A Phenomenological Study on the Alcohol Use Experience of Filipino Marriage Migrant Women in South Korea: Focusing on Structural Vulnerability and Cultural Adaptation Stress

This study aims to explore in depth the essence and meaning of alcohol use experiences among Filipino married immigrant women living in Korean society during their adaptation process, and to seek effective mental health and social welfare support measures by interpreting drinking problems within the context of structural vulnerability and acculturative stress.This study used a phenomenological research method to reveal the essence of the experience.Using purposive sampling, five Filipino married immigrant women residing in Korea who were experiencing alcohol problems were selected as participants, and data were collected through two to three in-depth interviews per participant.The results revealed that the alcohol use experiences of Filipino married immigrant women were categorized into 5 categories and 16 theme clusters: "Sorrow in a Foreign Land," "Left All Alone," "Needing Something to Lean On," "The Duality of Support," and "Wanting to find a breakthrough."Participants faced complex stressors such as limited Korean language proficiency, financial pressure, the death of a spouse [Participants D and E], and the burdens of child-rearing and education.Alcohol served as a dual support mechanism, acting as a means to cope with loneliness and build relationships, while simultaneously causing deteriorating health and guilt.The study concludes by recognizing the drinking of Filipino married immigrant women as a product of structural vulnerability and acculturative stress, proposing the establishment of a customized multicultural mental health and addiction service system, the strengthening of informal social support networks such as religious and peer groups, and the enhancement of child education support policies for single-parent immigrant households.