Development and Validation of the Bystander Engagement Scale for Witnessed Intimate Partner Violence: A South Korean Version.

Bystanders play a crucial role in assisting and rescuing victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) or sexual assault, thereby preventing further harm. Consequently, an increasing amount of research has focused on improving bystander interventions in such situations. While many existing scales that measure bystanders' willingness to intervene and their behaviors are likely tailored to Western settings and primarily focused on preventing sexual assaults, pursuing diversity to make these scales applicable to a variety of contexts is necessary. This study aimed to develop and validate a scale from South Korean samples that measure the likely level of bystander engagement in witnessed IPV situations, named the Bystander Engagement Scale for Witnessed Intimate Partner Violence (BESW-IPV). Preliminary items, developed to describe various IPV situations that a bystander might witness, underwent content validity testing through expert review and cognitive focus group interviews. Afterward, the scale was administered to 311 participants from the target population in South Korea. The scale's factor structure was assessed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability and validity were rigorously assessed. The final version of the BESW-IPV comprised 28 items. Through EFA, "direct IPV indicators" and "indirect IPV indicators" were identified. Together, these factors accounted for 76.10% of the total variance. CFA affirmed that the final model offers an acceptable fit. The scale's convergent and discriminant validities were also well established. The Cronbach's alpha and the McDonald's omega values were 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. In contrast to many existing tools that measure bystander intervention predominantly within the confines of Western educational settings, we believe that the BESW-IPV can be applied in broader contexts, especially in patriarchal environments. Further research is required to translate and validate this tool in different cultural contexts.

Impacts of problematic smartphone use on children: Perspectives from main caregivers.

PURPOSE: This study examines the impact of problematic smartphone use (PSU) on children aged six years and younger, as perceived by their main caregivers. METHOD: Overall, 15 mothers who identified that their children used smartphones excessively were recruited and interviewed. Data were analyzed using summative content analysis. FINDINGS: Participants reported various impacts of PSU that were categorized into developmental, behavioral, health, quality of life, and parent-child relational perspectives. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Efforts to prevent PSU in children are needed. Nurses' roles in the early assessment of PSU are essential.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of distance laughter therapy for mothers' level of depression, anxiety, and parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to substantial lifestyle changes worldwide, contributing to heightened psychological stressors such as depression and anxiety. The demands of parental care have also intensified, increasing the risk of caregiver burnout and potential child maltreatment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of implementing distance laughter therapy for mothers caring for young children during the pandemic, with a focus on mitigating depression, anxiety, and parental stress. Utilizing a pilot randomized controlled design, 22 participants were divided into two groups-experimental and control groups-and underwent four virtual sessions over two weeks. The experimental group engaged in distance laughter therapy, a technique designed to stimulate self-induced laughter, while the control group viewed a 50-minute entertainment TV show. Both groups experienced a significant decrease in depression and anxiety; however, only the experimental group experienced a significant reduction in parental stress. Nonetheless, the differences in outcomes between the groups were not statistically significant. Participants who engaged in distance laughter therapy reported positive changes across physical, emotional, social, self-perception, and stress-coping domains in exit interviews. Therefore, laughter therapy has an additional benefit of reducing parental stress, which may be particularly useful for mothers primarily responsible for childcare during the pandemic. Future research should investigate the effects of laughter on broader populations and settings and quantify the actual amount of laughter generated.

Analyzing the Caregivers' behavioral patterns in managing their young Children's smartphone use in South Korea.

PURPOSE: As the age of exposure to screen media has decreased, problematic smartphone usage is becoming more prevalent among younger children. As children's smartphone use is often determined by their caregivers, understanding their motivations for allowing young children to use smartphones is crucial. This study aimed to explore the behavioral patterns of main caregivers in South Korea related to their young children's smartphone usage and the underlying motivations. DESIGN AND METHODS: Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory methodology. RESULTS: Fifteen participants from South Korea, identifying as main caregivers of young children under six years of age and expressing concerns about their children's smartphone usage patterns, were recruited. A core category describing caregiver' behaviors of managing children to use smartphones was identified as "Maintaining a vicious cycle to seek comfort in parenting." Their behavioral patterns appeared to be cyclical, alternating between permitting and restricting their children's smartphone use. They permitted their children to use smartphones to decrease their parenting burdens. However, this led to discomfort as they perceived the negative impacts of smartphones on their children and felt guilty. Consequently, they limited smartphone use, which increased their parental burden again. CONCLUSION: Parental education and policy efforts are essential to prevent risks associated with children's problematic smartphone usage. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: During regular health checkups for young children, nurses should assess potential smartphone overuse and related problems, considering caregiver motivations.

Social marketing program for dating violence bystander intervention on university campus: analyzing its effectiveness and sociocultural feasibility.

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness and sociocultural feasibility of a dating violence (DV) bystander intervention program, called With-Us, implemented on university campus in South Korea. Participants were recruited from two universities, some as part of an intervention group (n = 99) and the others as part a comparison group (n = 67). The participants were assessed pre- and post-interventions in terms of their readiness and intention to help, as well as their efficacy. Analyses show that the program increased the readiness in bystanders to help victims. Contrarily, it was observed that older participants, males, and those having higher patriarchal gender stereotypes, were less likely to pay attention to the program. Based on the findings, we provided several suggestions to promote its effectiveness and sociocultural feasibility so that it could be efficiently applied in further studies.

Self-control in Quarantined Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea.

PURPOSE: This study generated a model of self-control in quarantined individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. DESIGN: Grounded theory methodology was utilized. METHOD: 21 participants who underwent quarantine participated in interviews. FINDINGS: "Adhering to the quarantine rules to achieve a goal for the public good" was determined to be a core category describing self-control in quarantined individuals. They showed enduring behaviors with a specific pattern, which were classified into five phases. CONCLUSION: With careful consideration, quarantine can be an effective means of protecting community. CLINICAL EVIDENCE: Public health nursing interventions that fulfill basic needs and provide information are needed.

Effects of laughter therapy on the stress response of married immigrant women in South Korea: A randomized controlled trial.

The authors aimed to investigate the effects of a laughter therapy (LT) program on the acculturative stress, anxiety, depression, salivary cortisol, and salivary IgA of married immigrant women in South Korea. A randomized waiting-list control design was utilized. The 19 experimental group participants were given LT twice a week for 2 weeks, whereas the 22 participants in the waiting-list control group received no treatment during the same period but received it afterward. Outcomes were measured right after the completion of the intervention and 2 weeks later. The experimental group showed significantly decreased levels of acculturative stress, anxiety, depression, and salivary cortisol compared to the control group. As for salivary IgA, however, the experimental group showed no statistically significant decrease compared to the control group. An LT program can be a good option for married immigrant women undergoing acculturation experiences in consideration of its effectiveness.

Life after hospital discharge for people with long-term mental disorders in South Korea: Focusing on the "revolving door phenomenon".

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the lives of Koreans with long-term mental disorders who had experienced multiple readmissions after hospital discharges. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 participants and thematic analysis was used to examine their data. FINDINGS: Four themes emerged from the data, describing their lives: they suffered in the aspects of social maladjustment, loneliness, causing shame to their families, and managing mental illnesses. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: After patients with mental disorders are discharged from the hospital, they need transitional care before systematic community-based care to enhance their autonomy and reduce the burden on their families.

Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in South Korea: Experiences in Seeking Help Based on Support Selection.

For victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), seeking help is an important step in escaping their violent situations; nonetheless, their experiences in help-seeking are diverse and often influenced by sociocultural factors. The purpose of this study was to understand South Korean female IPV victims' experiences in seeking help. Qualitative data were collected from interviews with 14 female victims and analyzed using content analysis. We presented the victims' experiences according to their choice of support (e.g., friends, family, community, or police) and noted four factors that appear to influence their support selection.

The Sociocultural Meaning of "My Place": Rural Korean Elderly People's Perspective of Aging in Place.

PURPOSE: Aging in place becomes an important concept in elderly care plans worldwide. It pursues to enhance quality of later lives and maintain dignity in older adults. However, one's own place may have some kinds of symbols and meanings to an individual in accordance with the culture he/she belongs to. Without considering it, many cultural conflicts can emerge when policies are realized. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the sociocultural meaning of "my place" for elderly Koreans ahead of enacting a policy for the so-called "integrated community care" in South Korea, pursuant to aging in place for the elderly population. METHODS: This study used an ethnographical methodology. The data were collected by observation, in-depth interviews with 10 informants, home visits, field notes, and photos, and analyzed using Spradley's ethnographic approach. RESULTS: As a result, the cultural theme of "my place" in elderly Koreans was "A place that makes me be present." Three categories representing the meaning of "my place" were emerged: keeping me safe and comfortable, representing my life, and maintaining my control and influence. CONCLUSION: Researchers and policymakers should carefully consider the sociocultural perspective when planning, moderating, and implementing a new long-term care policy to achieve aging in place in South Korea.

Building a New Intimate Relationship After Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in Victim-Survivors of South Korea.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to harmful acts occurring among members of an intimate relationship. Many studies have explored individuals' experiences of IPV as well as its consequences; however, so far, few studies have explored the lives of IPV victim-survivors after escaping from the violent relationship and the experiences of building new intimate relationships. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand the young female adults' experience of building a new intimate relationship after ending their abusive relationship. This study used a qualitative phenomenological design to understand the women's lived experiences in their own voices, as suggested by Giorgi. In total, 13 young female adults in South Korea were recruited and interviewed. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Drawing on the interview data, we constructed the structure of their experiences through identifying five themes: (I) having difficulty in meeting new people, (II) starting to build a new relationship based on trauma, (III) struggling to escape the boundaries of the abuser, (IV) learning about healthy intimate relationships, and (V) something's wrong again. The findings were meaningful in that they showed how victim-survivors clearly needed care and support even after they escaped from their abusive relationships and began new ones. In addition, we found that some of them entered into another abusive relationship with their new partners. Finally, this study informs researchers and health professionals across the world about the experiences of IPV victims within specific cultural background. We hope that the findings of this study will contribute to building various interventions and programs for victim-survivors of IPV.