Abstract

By using the indigenous psychologies approach, this study examines the stress experience of Korean students and adults during an economic crisis in Korea (i.e., 1998, the period in which Korea received economic assistance from the International Monetary Fund). This study also compares the results of a previous study conducted in 1997 by the present authors before the onset of the economic crisis. By using the same questionnaire as in 1997, participants were asked to write, in an open-ended response format, (1) what they consider to be the most stressful, (2) their cognitive and emotional reactions, (3) from whom they received social support, (4) the type of social support received, (5) the type of coping strategy used, and (6) the effectiveness of their coping strategy. The questionnaire was distributed to a total of 878 students and adults: a total of 202 high school students, 134 university students, 273 housewives, and 269 salaried employees. As expected, economic difficulties were listed as the most stressful producing, followed by future uncertainty, job conditions, and family life. In terms of coping strategies, participants were most likely to use self-regulation, saving money, active coping strategies, and avoidance. Around half of the participants reported that they did not receive any social support. Within the sample that received social support, they were most likely to receive support from friends, followed by family members, and colleagues. In terms of type of social support, emotional support was mentioned most frequently. The present results, when compared to the 1997 results, indicate that although the nature of the stressful life-events has changed, the coping strategy and the type of social support received have not changed significantly.