Adaptation Process of Mothers-in-law of Vietnamese Women Married to Korean Men / 간호행정학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to generate a grounded substantive theory of the adaptation process of mothers-in-law of Vietnamese women married to Korean husbands. METHODS: Thirteen women who had Vietnamese daughters-in-law were interviewed. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a grounded theory method. RESULTS: Eight categories with 19 sub-categories were extracted from 268 concepts. The identified phenomenon was 'overcoming differences' and the core category was 'trying one's best to live together with daughter-in-law'. The 9 categories were grouped into 3 stages for the adaptation process encountering, struggling, and living together. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that when individuals from different cultural and personal backgrounds have to live together there is a continuing negotiation process towards meeting each other's needs. Health professionals can assist this adaptation process by providing these women with insights into various ways of meeting each other's need while they are struggling.