Trajectories of Ethnic Identity Development Among Korean Bi-ethnic Children and Familial Ethnic Socialization

• In Event: Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

Aims: Ethnic identity is one of the paramount components in identity development among ethnic minority children, particularly in culturally less diverse society such as South Korea (Lee, Cheon, Wei & Chung, 2018). In this paper, we examined the trajectories of ethnic identity development among Korean bi-ethnic children. Specifically, based on theoretical models of ethnic socialization and ethnic identity, we hypothesized that familial bi-ethnic socialization has longitudinal impacts on children’s ethnic affirmation which is a part of ethnic identity. We also explored bi-ethnic children’s psychological well-being varied by their ethnic identity development trajectories.
Method: This study used questionnaire data from the Wave 1-3 of the Panel Survey of Korean Multicultural Youth Adjustment. We analyzed 245 participants who were born between Korean native fathers and immigrant mothers from China, Japan, the Philippines, or Vietnam. They were 5th and 6th grades in Wave 1. To assess ethnic identity, we used the ethnic affirmation/belonging subscale of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Phinney, 1992). The Korean version of Familial Ethnic Socialization Measure (Lee & Chung, 2019) was used to measure familial ethnic socialization. Life satisfaction was assessed using a single-item life satisfaction measure which has been widely used and validated was used. Rosenberg’s (1979) Self-Esteem scale was used to measure self-esteem.
Results: Latent class growth models analyses with a 3-step approach were estimated and a 2-solution for ethnic identity development trajectories was chosen (see Table 1). Almost 60% of participants were consistently keeping a high level of ethnic affirmation (Intercept: b=3.53, p<.001; Slope: b=-.05, p>.05), while about 40% continued to have a low level of ethnic affirmation for three years (Intercept: b=2.57, p<.001; Slope: b=-.03, p>.05). After controlling for other demographic variables, when children received more familial ethnic socialization in primary school-aged, they were more likely to belong to the consistently high-ethnic affirmation group (b=.92, p<.001, see Table 2). When children were in middle school, the children belonging to the consistently high-ethnic affirmation group reported significantly higher levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction than the children of the consistently low-ethnic affirmation group.
Discussion: We found that the ethnic identity of Korean bi-ethnic children rarely changed during the transition to middle school. Bi-ethnic children’s ethnic identity development was influenced by the ethnic socialization process in families and stable ethnic identity had impacts on their self-esteem and life satisfaction. Findings shed light on the importance of family contexts to promote bi-ethnic children’s stable and positive ethnic identity, specifically in the society that is closed to ethnic diversity. Practical interventions are warranted to assist in the development of ethnic identity and support bi-ethnic families’ parenting.

Authors

• Jiyeon Lee, National University of Singapore
  Non-Presenting Author

• Grace Chung, Seoul National University
  Presenting Author