This study aimed to move beyond the conventional deficit- and risk-based perspectives on out-of-school adolescents by focusing on their internal resources and the potential to achieve a healthy and stable life. Specifically, it examined the effect of ...
This study aimed to move beyond the conventional deficit- and risk-based perspectives on out-of-school adolescents by focusing on their internal resources and the potential to achieve a healthy and stable life. Specifically, it examined the effect of social support, as an external protective factor, on integrated well-being, and whether belongingness orientation, as an internal motivational factor, moderated this relationship. In particular, it explored how the two subdimensions of belongingness orientation—growth-oriented and deficiency-reduction-oriented—differentially explained the effect of social support.
The study participants consisted of 476 out-of-school adolescents across South Korea, and data were collected via an online survey. Integrated well-being was measured using the Korean version of the Positive Mental Health Scale for adolescents, which is a validated adaptation (Kim, Jinyoung et al., 2020) of the Korean adult version developed by Lim, Youngjin et al. (2012). Social support was assessed using the Korean version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), originally developed by Zimet et al. (1988) and validated for Korean adolescents by Park, Gayun et al. (2022). The friend subscale was used to assess perceived support from offline friends. Additionally, respondents were asked whether they had online friends; if they answered yes, they completed the same subscale to assess social support from online friends. Belongingness orientation was measured using the Korean version of the Belongingness Orientation Scale (KBOSA-9), which was adapted and validated for adolescents by Kim, Hyunjung and Kim, Jinyoung (2024), based on the original scale developed by Lavigne et al. (2011). This scale consists of two subdimensions: growth-oriented and deficiency-reduction-oriented.
The results were as follows. First, levels of social support, belongingness orientation, and integrated well-being among out-of-school adolescents were comparable to or exceeded those of in-school adolescents reported in previous studies, suggesting their potential to maintain psychosocial functioning through social support and internal motivation. Second, among adolescents with both online and offline friends, no significant differences were found between the two types of friendships in terms of perceived support, indicating that online relationships can also serve as sources of emotional support. Third, adolescents with both online and offline friendships reported higher levels of social support, belongingness orientation, and integrated well-being than those with only offline friendships, implying that openness to relationships and emotional sensitivity may contribute to enhanced well-being. Fourth, significant correlations were found among social support, belongingness orientation, and integrated well-being, regardless of whether adolescents had online friends. Fifth, the moderation analysis revealed that growth orientation amplified the positive effect of social support on integrated well-being in both groups, while deficiency-reduction orientation showed a moderating effect only in the offline-friends-only group. These results suggest that the effectiveness of social support is not solely determined by the amount of external resources provided, but can vary depending on an individual's internal motivation and psychological characteristics.
Overall, this study demonstrates that out-of-school adolescents are not inherently deprived individuals, but rather capable of achieving psychosocial adaptation through belongingness orientation and social support. It supports the validity of a positive psychological approach that highlights their strengths and potential. In addition, the findings empirically confirm the psychological functionality of online relationships, showing that adolescents’ social networks now extend into digital spaces, thereby providing a basis for future strategies for emotional and psychological support in digital environments. Finally, by confirming that the effect of social support varies depending on individual motivation and receptivity, the study underscores the need for quality-oriented interventions that consider both external resources and internal drives in supporting out-of-school adolescents.