Korean Americans' Identity Gaps in Interethnic Interaction and Levels of Depression
Open Access
- Author:
- Jung, Eura
- Graduate Program:
- Communication Arts and Sciences
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 14, 2004
- Committee Members:
- Michael L Hecht, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Dennis Stephen Gouran, Committee Member
Susan G Strauss, Committee Member
Pui Wa Lei, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Korean American
Identity
Depression - Abstract:
- This study examined possible contributing factors to Korean Americans¡¯ levels of depression relating to their interethnic interaction and identity problems. The two types of identity gap--personal-enacted and personal-relational identity gaps--were introduced as the concept reflecting Korean Americans¡¯ interethnic communication. Then, the hypothesized model, including a sequence of relationships from Korean Americans¡¯ three situational variables of intercultural communication competence, middleperson status, and perceptions of racial hierarchy to the two types of identity gaps to their levels of depression, was formulated and tested. In addition, the mediation effects of the two types of identity gaps between the three situational variables and the levels of depression were checked. The results showed that all three situational variables predicted Korean Americans¡¯ personal-relational identity gaps whereas only intercultural communication competence predicted their personal-enacted identity gaps. Both types of identity gap predicted their levels of depression. Also, Korean Americans¡¯ middleperson status and perceptions of racial hierarchy had direct effects on their reported levels of depression. The personal-relational identity gap significantly mediated the effects of all three situational variables on levels of depression. However, the personal-enacted identity gap mediated only the effect of intercultural communication competence on levels of depression.