Factors influencing positive subjective health awareness in multicultural adolescents in South Korea: Data from the multicultural adolescents panel study

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing positive subjective health awareness of middle school-age multicultural adolescents in Korea.Methods: This study used data from the fourth to sixth waves of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute. In this study, a panel logit model analysis was performed using the Eviews 8.0 program (p<.050).Results: Socioeconomic status (r=.02, t=2.13, p=.033), body satisfaction (r=.71, t=1.97, p=.048), and depression (r=-.74, t=2.35, p=.018) influenced positive subjective health awareness in multicultural adolescents. When multicultural characteristics were entered into a statistical model with environmental and personal characteristics, multicultural characteristics did not have a significant influence on positive subjective health awareness.Conclusion: Environmental, personal, and multicultural characteristics were related to positive subjective health awareness in multicultural adolescents; thus, an integrated approach considering those variables is recommended. Nursing interventions and educational programs are needed to improve the psychological status of multicultural adolescents and reduce prejudice about them. In addition, nurses need to be sensitive to multicultural characteristics and the developmental characteristics of multicultural adolescents.

Factors affecting the mental health status of children from multicultural families in South Korea: a cross-sectional descriptive analysis of data from the multicultural adolescents panel study

“…No significant difference was found in mental health according to participants' living and working conditions. This result differs from that of a previous study [ 23 ] conducted among multicultural adolescents. Among the general socioeconomic, and environmental conditions, mental health status was related to bicultural acceptance attitudes and acculturative stress.…”

“…This can be interpreted as indicating that children from multicultural families suffer from externalization and internalization problems due to passive interpersonal relationships, maladjustment to school life, and bullying [ 7 , 22 ]. However, the mean score for self-esteem in this study (3.29±0.56) was higher than that reported in a previous study (3.13±0.54) [ 23 ] conducted among multicultural adolescents using the raw data of the first phase of the MAPS. This discrepancy may have occurred because the mean age in the previous study [ 23 ] was 15 years, versus 10 years in this study, since self-esteem tends to decrease as children from multicultural families grow older [ 24 ].…”

“…However, the mean score for self-esteem in this study (3.29±0.56) was higher than that reported in a previous study (3.13±0.54) [ 23 ] conducted among multicultural adolescents using the raw data of the first phase of the MAPS. This discrepancy may have occurred because the mean age in the previous study [ 23 ] was 15 years, versus 10 years in this study, since self-esteem tends to decrease as children from multicultural families grow older [ 24 ]. In comparison to Choi's study [ 23 ] conducted among multicultural adolescents, the mean score for bicultural acceptance attitudes was higher (2.96±0.44 vs. 2.92±0.38), while that of acculturative stress was lower (1.28±0.41 vs. 1.41 ±0.32).…”

“….957 ever, the mean score for self-esteem in this study (3.29±0.56) was higher than that reported in a previous study (3.13±0.54) [23] conducted among multicultural adolescents using the raw data of the first phase of the MAPS. This discrepancy may have occurred because the mean age in the previous study [23] was 15 years, versus 10 years in this study, since self-esteem tends to decrease as children from multicultural families grow older [24].…”

“…This discrepancy may have occurred because the mean age in the previous study [23] was 15 years, versus 10 years in this study, since self-esteem tends to decrease as children from multicultural families grow older [24]. In comparison to Choi's study [23] conducted among multicultural adolescents, the mean score for bicultural acceptance attitudes was higher (2.96±0.44 vs. 2.92±0.38), while that of acculturative stress was lower (1.28±0.41 vs. 1.41 ±0.32). An explanation for this result may be that bicultural acceptance attitudes decrease and acculturative stress increases as children from multicultural families grow older [24].…”