A Randomized Controlled Trial Study of Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) Policy Experiment in South Korea

Abstract

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) study examined the efficacy of the Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) program for low-income, low-skilled jobseekers in the Self-Sufficiency Program (SSP) in South Korea. Method: A total of 169 participants in SSP regional centers were randomly assigned to the intervention group (104 participants) and the wait-list control group (65 participants). Employment hope, perceived employment barriers, economic self-sufficiency (ESS), self-esteem and self-efficacy were measured at two time points, and data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: The TIP intervention group showed statistically significant increase in employment hope, ESS, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. The ANCOVA result indicated significant pre–post score differences in these variables between the TIP and the control groups. Discussion: TIP program can be effective in increasing psychological capital for low-income and low-skilled jobseekers. Further research ought to replicate the current RCT study to determine its application to other populations.

Health Psychological Self-Sufficiency (Health-PSS): A Bottom-Up Human-Social Development Approach to Health Equity

“…Mohan's (2018) seven pillars of social practice mission: education, service, empathic humility (EH), liberatory assistance (LA), transparent effectiveness (TE), and buoyance can provide a good framework in filling the gap in current knowledge and practice to reduce health disparities and increase health equity among disadvantaged populations in a fast-changing globalized world. In order to promote a culture of health and empowerment, one recommendation would be to incorporate and adopt Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) as a bottom-up system change model to enhance PSS for health and wellbeing-as have been found to be effective in other contexts (P. Y. P. Hong, Choi, & R. Hong, 2020;Hong, Kim, Marley, & Park, 2021;P. Y. P. Hong, Lewis, Park, R. Hong, & Davies, 2021), TIP could provide opportunities to put in practice the seven pillars on the ground to promote bottom-up, empowerment-based health processes and outcomes (Hong, 2016a(Hong, , 2016b.…”

Factors Associated with Employment Hope among North Korean Defectors in South Korea

“…For instance, Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) program developed by Hong (2016) has been tested in a government sponsored randomised controlled trial (RCT) policy experiment among participants of South Korea's Self‐Sufficiency Program (Hong et al, 2020). Having seen the positive effects on employment hope for the TIP group compared to the non‐TIP group, this could be a model to be applied to the North Korean defectors resettling in South Korea.…”

Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) for Financial Capability: Application of Practice-Based Program Theory and Measures in Intervention Design

“…The 9 themes include: (1) Identity and purpose; (2) forgiveness; (3) goal-orientation; (4) barriers; (5) source of strength; (6) hope (love & self-worth; self-perceived capability; future and the possibilities; self-motivation; skills and resources inventory; renewed goal commitment/improvement and pathways); (7) unresolved triggers of stress and anger; (8) gratitude; and (9) social support and compassion (Anderson et al, 2018; Hong, 2016a). TIP's nonlinear thematic matching of the outer themes—Theme 1–9, Theme 2–8, Theme 3–7, and Theme 4–6—scaffold the inner core PSS process that moves barriers (Theme 4) to hope (Theme 6) using the source of strength as the “tipping” point (Theme 5) (P. Hong, Choi, & R. Hong, 2020a).…”

“…Every session is structured based on praxis— “reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it” (Freire, 2000, p. 33) with “various mindfulness and kinesthetic activities” that allow “individuals to deftly weave the meanings of their difficulties, identify obscure strengths within and around themselves, and successfully transform their perceived barriers into hope driven actions” (Hong, Choi, & Hong, 2020a, p. 588). The PSS process is strengthened in such a way that reflecting on barriers generates the calming effect by letting the subjectively charged emotions be the “as is” condition based on which a cognitive process emerges—recognizing and accepting them as an objective condition that all human beings encounter during their journey of transformation (Hong, 2016a).…”

“…Researchers have also found in TIP content a host of neurobiological activates that strengthen neuroplasticity, executive functioning, and emotional regulation in its neural integration process (Hong & Hong, 2019). The TIP intervention and its program theory have found their adaptation in the areas of fatherhood (Hong et al, 2021a), substance use prevention and treatment (Hong et al, 2021b), financial capability and literacy (Hong et al, 2022b), health promotion (Hong, 2021), and youth empowerment (Hong, Hong, & Choi, 2020a).…”