다문화가족 이주여성의 자살생각에 대한 연구

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined suicidal ideation and its associated factors of immigrant women in Korea. Methods: Data from the parent survey of the 2016 Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study was used. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted using data from 1,261 foreign-born mothers. Results: The mean score of suicidal ideation was lower than the median value, indicating that immigrant women’s suicidal ideation may not be as high as other immigrant populations in Korea. The strongest predictor of their suicidal ideation was their self-esteem, followed by acculturative stress, their perceived economic status, and marriage status. In addition, their Korean language ability and family-related stress were also significantly associated with their suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The findings show that an array of factors is related to women’s suicidal ideation, ranging from self-esteem to their family-related stress. Overall, the findings call for a need to recognize their mental health risks as well as for better, more comprehensive policy and service measures to prevent and intervene in their suicidal risks. Service providers, in health, social work, and education sectors need to be aware of the vulnerability of these women as immigrants, women, single mothers, and as a marginalized and overlooked population within Korean society. They must strive to expand their understanding of the mental health needs of this population.