Neglect, School Violence, and Internalizing Behaviors in Children from Multicultural Families in Korea

Children from multicultural families (i.e., families with at least one parent from a foreign country other than Korea) in South Korea face increased risks of adverse life conditions at home and school. However, few studies have investigated the cumulative effects of family and school adversities, especially internalizing behaviors in this population. This study examined the association between neglect and internalizing behaviors (i.e., depression and social withdrawal) and whether victimization from school violence amplifies the impact of neglect. Data were drawn from the second wave of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS), which was constructed by the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI) and included 1500 fifth-graders surveyed in 2012. We first examined the moderating effect of school violence victimization on the association between neglect and depression and subsequently tested the same model to predict social withdrawal. This study showed that neglect significantly increased depression and social withdrawal. Additionally, the impact of neglect on depression and social withdrawal intensified when school violence coexisted. The findings of this study suggest that children from multicultural families exposed to co-occurring adversities require more attention. Assessment of polyvictimization and psychological counseling are necessary for supporting these children who have suffered violence at home and school.