The Effect of Perceived Family Support by Children from Multicultural Families on School Adaptation: The Double Mediation Effect of Self-esteem and Achievement Motivation

Objectives This study attempted to analyze the mediating effects of self-esteem and achievement motivation of children from multicultural families by examining the relationship between family support, school adaptation, self-esteem, and achievement motivation perceived by children from multicultural families. Methods Among the data collected by the Korea Youth Policy Institute, 1,443 children in the 6th grade of elementary school in the 3rd year (2013) were studied in the first phase of the multicultural youth panel survey (MAPS 1). The correlation analysis of frequency, percentage, and Pearson was conducted using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 and verified through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results First, self-esteem, and achievement motivation, family support showed a positive correlation with school-age children's school adaptation, self-esteem, and achievement motivation. Second, it was found that family support had a direct or indirect effect on children's school adaptation, and at this time, self-esteem and achievement motivation were partially mediated. Third, it was found that the achievement motivation of children from multicultural families had a direct effect on school adaptation, and family support was affected by self-esteem in the process of affecting children's school adaptation to school and had an indirect effect through double mediation. Conclusions Family support is closely related to children's adaptation to school, and as psychological and emotional internal characteristics such as children's self-esteem and motivation for achievement have been shown as mediating effects, various education should be conducted to increase family support so that children can naturally cultivate positive self-esteem and motivation for achievement from daily life, and multicultural education to promote positive self-esteem of children from multicultural families should be treated as important at school sites.