Determinants of positive orientations of adolescents in Korean multicultural families based on the socio-ecological model

Abstract

The number of multicultural adolescents has been increasing globally, and their psychological well-being has received keen attention. The present study aimed to identify the factors affecting the positive orientations (i.e., self-esteem, optimism, and life satisfaction) of Korean adolescents from multicultural families based on the socio-ecological model. This study comprised a cross-sectional survey that used data from the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study by the National Youth Policy Institute in South Korea. In total, 1260 adolescents from Korean multicultural families participated. To assess how the factors contributed to positive orientations, we performed a hierarchical linear regression analysis. Of the individual-level factors, gender, appearance satisfaction, social withdrawal, bicultural and multicultural attitudes, and academic achievement satisfaction affected the positive orientations of the adolescents. Among the relationship-level factors, their family support, relationships with their friends, and relationships with their teachers influenced their positive orientations; in particular, family support was the most influential factor. The study identified influential factors on the positive orientations among multicultural adolescents. These findings can help healthcare, educational, and social service professionals develop programs to enhance the positive orientations of adolescents from multicultural families.