Acculturative Stress and Quality of Life among Chinese Marriage Migrant Women: The Moderating Effects of Perceived Health Status, Self-Esteem, and Social Support

Purpose – This study examined the effect of acculturative stress on the quality of life of Chinese marriage migrant women in Korea and investigated the moderating effects of perceived health status, self-esteem, and social support. It focused on acculturation-related difficulties, including language barriers, family role expectations, social isolation, and discrimination, and explored how personal and social resources influence quality of life. Design/Methodology/Approach – Participants were 252 Chinese marriage migrant women residing in Korea. Data were collected through a survey conducted from September 5 to September 28, 2025. The main variables were acculturative stress, perceived health status, self-esteem, social support, and quality of life. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28 and PROCESS macro v4.3 to examine descriptive statistics, differences in quality of life according to general characteristics, and the moderating effects of the three variables. Findings – The mean scores on a 5-point scale were 2.40 for acculturative stress, 3.29 for perceived health status, 3.69 for self-esteem, 3.35 for social support, and 3.38 for quality of life. Quality of life differed significantly according to region, religion, marital status, relationship with husband, education, employment, income, Korean language proficiency, disease status, and alcohol consumption. Acculturative stress had a significant effect on quality of life. Self-esteem significantly moderated this relationship, indicating that higher self-esteem buffered the negative effect of acculturative stress on quality of life. However, perceived health status and social support showed no significant moderating effects. Research Implications – This study demonstrates that reducing acculturative stress and enhancing self-esteem are important for improving the quality of life of Chinese marriage migrant women. The findings highlight the need for psychological and emotional interventions, such as counseling, empowerment programs, and support for social network development. They also suggest the importance of multidimensional support, including improved healthcare access, community-based health programs, and measures to reduce social isolation. The results may provide a basis for evidence-based policies and interventions aimed at improving quality of life and promoting social integration.