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ScholarWorks > HHS > Social Work > JSSW > Vol. 52 > Iss. 3 (2025)

 

Keywords

social support, resilience, psychological distress, language barriers, Korean immigrants, COVID-19

Abstract

The current study aimed to observe whether the language barrier functions as a moderator in the association between social support and mental health via the mediation of resilience among Korean immigrants in the United States amid COVID-19. We compiled primary data using an online survey (e.g., emails, Social Network Service) collected from May 24, 2020, to June 14, 2020. By employing the purposive sampling method, we generated a sample of 790 Korean immigrants (both U.S.-born and foreign-born). Structural equation modeling was employed using a moderated mediation model to examine associations among the variables. We found a mediating effect of resilience on the association between social support and psychological distress among the participants. We also found that the mediating effect of resilience was moderated by language barriers in daily life. Although the study does not explicitly investigate how individuals’ resilience is built, the findings imply that social support and working to reduce language barriers are important factors in building a high level of resilience in Korean immigrants and ultimately improving their mental health during and after the pandemic.

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