Date
5-20-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Walsh, Sarah
Keywords
Korean pastors' lived experiences of
Disciplines
Counseling
Recommended Citation
Kim, Guiyoung, "Korean Pastors’ Lived Experiences of Their Congregants’ Mental Health Issues in the Philadelphia Suburbs: A Phenomenological Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8416.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8416
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe Korean pastors’ lived experiences of dealing with their congregants’ mental health issues in the suburban areas of Philadelphia. The theory guiding this study is ecological systems theory, which helps explain the mental health issues of Korean Americans and the factors influencing their help-seeking behaviors within the major ecological systems unique to this population. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 10 Korean pastors serving Korean American churches in suburban Philadelphia. The collected data was analyzed and aggregated into themes through coding.
