Perspectives Among Korean American Social Workers on Interpreting, Navigating, and Adapting Trauma-Informed Practice Jessica C Kim

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Kim, Jessica C., author.

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania. Social Welfare., degree granting institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social work.

Mental health.

Asian American studies.

0452.

0347.

0343.

Local Subjects:

Social work.

Mental health.

Asian American studies.

0452.

0347.

0343.

Physical Description:

1 electronic resource (223 pages)

Contained In:

Dissertations Abstracts International 86-12B

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2025

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Trauma-informed care is a widely endorsed framework in mental health practice, yet its foundational principles are shaped by Western psychiatric constructs that emphasize individual pathology and verbal processing, which may not align with the cultural and historical realities of Korean Americans (KAs). Despite significant experiences of intergenerational trauma, migration-related distress, and racialization, KAs remain among the least likely populations to engage in formal mental health services. The lack of culturally responsive trauma frameworks contributes to barriers in care. This study examines how KA social workers interpret, navigate, and adapt trauma-informed care to serve KA clients in culturally situated ways.Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, this study explores the lived experience of 13 KA social workers, who participated in two rounds of interviews. Findings reveal 11 key themes that illuminate how participants make sense of trauma, navigate structural and cultural issues, and adapt interventions to align with KA worldviews. Participants perceive trauma within the tensions between Western clinical models and KA intergenerational legacies. Challenges include deeply ingrained beliefs about suffering and resilience, limited formal training in culturally responsive trauma care, and ethical dilemmas associated with relational expectations. To bridge these gaps, participants employ strategies such as modifying language, integrating Korean constructs like han and hwabyung, and using nunchi (social attunement) to assess client readiness for trauma discourse.This study underscores the necessity of culturally situated trauma frameworks that extend beyond current models in mainstream discourse to incorporate KA-specific historical, racial, and sociocultural perspectives. By elucidating how KA social workers interpret, navigate, and adapt trauma-informed practice, these findings contribute to the scholarship on culturally responsive mental health interventions. Implications include the need for expanded training on KA trauma frameworks, institutional support for bicultural practitioners, and formal recognition of culturally mediated trauma responses in clinical practice. These findings contribute to scholarship on culturally responsive mental health interventions and inform approaches to improving engagement in trauma-informed care for KA communities

Notes:

Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 86-12, Section: B.

Advisors: Engstrom, Malitta Committee members: Park, Yoosun; Ravitch, Sharon; Hahm, Hyeouk Chris

Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania 2025

Local Notes:

School code: 0175

ISBN:

9798280760554

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license