ABSTRACT

Objective : This study aims to examine the degree of stress that the mothers of multi-cultural families have inadjusting themselves to Korean society, and to investigate the factors that have an impact on the sensoryprocessing ability and social maturity of their children. Methods : This study carried out a test of cultural adaptation stress on 60 mothers of multi-cultural familiesthat reside in B country side of Gyungsangbuk-do and N City of Jeollanam-do, and a short sensory andsocial maturity profile of the children. Results : First, the mothers of multi-cultural families had trouble adjusting to Korean culture. Second, thechildren of multi-cultural families showed a retardation in their sensory processing ability and social maturity. Third, an analysis on how the acculturation stress of the mothers influenced the sensory processing abilityand social quotient of their children was conducted, and it was determined that cultural discrimination,homesick, fear, guilt, and acculturation stress all had a significant impact. Among the sub- factors of culturaladaptation, stress of the mothers, perceived discrimination, and other factors turned out to have an impact ontheir social index, while perceived discrimination, cultural shock, and a sense of guilt had an influence overtheir sensory processing ability. Conclusion : These research results indicate that the sensory processing ability of children and their socialmaturity are affected by their mother’s difficulty in adapting to South Korean culture. Therefore, this studycan be used as basic data for intervention in the problems of immigrant women of multi-cultural families andtheir children.