다문화 청소년의 한국어 능력, 자아존중감, 어머니의 한국어 능력, 교우관계 간의 종단적 상호 인과관계 = Longitudinal Reciprocal Causalities among Korean Proficiency, Self-Esteem, Mother’s Korean Proficiency, and Peer Relationship in Multicultural Adolescents

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study analyzed the longitudinal causal relationships among four variables in multicultural adolescents: Korean proficiency, self-esteem, mother’s Korean proficiency, and peer relationship. To achieve this, the study tested the self-regression cross-delay model using data from the first year (2011) to the fifth year (2015) of the Multicultural Youth Panel Survey (MAPS). The primary results are as follows. First, it was confirmed that previous data stably predicted subsequent data in the Korean language ability, self-esteem, mother's Korean language ability, and peer relationship of multicultural adolescents. Second, the study confirmed the longitudinal reciprocal causal relations between multicultural adolescents’ Korean proficiency and peer relationship as well as between self-esteem and peer relationship. These relationships were found to grow together through reciprocal positive effects. Additionally, the study found that self-esteem indirectly affected the Korean language ability of multicultural adolescents. Specifically, self-esteem at the n time-point positively affected Korean ability at the n+2 time-point through the mediation of peer relationship at the n+1. Finally, the study showed that there was a one-way causal relationship between the mother's Korean language ability and the Korean language ability of multicultural adolescents. This indicated that the mother's Korean language ability at the previous time-point positively affected the Korean language ability of multicultural adolescents at the next time-point. Based on these results, the study provided some implications and suggestions for follow-up studies.
Educational Impact and Implications : Since peer relationship plays a crucial role in promoting Korean language ability among multicultural adolescents, educational support should be provided in order to enhance peer awareness toward multicultural adolescents and to build positive peer relationship. Considering that the Korean language proficiency of multicultural adolescents plays a crucial role in developing positive peer relationship, we should pay attention to foreign mothers’ Korean language ability which affects the Korean language ability of multicultural adolescents. This suggests the necessity of systematic policy and support for mothers in multicultural families.