Abstract

A recent trend of North Korean defectors is that an increasing number of them defect from North Korea and come to Korea as a family unit. Thus, the present research aims to examine whether the play-oriented group counseling program would help increase North Korean defector children’s ability to control emotions and to get adjusted to school life. Subjects were 10 elementary school students. Ability to control emotions was measured by Mayer & Salovey model of emotional intelligence. Adaptation to school life was measured by Eun’s scale. Among nonparametric statistical methods, the Mann-Whitney U Test and the Wilcoxon Singed-Rank Test were conducted by SPSS 20.0. The results of this study are summarized as follows. A group program is effective in improving the emotional adjustment. Statistically significant differences were shown in all three lower-level elements of emotional adjustment. it was found that the CPRT program had a significantly positive impact on North Korean defector children’s ability to control emotions and adaptation to school life. This study has significance in terms that it proved the effects of a group program on the empowerment of broke away from North Korea children, and the effects were confirmed by an experimental study.

Key words: North Korea, group program, school adaptation, emotion adjustment, Broke away, Children