중년여성 영양교사 대상 한국인의 정서기반 푸드아트테라피 프로그램의 개발과 효과

Development and Effectiveness of a Korean Emotion-Based Food Art Therapy Program Targeting Middle-Aged Female Nutrition Teachers

This study investigates the impact of a Food Art Therapy program, grounded in the psychological characteristics of Koreans, on job stress and anxiety among middle-aged female nutrition teachers. The study aims to verify and develop the efficacy of this program. The program was designed to offer participants opportunities to comprehend and appreciate their self-worth, examine their experiences during the program, and explore methods for alleviating job stress and trait anxiety. The ultimate goal is to enhance participants’ physical, mental, and social wellness by fostering universal empathy through everyday language and meanings. The food art therapy program integrates the distinctive Korean emotional concepts of ‘Ki(氣)’, ‘Sok(裏)’, ‘Jeong(情)’, ‘Han(恨)’, ‘Chemyeon(體面)’ for a more profound approach to counseling. The study involved 14 participants, divided equally into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in a series of 12 sessions over a three-month period. To assess the program’s effectiveness, pre- and post-tests on job stress and trait anxiety were administered to both groups. The results of this study are as follows: First, the experimental group, which participated in the a Food Art Therapy group counseling program, showed gradual psychological changes and reduced job stress after positive cognitive restructuring for stress relief, compared to the control group that did not participate in the program. Second, the experimental group also showed a reduction in emotional trait anxiety compared to the control group after participating in the program. These findings indicate that the a Food Art Therapy program significantly reduces job stress and trait anxiety among middle-aged female nutrition teachers, affirming its efficacy. Overall, this study concludes that group counseling through a Food Art Therapy, tailored to Korean emotional characteristics, effectively contributes to the reduction of job stress and the enhancement of emotional stability.