The purpose of this study was to investigate the leisure behaviors of adolescent defectors from North to South Korea and the mental health benefits they derive from leisure participation, a topic not previously addressed in the literature. Semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 participants. Qualitative analysis based on acculturation theory revealed three salient themes of leisure benefits: (a) creating a sense of belonging, (b) increasing psychological well-being, and (c) facilitating acculturation. The results indicate that participants gained social and psychological benefits through leisure activities. They also suggest that the provision of recreation programs that encourage inter/intragroup participation can be an important component of these young refugees’ cultural and social adjustment.
ArchbellK. A.CoplanR. J.NocitaG.Rose-KrasnorL. (2019). Participation in structured performing arts activities in early to middle childhood: Psychological engagement, stress, and links with socioemotional functioning. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 65(3), 329–355.
2.
ArnoldM. E. (2017). Supporting adolescent exploration and commitment: Identity formation, thriving, and positive youth development. Journal of Youth Development, 12(4), 1–15.
3.
BaekI. O. (2020). A study on the non-adaptation pattern of school for North Korean refugees: Focused on Daejeon and Gongju area. Unification Education Research, 17(1), 53–80.
4.
BangH.WonD.ParkS. (2020). School engagement, self-esteem, and depression of adolescents: The role of sport participation and volunteering activity and gender differences. Children and Youth Services Review, 113, Article 105012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105012
5.
BeiserM. N.HouF. (2006). Ethnic identity, resettlement stress and depressive affect among Southeast Asian refugees in Canada. Social Science and Medicine, 63(1), 137–150.
6.
BergerC.DeutschN.CuadrosO.FrancoE.RojasM.RouxG.SanchezF. (2020). Adolescent peer processes in extracurricular activities: Identifying developmental opportunities. Children and Youth Services Review, 118, Article 105457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105457
7.
BerryJ. W. (1997). Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46, 5–34.
8.
BerryJ. W.KimU.MindeT.MokD. (1987). Comparative studies of acculturative stress. International Migration Review, 21, 491–511.
9.
BerryJ. W.KimU.PowerS.YoungM.BujakiM. (1989). Acculturation attitudes in plural societies. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 38, 185–206.
10.
BiolcatiR.ManciniG.TrombiniE. (2018). Proneness to boredom and risk behaviors during adolescents’ free time. Psychological Reports, 121, 303–323.
11.
ChoiS. K.MinS. J.ChoM. S.JoungH.ParkS. M. (2011). Anxiety and depression among North Korean young defectors in South Korea and their association with health-related quality of life. Yonsei Medical Journal, 52(3), 502–509.
12.
ChungJ. K.ChungB. H.YangK. M. (2004). The adjustment of North Korean refugee youths in South Korean schools. The Korean Journal of Unification Affairs, 16(2), 209–239.
13.
CorbinJ.StraussA. (2014). Basics of qualitative research (4th ed.). SAGE.
14.
CrabtreeB. F.MillerW. L. (1999). Designing qualitative research. SAGE.
15.
DawesN. P.LarsonR. (2011). How youth get engaged: Grounded-theory research on motivational development in organized youth programs. Developmental Psychology, 47(1), 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020729
16.
DohertyA.TaylorT. (2007). Sport and physical recreation in the settlement of immigrant youth. Leisure Loisir, 31(1), 27–55.
17.
DongY. K. (2019). A study on the introduction of public guardianship system for North Korean defector youths without parents. Korean Journal of Parent Education, 16(1), 69–90.
18.
El KhouryS. M. (2019). Factors that impact the sociocultural adjustment and well-being of Syrian refugees in Stuttgart-Germany. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 47, 65–80.
19.
GlassC. R.GómezE.UrzuaA. (2014). Recreation, intercultural friendship, and international students’ adaptation to college by region of origin. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 42, 104–117.
20.
GuestG.BunceA.JohnsonL. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field Methods, 18(1), 59–82.
21.
HamerM.MolloyG. J.de OliveiraC.DemakakosP. (2009). Leisure time physical activity, risk of depressive symptoms, and inflammatory mediators: The English longitudinal study of ageing. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 34(7), 1050–1055.
22.
HasanovicM.SmigalovicD.FazlovicM. (2020). Migration and acculturation: What we can expect in the future. Psychiatria Danubina, 32, 386–395.
23.
Hesse-BiberS. N.LeavyP. (2006). The practice of qualitative research. Sage.
24.
Hesse-BiberS. N.LeavyP. (2006). The practice of qualitative research. SAGE.
25.
HurlyJ.WalkerG. J. (2017). “When you see nature, nature give you something inside”: The role of nature-based leisure in fostering refugee well-being in Canada. Leisure Sciences, 41(4), 260–277.
26.
KeumM.KwonH.LeeH. (2004). The acculturation process of North Korean adolescents refugees. Korean Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 16(2), 295–308.
27.
KeumM. J.KwonH. S.LeeH. W. (2004). The acculturation process of North Korean adolescents refugees. Korean Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 16(2), 295–308.
28.
KimD. J.JoK. J. (2019). Meaning of happiness and unification education in the settlement process of North Korean refugees in South Korea. Journal of the Korea Entertainment Industry Association, 13(7), 419–430.
29.
KimE.LeeM. (2013). The reciprocal longitudinal relationship between the parent- adolescent relationships and academic stress in Korea. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 41(9), 1519–1531.
30.
KimH. K.ShinH. K. (2015). A comparison of the mental health problems of North Korean adolescent defectors and South Korean adolescents: Focused on gender and age. The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology, 20(3), 347–367.
31.
KimJ. (2012). Exploring the experience of intergroup contact and the value of recreation activities in facilitating positive intergroup interactions of immigrants. Leisure Sciences, 34(1), 72–87. http://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2012.633856
32.
KimJ.KimM.HanA.ChinS. (2015). The importance of culturally meaningful activity for health benefits among older Korean immigrants living in the United States. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Wellbeing, 10(1), 1–9. http://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v10.27501
33.
KimJ.ParkS.KimM.HanA. (2016). Stress and coping associated with acculturation among North Korean defectors. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 30(4), 427–438. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167816631107
34.
KimJ.ParkS. H.YeonY.HanA.KimM. (2019). Stress and coping associated with acculturation among North Korean defectors. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 59(2), 211–231.
35.
KimM. (2005). Young N. Korean defectors’ attending schools in South Korea. Korean Journal of Sociology of Education, 15, 223–244.
36.
KimS. B.LeeT. S.LeeY. S. (2016). A study on the social adjustment of North Korean youth defectors. Journal of Global Youth Studies, 6(1), 53–80.
37.
KimS. Y. (2019). Study on the health behavior of North Korean refugee adolescents: Comparison with South Korean adolescents. Journal of Korean Unification & Nursing, 1(1), 26–40.
38.
KimY. J. (2016). Posttraumatic stress disorder as a mediator between trauma exposure and comorbid mental health conditions in North Korean refugee youth resettled in South Korea. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31(3), 425–443.
39.
Lapresta-ReyC.HuguetA.PetreñsC.IanosA. (2020). Self-identifications of youth in Catalonia: A linguistic acculturation theory approach. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 41, 829–843.
40.
LarsonR. W.RaffaelliM.GuzmanS.SaluskyI.OrsonC. N.KenzerA. (2019). The important (but neglected) developmental value of roles: Findings from youth programs. Developmental Psychology, 55(5), 1019–1033. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000674
41.
LeeH. (2014, July). Managing Korean adolescent defectors through police system. North Korea Periodicals, 84–91.
42.
LeeH. J. (2015). Group program utilization and evaluation for psychological adaptation of Korea child and adolescent defectors of studying room: Focused on group play therapy program. The Korean Association of North Korean Studies, 5, 151–176.
43.
LeeK. Y. (2002). A qualitative study of social adaptation among North Korean refugee adolescents in South Korea. Studies on Korean Youth, 13(1), 175–224.
44.
LeeS. Y. (2008). A qualitative study of school adjustment among North Korean refugee adolescents in South Korea. Korea Youth Research, 15, 81–113.
45.
LeeY.ShinO.LimM. (2012). The psychological problems of North Korean adolescent refugees living in South Korea. Psychiatry Investigation, 9(3), 217–222.
46.
LegardR.KeeganJ.WardK. (2003). In-depth interviews. In RitchieJ.LewisJ. (Eds.), Qualitative research practice: A guide for social research students and researchers (pp. 138–169). SAGE.
47.
LewisH. (2015). Music, dancing and clothing as belonging and freedom among people seeking asylum in the UK. Leisure Studies, 34(1), 42–58.
48.
LiM. Z.StodolskaM. (2006). Transnationalism, leisure, and Chinese graduate students in the United States. Leisure Sciences, 28(1), 39–55.
49.
LincolnY. S.GubaE. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry (vol. 75). SAGE.
50.
LutharS. S.CicchettiD. (2000). The construct of resilience: Implications for interventions and social policies. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 857–885. http://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579400004156
MackN.WoodsongC.MacQueenK.GuestG.NameyE. (2005). Qualitative research methods: A data collector’s field guide. Family Health International.
53.
MastenA. S.CicchettiD. (2016). Resilience in development: Progress and transformation. In CicchettiD. (Ed.), Developmental psychopathology (pp. 271–333). John Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119125556.devpsy406
54.
Ministry of Unification. (2021). Present status of North Korean defectors.
55.
MuiA. C.KangS. Y. (2006). Acculturation stress and depression among Asian immigrant elders. Social Work, 51(3), 243–255.
56.
MunK.KimK.KangS. (2018). A study for the relation between participation in leisure activities and social adaptability of North Korean refugees in Canada. Journal of the Korea Entertainment Industry Association, 12, 61–69.
57.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). The promise of adolescence: Realizing opportunity for all youth. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25388
58.
NohJ. W.LeeS. H. (2020). Trauma History and Mental Health of North Korean Defectors. Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports, 7, 250–257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-020-00219-0
59.
ParkK.OkK. (2018). Social integration of North Korean refugees through sport in South Korea. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 34(12), 1294–1305.
60.
QuirkeL. (2015). Searching for joy: the importance of leisure in newcomer settlement. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 16(2), 237–248.
61.
ReinharzS. (1992). Feminist methods in social research. Oxford University Press.
62.
RubinH. J.RubinI. S. (1995). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data. SAGE.
63.
ShinM. Y.KimB. S. (2014). A qualitative study on school adjustment of North Korea adolescent refugees: A comparison between alternative and general high schools. The Korean Association of Socio-Historical Studies, 17, 63–93.
64.
SongJ. (2006). The effect of tourism and leisure satisfaction on the physical and emotional stress and the life satisfaction: The case of North Korean defectors. Korean Tourism Research, 30, 237–258.
65.
SpaaijR. (2015). Refugee youth, belonging and community sport. Leisure Studies, 34(3), 303–318.
66.
StackJ. A. C.IwasakiY. (2009). The role of leisure pursuits in adaptation processes among Afghan refugees who have immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada. Leisure Studies, 28(3), 239–259.
67.
StodolskaM.YiJ. (2003). Impacts of immigration on ethnic identity and leisure behavior of adolescent immigrants from Korea, Mexico and Poland. Journal of Leisure Research, 35(1), 49–79.
68.
SuhE. E.KaganS.StrumpfN. (2009). Cultural competence in qualitative interview methods with Asian immigrants. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 20(2), 194–201.
69.
UmM.ChiI.KimH.PalinkasL.KimJ. (2015). Correlates of depressive symptoms among North Korean refugees adapting to South Korean society: The moderating role of perceived discrimination. Social Science and Medicine, 131, 107–113.
70.
VargaS. M.ZaffJ. F. (2018). Webs of support: An integrative framework of relationships, social networks, and social support for positive youth development. Adolescent Res Rev, 3, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-017-0076-x
71.
WalsethK. (2006). Young Muslim women and sport: The impact of identity work. Leisure Studies, 25(1), 75–94.
72.
YangK. M.HwangS. T. (2008). An initial study into the psychological adaptation of North Korean refugee adolescents in the first stages of their transition to life in South Korea. Studies on Korean Youth, 49, 333–358.
73.
YooG. H.BangE. R.HanE. G. (2004). A case study on school achievement and social adaptation of North Korean refugee children and adolescents. Journal of Korean Home Management Association, 22(5), 185–196.
74.
YunJ.OhY. (2010). A study on experience of posttraumatic growth among North Korean refugee adolescents in South Korea: Cases of university students. Journal of Research of Adolescence, 17, 49–82.
