Developing cultural competence in working with Korean immigrant families

Bibliographic Data

ID8104836
AuthorsIrene J Kim (corresponding author), Luke I C Kim, James G Kelly (0009-0006-5599-5860)
Year2006
Volume34
Issue2
Pages149-165
Publication date2006-02-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Community Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-4392 • E-ISSN: 1520-6629
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jcop.20093
OpenAlexW1987248718
LanguageEN
Citations received26
References cited23

The authors provide an in‐depth examination of the historical background, cultural values, family roles, and community contexts of Korean Americans as an aid to both researchers and clinicians in developing cultural competence with this particular group. First, the concept of cultural competence is defined. A brief history of Korean immigration patterns to the United States and demographic information about Korean Americans are reviewed. Second, Korean cultural values, family structure, and family roles are examined as they impact relationships in research and clinical contexts. Three indigenous concepts (cf. L. Kim, 1992) that may be useful in developing cultural competence include haan (suppressed anger), jeong (strong feeling of kinship), and noon‐chi (ability to evaluate social situations through implicit cues). Clinical case examples and accounts from a community‐based research perspective illustrate these cultural values. Third, important community resources in the Korean American context are highlighted. Links between cultural competence and “ecological pragmatism” (Kelly, Azelton, Burzette, & Mock, 1994) are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Competence (human resources · Cultural competence · Ethnic group · Feeling · Immigration · Indigenous · Kinship · Pedagogy · Political science · Sociology · Anthropology · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social Psychology