Psychosocial Adaptation Research Articles

Stress and mental health of COVID-19 survivors and their families after hospital discharge: relationship with perceived healthcare staff empathy

ABSTRACT Several studies attest to the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection on survivors’ mental illness, especially in terms of high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1–3 months after hospitalization. Aims of the present study were (1) to jointly evaluate PTSD and positive mental health among COVID-19 survivors and family members after hospital discharge, and (2) to investigate the relationship between perceived healthcare staff’s relational empathy during hospitalization and survivors’ post-traumatic stress levels. In this cross-sectional study, 60 survivors (Mage = 60.45; 63.3% men) and 40 family members (Mage = 52.33; 60% women) participated in an online survey 3–7 months after hospital discharge. In addition to providing socio-demographic data, they completed PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and Mental Health Continuum Short Form. Survivors also completed the Consultation and Relational Empathy measure. Percentages of participants meeting a provisional PTSD and mental health diagnosis (flourishing, moderate, languishing) were calculated. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed on survivors’ data, with perceived staff’s empathy as predictor and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) as outcome. One-fifth of the participants received a provisional PTSD diagnosis, about half were diagnosed with flourishing or moderate mental health, and only 5% were languishing, with no significant between-group differences. Among survivors, a negative association was detected between perceived healthcare staff’s empathy and PTSS, explaining 10.5% of the model variance over and above demographic and clinical variables. Findings highlighted the coexistence of PTSD and positive mental health among survivors and family members, suggesting the usefulness of assessing both negative and positive dimensions of mental health, in order to promote psycho-social adaptation once returning to everyday life. In addition, the role of compassionate care in clinical practice emerged as a potential means to mitigate severe traumatic reactions among survivors.

Refugee education in Turkey: barriers and suggested solutions

ABSTRACT Education is among the areas most affected by immigration. Addressing refugee children’s schooling is an important contribution to the refugee crises, which span the world with far-reaching socio-economic effect. This study unpacks the challenges that refugee children, mainly from Syria, face in integrating into primary and secondary public schools in Turkey. It also proposes some tentative resolutions, drawing from the experiences of refugee parents, teachers, and headteachers. Within the current study, data were collected by means of fishbone analysis and semi-structured interviews with the participation of teachers, school headteachers, and refugee parents. The study draws from the theories of refugee education and confirms students’ barriers in schooling with regard to psychosocial factors, cultural adaptation, language learning, systemic barriers, and family relations. Some further implications were elicited from the data and are discussed in line with the existing research.

Psycho-Social Adaptation Of Educational Actors: Visions Of School Psychologists

The article describes briefly the notions of psychosocial adaptation and school adaptation highlighted in the conceptions of several authors. At the same time, there are presented the results of a study carried out in order to identify the opinions of school psychologists regarding various problems identified in their activity, emphasizing the problem of psychosocial, school adaptation of students. In this context, the problems faced by educational actors during the COVID-19 epidemic from the perspective of psychosocial adaptation are also listed.

Development of an instrument on psychosocial adaptation for people living in a disaster-prone area

BackgroundAdaptation is a process of adjusting to the current or expected climate change. The varied adverse outcomes enable people towards necessary adaptation. People living in disaster-prone areas go through a relatively higher frequency of emergencies and exigencies. Gradually people learn to cope with stress and over a while, they develop various strategies for adaptation. The ability to rapidly adapt to such changes helps people to better fit in the environment and prepare themselves for future emergencies. There is no instrument available to measure psychosocial adaptation objectively. The current study reports on the development and validation of psychosocial adaptation instrument. MethodsCross-sectional study design was adopted for the study. The study population consisted of people living in high-intensity hazard zones for cyclones, earthquakes, and floods in the Cuttack city of Odisha in India. The development of psychosocial adaptation instrument consisted of two phases. Content validity index, Kappa statistic, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were measured. Adopting the multistage sampling method a total of 400 participants were selected using the KISH method and were interviewed. Exploratory factor analysis was attempted to assess the factor structure. Further, the performance of items and total scale were analyzed using the item response theory approach. ResultsThe psychosocial adaptation instrument showed excellent validity of individual items (I-CVI range: 0.75 to 1.00) and good Kappa (Kappa range: 0.71 to 1.00). The Kuder-Richardson coefficient for the 50 items was (KR20 = 0.851) suggesting that the items have good internal consistency. The test-retest reliability ICC estimate of single measures was 0.916 (95% CI: 0.796, 0.959). Three items were removed as the discrimination parameters were found to be less than one in the item response theory analysis. ConclusionThe developed instrument is valid and has acceptable test-retest reliability. This instrument could pave a new way of quantifying the psychosocial adaption strategies that are widely used by people living in a disaster-prone area.

Diet, Sports, and Psychological Stress as Modulators of Breast Cancer Risk: Focus on OPRM1 Methylation.

Background: DNA methylation is influenced by environmental factors and contributes to adverse modification of cancer risk and clinicopathological features.Methods: A case-control study (402 newly diagnosed cases, 470 controls) was conducted to evaluate the effect of environmental factors and OPRM1 methylation in peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) DNA on the risk of breast cancer. A case-only study (373 cases) was designed to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on OPRM1 methylation in tumor tissue and the relationship of methylation with clinicopathological features.Results: We found a significant association between hypermethylation of OPRM1 and the risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.914, 95%CI = 1.357–2.777). OPRM1 hypermethylation in PBL DNA combined with low intake of vegetable, garlic, soybean, poultry, and milk; high pork intake; less regular sports and a high psychological stress index significantly increased the risk of breast cancer. Soybean intake (OR = 0.425, 95%CI: 0.231–0.781) and regular sports (OR = 0.624, 95%CI: 0.399–0.976) were associated with OPRM1 hypermethylation in tumor DNA. OPRM1 hypermethylation in tumor tissue was correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) (OR = 1.945, 95%CI: 1.262–2.996) and progesterone receptor (PR) (OR = 1.611, 95%CI: 1.069–2.427) negative status; in addition, OPRM1 hypermethylation in PBL DNA was associated with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) negative status (OR = 3.673, 95%CI: 1.411–9.564).Conclusion: A healthy diet, psychosocial adaptability, and regular sports are very beneficial for breast cancer prevention and progress, especially for OPRM1 hypermethylation carriers. Personalized treatment considering the correlation between OPRM1 hypermethylation and ER and PR status may provide a novel benefit for breast cancer patients.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Fluid Intelligence and Crystallized Intelligence as Cognitive Reserve Predictors of Social Cognition and Executive Functions Among Vulnerable Elderly People.

The concept of cognitive reserve –CR– postulates two forms that prevent cognitive impairment: neural reserve and neural compensation. Both have been primarily linked to the protective role played by genetic factors, educational level, occupation or socioeconomic status. Though it is true that it has been related to executive functions, so far very little attention has been paid to its predictive capacity with other variables more related to social cognition and psychosocial adaptation. Considering socially vulnerable contexts with reduced cultural capital and educational levels, the neural reserve function would be the most relevant and best predictor of aspects related to social cognition and executive functions. We suggest that variables such as fluid and crystallized intelligence influence social cognition and executive functions. This study included a sample of 27 participants over 60 years old from varied contexts of social vulnerability. The procedure included data collection using various cognitive measures. Results show that elderly people with high intelligence—mainly fluid intelligence—have better executive functions, emotional recognition and theory of mind. These results focus on cognitive reserve and its importance because they show that elderly people in vulnerable contexts who strengthen these aspects protect themselves against the deterioration of cognitive skills. This study is the first preliminary research to present a relationship between cognitive reserve and social cognition factors in elderly subjects. Fluid intelligence functions as a highly related factor to protect the performance of executive functions, along with other social-cognitive factors relevant to facilitating the conditions of social adaptation.

The role of spirituality in family adjustment and resilience among Puerto Rican families post-Hurricane Maria

ABSTRACT Natural disasters continue to devastate families and communities across the United States. An important aspect of family resiliency within a disaster context is the role spirituality plays in how families make sense of their experience. Using an arts-based visual research approach, this study explored the role of spirituality in the psychosocial adaptation of displaced Puerto Rican families who resettled in Orlando, Florida post-Hurricane Maria. Three main themes emerged: spirituality through 1) the relinquishment of control, 2) sense of empowerment, and 3) stabilization and security. The data suggest that spirituality plays a critical role in how Puerto Rican families make sense of their displacement experience and find the strength and motivation to adapt and move forward. The findings provide important insights for community-based organizations and religious leaders regarding how Latino families spiritually cope and navigate resettlement after a natural disaster.

DEPENDENCE OF ALEXITHYMIA INTENSITY ON COMPONENTS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL ADAPTATION IN MEN WITH PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Introduction. Levels of alexithymia and psychosocial adaptation can influence on the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with substance use disorders. The investigation of the state of the adaptation system is often used to examine these patients, despite its complexity and multilevel character. It is still unclear what characteristics of psychosocial adaptation may indicate increasing level of alexithymia. Therefore the aim of this study is to investigate their association for future prediction of alexithymia level in men with substance use disorders. Methods. We examined 28 men who took the treatment at the detoxication therapy stage. We studied severity of alexithymia by Russian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and analyzed peculiarities of psycho-social adaptation by C.R. Rogers and R.F. Dymond methods. To analyze the dependence between variances, multiple linear regression with Akaike information criteria and stepwise variable method was used. Results. The average level of alexithymia in the subjects was 57.6 ± 14.1 scores: it points out an elevated severity of the condition. The patients have “difficulty identifying feelings” at 18.9±6.6 scores, “difficulty describing feelings” at 13.7±4.9 scores and “externally oriented thinking” at 25.04±5.4 scores. The average levels of the subscales of the psychosocial adaptation questionnaire demonstrate no difference from normal values, but integral indices were increased. After stepwise variable method we selected the minimum set of factor characteristics associated with the original variable. Two factors related to the level of alexithymia were identified: internality and emotional comfort. The analysis shows the adequacy of the linear two-factor model for predicting the level of alexithymia in men with substance use disorders that based on values of internality and emotional comfort. Conclusion. We found that increased level of internality and emotional comfort in men with substance use disorders can predict an elevating level of alexithymia.

Attachment avoidance and health-related quality of life: Mediating effects of avoidant coping and health self-efficacy in a rehabilitation sample.

The onset of chronic illness or disability (CID) can be conceptualized as a threat that activates the attachment system. Moreover, the waxing-and-waning nature of CID-related symptoms and management of acute and chronic illness stressors means that the attachment system may be repeatedly activated. Contending with repeated threats to health (i.e., security) can complicate psychosocial adjustment to CID and can negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Adjustment to CID requires intrapersonal resources, such as adaptive coping and self-efficacy. In spite of attachment theory's relevance to conceptualizing adaptation to CID, no models of psychosocial adaptation to CID account for individual differences in coping behaviors and health self-efficacy through an attachment lens. This limits future theory-driven research. Thus, the present study proposes and tests an integrated model of psychosocial adaptation to CID using an attachment framework. Research Method/Design: Participants in this study included adults referred for psychological services at a tertiary care physical rehabilitation center between 2016 and 2020. Ninety adults completed measures of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, coping, health self-efficacy, and HRQoL at one time point. Path analysis indicated that the proposed model fits the data well. Higher attachment avoidance was significantly related to lower HRQoL, as mediated by higher avoidant coping and lower health self-efficacy. Results suggest that individuals high on attachment avoidance may require additional support to move toward psychosocial adaptation. Further research examining the role of attachment insecurity dimensions in adaptation to CID is warranted and should include longitudinal designs to replicate these findings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

ADAPTASI PSIKOLOGI KLIEN DENGAN KANKER PAYUDARA DI RS NURUL HASANAH KUTACANE TAHUN 2021

Breast cancer is a disease that can be experienced by women all over the world and affects every aspect of human life, especially psychosocial aspects. The main psychosocial problems experienced by breast cancer clients are ineffective coping, body image and impaired sexual function. This descriptive study aims to identify psychosocial adaptations of breast cancer clients at Nurul Hasanah Kutacane Hospital. The study was conducted from January 12 to June 4, 2021. Determination of the number of samples using total sampling with the number of samples of 25 people. The research instrument used a self-created questionnaire by researchers consisting of demographic data and psychosocial adaptations of breast cancer clients. The questionnaire has been tested for reliability using KR 20 with a result of 0.7029. The results showed that most of the 24 respondents (96%) had adaptive psychosocial adaptations. This research has implications for educational institutions, nursing practices.

Aging during COVID-19 in Germany: a longitudinal analysis of psychosocial adaptation

Existing theories of aging suggest that there may be similarities and differences in how COVID-19 impacts older people’s psychosocial adaptation compared to younger age groups, particularly middle-aged individuals. To assess the degree to which these impacts vary, we analyzed data from 3098 participants between the ages of 40 and 79 from an online survey in Germany. Data were collected at three measurement occasions between the start of the nationwide lockdown in mid-March 2020 and the end of the lockdown in early August 2020. The survey focused on everyday experiences during the COVID-19 crisis and collected various satisfaction ratings (e.g., general life satisfaction, satisfaction with family life, satisfaction with social contacts). At baseline, participants also provided retrospective ratings of satisfaction for the period before the COVID-19 crisis. In our analyses, we compared satisfaction ratings of middle-aged (40–64 years) and older individuals (65–79 years) and found that both middle-aged and older participants experienced the greatest decreases in satisfaction with social contacts, with more pronounced decreases seen in middle-aged participants. A similar pattern was observed for general life satisfaction, but the overall decreases were less pronounced in both groups compared to the decreases in satisfaction with social contacts. We also observed a partial recovery effect in all measures at the last measurement occasion, and this effect was more pronounced in older adults. Findings were also confirmed using age as a continuous variable and checking for linear and nonlinear effects of outcomes across the age range. Although ageism arose during the pandemic in the sense that older adults were labeled as a “risk group,” particularly at the start of the outbreak, we found consistently with other studies that middle-aged adults’ satisfaction decreased to a greater extent than that of older adults.

A Qualitative Exploration of Acculturation Practices of Pakistani Scholars in Dutch Society

The psychosocial adaptation of international scholars is a growing area of inquiry in social sciences. Currently, almost 47,164 Pakistani international scholars are enrolled in various universities worldwide but there is a dearth of literature concerning their psychosocial adjustment. This qualitative inquiry focuses on Pakistani graduate and postgraduate international scholars’ insights concerning their adaptation practices in Dutch culture and society. The study is grounded in a sociocultural adaptation model. The primary data was collected through in-depth interviews with ten Pakistani international students who are currently registered in three Dutch universities. The seven central themes that emerged out of in-depth interviews were the perception of cultural disparity, linguistic challenges, limited interaction with host nationals, discrimination, difficulties practicing religious obligations, acculturation attitudes, and participants’ coping strategies applied during the adjustment process. The findings of the current study highlight both barriers and protective factors within the scope of theoretical assumptions and literature. The current study contributes to the gap in the available literature concerning Pakistani international scholars’ experiences. A limited number of studies have discussed acculturation practices of Muslim students and from a specific region. The present findings would be useful for Pakistani international scholars who intend to study abroad and the administration of the host universities receiving Pakistani international scholars to facilitate their adjustment to the new context.

Family Environment and Coping Skills for Self-Injurious Behavior and Suicide Attempt among Adolescents

This study aims to explore how the family environment and coping skills are associated to self-injurious behavior and suicide attemps among adolescents. This study uses a systematic literature review method. A total of 18 articles journal, published between 2012 and 2020, were referred and has been systematically analyzed. The findings indicate that parental involvement and social support have a significant influence on psychological well-being among adolescents. Coping skills are an important component of social behavior and in forming individuals with positive resilience. Resilience is a factor that can help individuals maintain psychosocial adaptation throughout stressful situations. In this study, the psychological well being of person was an important aspect that can affect adolescents’ mental health. Family environmental factors are often associate with the causes of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts. Family financial problems have a significant influence on the suicidal behavior of adolescents. Self-injurious behaviors as lacking coping skills is related as a self-control mechanism in situations perceived as stressful. Individuals who conceal this will suffer more stress and if the action is repeated, the risk of suicidal ideas will be induced. For future research, this study suggests conducting an experimental research design and module development related to preventon and ttreatment of suicidal phenomenom throught the identification of risk group in Malaysia.

Non-psychotic depression and the social burden of illness

The burden of depression is increasing worldwide, caregivers are seen as a psychologically vulnerable group, and the social burden of non-psychotic depression remains unexplored.
 The aim of the study was to examine the clinical and functional characteristics of non-psychotic depression and the burden of family members of patients most involved in the interaction with patients. The study objectives included analysis of quality of life and co-occurring behavior of patients relatives as characteristics of their psychosocial adaptation.
 Methods. We used clinical and scales assessment of depression level, quality of life, subjective distress level, and coping behavior features.
 Results. Nonpsychotic depression was detected approximately half a year after the onset of symptoms, and in more than 40% of cases not by psychiatrists, self-treatment was typical. Impairments in social functioning in non-psychotic depression patients affected more in the areas of socially useful activities and social relationships, predominantly in non-working patients. 62.96% of patients rated relationships with loved ones as good, and 82.6% rated support from relatives in connection with the illness as adequate. In 60.87% of cases, there were psycho-traumatic microsocial factors. Spouses (45.5%) prevailed among supportive relatives, of whom 60% were employed, and limitation of labor activity due to the relatives illness was not characteristic, and material losses were insignificant. Supportive relatives more often than their sick relatives assessed the relationship with the sick as good (81.8%). In about 91% of cases, the attitude toward the mental illness of the relative was adequate, which exceeds the subjective assessment of patients with non-psychotic depression. The close relatives of the patients had decreased quality of life, which was mediated by severity of depression, higher than average level of distress related to mental disorder of the loved one (64,59,34 VAS scores). The structure of coping in supportive relatives is characterized on the whole by prevalence of constructive and relatively constructive coping-strategies, the most problematic being the emotional sphere of coping behavior.
 Conclusion. Even mild to moderate non-psychotic depression is associated with the presence of social burden of illness, covering not only the patients themselves, but also their family members, which necessitates psychologically corrective work with supportive relatives.

Relationship between perfectionism and narcissism with psychosocial adaptation in elite and non-elite athletes

Relationship between perfectionism and narcissism with psychosocial adaptation in elite and non-elite athletes

Психологічний стан дітей, хворих на синдром біологічно неактивного гормона росту

Мета дослідження: вивчити психологічний стан дітей із синдромом біологічно неактивного гормона росту (СБНГР) та оцінити вплив специфічної рістстимулюючої терапії на поліпшення психосоціальної адаптації хворих у суспільстві. Матеріали та методи. У дослідженні брали участь 46 дітей із СБНГР у період статевого дозрівання, серед них — 30 хлопців і 16 дівчат. Для дослідження психологічного стану дітей із СБНГР проводили анкетування за шкалою самооцінки депресії до початку застосування специфічної гормональної рістстимулюючої терапії та через 6 місяців після безперервного лікування. Контрольну групу становили 25 здорових дітей. Результати. Проведене нами тестування показало, що 72 % серед опитуваних пацієнтів із СБНГР мали схильність до депресивних станів, тоді як серед здорових дітей схильність до депресивних станів мали тільки 24 %. За умов початку лікування дітей із низькорослістю рекомбінантним гормоном росту (рГР) та аналогами гонадотропін-рилізинг-гормона протягом шести місяців і при досягненні більшої швидкості росту в них схильність до депресії залишилася тільки у 27,6 % хворих. Висновки. Низькорослість серед дітей із СБНГР призводить до заниженої самооцінки та проявів схильності до депресивного стану. Лікування дітей рГР із мотивацією на позитивний ростовий ефект значно покращує їх психологічний стан та адаптацію в суспільстві. Рекомендовано проводити анкетування пацієнтів із СБНГР за шкалою самооцінки депресії, за наявності проявів схильності до депресивного стану бажано консультуватися в медичного психолога або фахівця із психосоматичної медицини.

Psychosocial Adaptation to Chronic Illness and Disability: An Updated and Expanded Conceptual Framework

The article revisits and updates an earlier model (Livneh, 2001) that examined the building blocks that constitute the dynamics of psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability (CID). In the revised tripartite model, the author reconstructs and refines the earlier model based on recent theoretical formulations, clinical reviews, and research findings. In the revised model, the author discusses three overarching components, namely, antecedents (causes of medical conditions, background variables), processes (the dynamically unfolding course of post-CID events), and outcomes (anticipated exit indicators that serve, as snapshot end products, to assess the individual’s experienced and reported quality of life following onset of CID). The article concludes with a brief review of the model’s practical and research implications.

Experiences of nurses working with COVID‐19 patients: A qualitative study

BackgroundThe global COVID‐19 pandemic has led to massive disruptions in daily life, business, education, lifestyle and economies worldwide. Nurses are a professional group who care directly for COVID‐19 patients and thus face direct exposure to the virus. The nurses who work on the front lines during this period put their own well‐being at risk to care for these patients.Purpose/AimThe aim of this study was to identify the experiences and challenges faced by nurses working in pandemic clinics in Turkey during the COVID‐19 pandemic.MethodsThis qualitative study was based on semi‐structured in‐depth interviews conducted through the mobile application Whatsapp with 19 nurses who were actively working in pandemic clinics. Due to the pandemic, the snowball sampling method was used to reach the sample group. Interviews were continued until data saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed. The study data were interpreted according to themes identified using thematic analysis. Throughout the study, the authors followed the COREQ checklist.ResultsThe experiences of nurses caring for COVID‐19 patients were summarised into five major themes: psychosocial adaptation, protection, difficulty in care and treatment, access to information and working conditions.ConclusionNurses caring for COVID‐19 patients in Turkey have been affected psychologically, socially and physiologically. They experienced stigmatisation, exhaustion and burnout. One of the biggest challenges for the nurses was difficulty providing physical care and treatment due to the use of personal protective equipment. Nurses want improved compensation in addition to applause from the public. Interventions to help bolster nurses’ psychological and physiological strength are recommended.Relevance to clinical practiceThis study emphasised nurses’ psychologically, socially and physiologically affected. Therefore, improvements in financial and moral support would provide psychological reinforcement for nurses during the epidemic. Informing the public is necessary to reduce the stigmatisation of nurses working in pandemic clinics.

Validity and reliability of the lederman Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (PSEQ) in Brazil

BackgroundThe Lederman Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (PSEQ) is used to assess psychosocial adaptation to pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and maternity. The PSEQ is a tool used in various countries and has been translated into Portuguese; however, it needs to be validated in Brazil. This study aimed to analyze the validity and reliability of the PSEQ in Brazilian pregnant women.MethodThis methodological validity study investigated internal consistency and reliability using Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients. Construct validity was assessed using Pearson’s correlation between domains and confirmatory factor analysis. To assess concurrent validity, Pearson’s correlation between the different domains of the PSEQ and Prenatal Psychosocial Profile-Portuguese Version (PPP-VP) was determined. The level of significance was set at 5%.ResultsThis study included 399 pregnant women in the northeastern region of Brazil. The internal consistency and reliability of the total PSEQ score were high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.95). Validity analysis showed positive and significant correlations between all PSEQ domains, ranging from 0.14 to 0.56. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated the following values of goodness of fit: RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR = 0.08, CFI = 0.61, χ2/df = 1.77. The discriminant and concurrent validities of the PSEQ were confirmed.ConclusionsThe Portuguese version of the PSEQ has adequate psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable tool to evaluate psychosocial adaptation to pregnancy in Brazilian pregnant women.

Development and effects of a psychosocial adaptation program for North Korean adolescent defectors.

PurposeThis study aimed to develop and examine the effects of a psychosocial adaptation program for North Korean adolescent defectors.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study was conducted with 28 North Korean adolescent defectors who were recruited through alternative schools. The experimental and control groups consisted of 14 participants each. A program was conducted across eight sessions, each lasting about 90-120 minutes. The data were analyzed using the x2 test, t-test, paired t-test, and analysis of covariance.ResultsNo significant differences were observed in the score changes for psychosocial adaptation (t=0.25, p=.808), post-traumatic stress symptoms (t=0.32, p=.749), cultural adaptation stress (t=0.05, p=.957), and self-efficacy (t=0.35, p=.726) in either group before and after the intervention. No intergroup differences were observed for psychosocial adaptation (t=0.12, p=.902), post-traumatic stress symptoms (t=0.07, p=.946), cultural adaptation stress (t=0.01, p=.994), and self-efficacy (t=0.58, p=.570).ConclusionThese findings suggest that psychosocial adaptation, stress, and self-efficacy cannot be improved by a short-term intervention program alone. It was also determined that the cultural characteristics of the North Korean adolescent defectors were not sufficiently considered before implementing the program. Therefore, it is essential to provide an in-depth orientation for the participants before implementing the program.