The Importance of Social Support for Divorced Marriage Migrant Women in Korea: Focusing on Social Support as Moderators Between Divorce and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

This study was performed to identify the effect of divorce on perceived life satisfaction of marriage migrant women residing in Korea. In addition, the moderating effects to these relations with variables that represent social support from Korean friends, same ethnicity friends, co-ethnic friends and lack of social support were tested for. Further, the protective effect of social support received from these social groups for the divorced group of marriage migrants is compared to its effect on the still married group. Data from the 2012 National Multicultural Family Survey was used for analysis. The results of study were as follows. Experience of divorce correlated negatively with perceived life satisfaction of marriage migrant women. Social support from Korean friends, same nationality friends and co-ethnic friends are associated positively with levels of perceived life satisfaction for both the married and divorced while lack of social support is associated negatively with levels of perceived life satisfaction for both groups. These effects are greater for the divorced marriage migrant women. Further, social support received from Korean friends and co-ethnic friends weaken the negative effect of divorce on perceived life satisfaction for the divorced, while lack of social support strengthens the negative effect. Social support from same ethnicity friends did not have a statistically significant moderating effect to life satisfaction for the divorced.