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The Effects of Korean Fathers' Acceptance of Immigrant Mothers' Native Language on Multiethnic...

The Effects of Korean Fathers' Acceptance of Immigrant Mothers' Native Language on Multiethnic Childrens' Attitudes Toward Their Mothers' Culture

The Mediating Effects of Mothers' Participation in Home-Country Activities and Parent-Child Relationship


In young Park | Department of Social Welfare, Seoul National University

Joan P. Yoo | Department of Social Welfare, Seoul National University



Abstract

Objective: The study examined the structural relationship of Korean fathers’ acceptance of immigrant mothers’ native language, mothers’ participation in home-country activities, parent-child relationship and multiethnic children’s attitudes toward mothers’ minority culture, focusing on the mediational effects of mothers’ participation in home-country activities and parent-child relationship.

Methods: The study used data from the 2012 National Study of Multiethnic Families. The samples of multiethnic families (N = 1,100) consist of a Korean father, an immigrant mother and a child, aged between 9 and 12 were used. The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling.

Results: The results of this study show that Korean fathers’ acceptance of immigrant mothers’ native language has a direct effect on multiethnic children’s attitudes toward mothers’ culture. In addition, mothers’ participation in home-country activities and parent-child relationship had statistically significant mediating roles in the relationship between Korean fathers’ acceptance of mothers’ native language and children’s attitudes toward mothers’ culture.

Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that Korean fathers’ acceptance of immigrant mothers’ language is an important factor for immigrant mothers’ cultural socialization practices, positive home environment and children’s socio-emotional development. Implications and limitations of this study and interventions for multiethnic families in South Korea were discussed.


Keywords : acceptance of minority culture, cultural socialization practice, parent-child relationship, attitudes toward culture


Korean Journal of Child Studies 39(2), 2018.4, 27-42

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