Investigating the psychological health and well-being of survivors impacted by state violence

: ‘Jeju April 3rd.’

Abstract

This research aims to study the psychological impact on survivors of severe state violence, focusing explicitly on the case of Jeju April 3rd, known as Jeju Sasam in Korean. Jeju Sasam occurred on Jeju Island, a volcanic island located south of the Korean peninsula. Jeju Sasam is one of the most prominent representations of state violence in modern Korean history, which has severely disturbed Jeju people's lives over an extended period. The authorities conducted atrocities such as torture, imprisonment, harassment, arson, forced migration and sexual violence against Jeju people under the justification of political ideology. The death toll due to the Sasam is conservatively estimated to be at least 25,000 people. Despite a large number of deaths, Jeju Sasam was not acknowledged nationally or globally. Further, there is relatively little research that addresses the long-term psychological impact on Jeju Sasam survivors. Therefore, the current study explored the impact of Jeju Sasam on survivors' psychological health by considering appraisal, culture and gender.

An elderly sample of Jeju Sasam trauma survivors (Total N=50; female N=28, male N=22, aged 82 – 98 at the time of the interview) and currently living on Jeju Island completed semi-structured qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify and analyse themes from survivors' narratives. As a result, seven themes emerged: 1. Cultural memory and ceremony, 2. Social and cultural interdependence, 3. Self-concept and traumatised self, 4. External attribution, 5. Physical and psychological trauma, 6. Emotional and psychological trauma symptoms, 7. Recovery and adjustment. This thesis developed a model for understanding the trauma resilience mechanism based on the seven themes. The model describes the interconnectivity of culture, self-appraisal, cognitive appraisal and social elements for the trauma resilience of Jeju Sasam survivors. This model for a trauma resilience mechanism can contribute to developing appropriate coping strategies for state violence survivors and ultimately promote their psychological wellbeing.

Date of Award	1 Mar 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	King's College London
Supervisor	Alberta Engelbrecht (Supervisor) & Edgar Jones (Supervisor)