The Effects of Protestant Christian Faith on Successful Living Transition Among South Korean Immigrants in the United States: A Qualitative Study

Religious belief and participation may facilitate well-being and the transition to living in the United States for Korean immigrants. However, there is little known about how Korean immigrant young adults obtain social/emotional support from church involvement and benefit from spiritual networks. A qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews with 22 members of one Protestant church in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. According to our findings, all respondents were supported in their transition to living in the United States through the social support and well-being effects of religious belief/affiliation. They manifested their belief mainly in two different ways, either engaging in spiritual networks as a church leader or by focusing on their education and livelihoods with their religious belief as a powerful motivator. It is hoped that further study will elucidate more of the mechanisms linking religious belief to the living transition for Korean and other immigrants to the United States.