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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