husband's forcible sex demand. |
1.40±0.97 |
9. It is difficult to live because of financial deficiency. |
2.74±1.50 |
10. I am upset because I cannot study and earn money. |
3.10±1.56 |
Total mean of coping style |
2.81±0.49 |
Style I (Problem solving) |
3.02±0.65 |
Style II (Emotion relieving) |
1.89±0.50 |
Style III (Assistance pursuit) |
3.08±0.73 |
Style IV (Problem avoidance) |
3.08±0.70 |
Style V (Hopeful thinking) |
3.06±0.78 |
Table 3Correlation between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Life Stress (N=182)
Variables |
Educ. |
Econ. |
Children |
Health |
Job |
Korean |
Stress |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
Educ. |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Econ. |
.05 (.547) |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Children |
.03 (.680) |
-.08 (.280) |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Health |
-.02 (.808) |
-.19 (.012) |
.06 (.387) |
1 |
|
|
|
Job |
-.06 (.411) |
.04 (.640) |
.09 (.204) |
-.30 (.683) |
1 |
|
|
Korean |
.09 (.239) |
.19 (.012) |
.28 (<.001) |
-.08 (.301) |
.21 (.005) |
1 |
|
Stress |
-.11 (.126) |
-.48 (<.001) |
-.00 (.957) |
.25 (.001) |
.20 (.007) |
-.15 (.045) |
1 |
Table 4Correlation between Life Stress and Coping Style for Stress
Life stress |
Style I |
Style II |
Style I |
Style II |
Style V |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
r (p) |
1. Conflict with mother-in-law |
-.08 (.250) |
.09 (.229) |
-.06 (.449) |
.07 (.336) |
.17 (.026) |
2. Verbal violence |
-.03 (.686) |
.02 (.830) |
.06 (.422) |
.08 (.276) |
.19 (.012) |
3. No help for my children's study |
-.01 (.961) |
.17 (.019) |
-.01 (.958) |
.03 (.654) |
.14 (.064) |
6. Difficulty to get a job or to have social life in Korea |
.08 (.310) |
.08 (.273) |
.05 (.509) |
.14 (.060) |
.29 (<.001) |
8. Husband's forcible sex demand |
.03 (.635) |
.15 (.040) |
.09 (.219) |
.03 (.662) |
.11 (.132) |
4. Cannot rear up my children like other Korean children |
.03 (.692) |
.05 (.479) |
.09 (.220) |
.12 (.101) |
.23 (.002) |
5. Missing family and friends at my home town |
.01 (.929) |
.02 (.747) |
.13 (.078) |
.25 (.001) |
.28 (<.001) |
7. Depressed from different expected situation. |
-.08 (.288) |
.13 (.091) |
.07 (.363) |
.08 (.284) |
.24 (.001) |
9. Financial deficiency |
.06 (.422) |
.05 (.491) |
.12 (.110) |
.18 (.013) |
.32 (<.001) |
10. Upset because of not to study and earn money |
.13 (.074) |
.09 (.221) |
.12 (.110) |
.29 (<.001) |
.44 (<.001) |
Total stress |
.03 (.724) |
.13 (.084) |
.10 (.168) |
.21 (.006) |
.34 (<.001) |
Table 5Variables Influencing Life Stress
Predictor variables |
B |
SE |
β |
t |
p
|
(Constant) |
28.29 |
3.75 |
|
7.53 |
<.001 |
Economic status |
-5.52 |
0.81 |
-.43 |
-6.81 |
<.001 |
Job |
-4.23 |
1.10 |
.24 |
3.83 |
<.001 |
Health |
2.65 |
0.98 |
.17 |
2.70 |
.008 |
Korean |
-1.85 |
1.14 |
-.10 |
-1.62 |
.107 |
|
R2=.318, Adj. R2=.302, F=20.61, p<.001 |