Risk and Protective Factors of Mental Health for Korean Immigrant Adolescents

• In Event: Risk and Protective Factors for Student Mental Health

Abstract

Little research has been conducted on the mental health of Korean immigrant adolescents and their families. Through a qualitative method, this study identified the five risk factors and three protective factors impacting the mental health of Korean immigrant adolescents and their families in North Carolina. The five risk factors included acculturative stress, linguistic challenges, racial discrimination, stereotype threats, and microaggression, family conflict, and limited culturally focused resources. The three protective factors were ethnic/cultural identity, family support, and social support. The findings of this study contribute to the literature on risk and protective factors of mental health among Korean immigrant students in the United States. This study also provides practical implications for developing mental health programs for Korean immigrant adolescents.

Author

• Danbi Choe, Louisiana State University