A Longitudinal Analysis of Language Ability based on Language-use in Multicultural Families: Verifying the Mediating Effect of Bicultural Acceptance Attitude and Ego-resilience

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare language skills of multicultural adolescents between families where their foreign mother speaks only Korean (K-only) and families where the mother speaks both Korean and mother language in communication(K-M). This study also aims to investigate mediating effects of national identity, bicultural acceptance attitude, acceptance of multiculturalism, and ego-resilience of two groups on the relationship between language abilities of children in the 5th grade in elementary school and 2nd grade in middle school. Methods: A one-way ANOVA and a structural equation analysis were used to analyze the data. A total of 315 participants subject’s data from Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study organized by National Youth Policy Institute was used for the data analysis. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in Korean skills, with the exception of the writing skill in the 1st grade in middle school. However, mother language ability was significantly higher in the K-M group every year. Additionally, the Korean skills of the K-only group was mediated by ego-resilience. Mother language ability of the K-M group was mediated by bicultural acceptance attitude. Lastly in the K-M group, ego-resilience was mediated by Korean ability in the 5th grade of elementary school and Korean and mother language ability in the 2nd grade in middle school. Conclusion: Foreign mothers speaking their mother tongue is not an interfering factor in Korean language development for multicultural adolescents. The bilingual environment is positive for children’s language development, and ego-resilience can serve as a protective factor for multicultural children’s language development © 2021, Communication Sciences and Disorders All Rights Reserved.