Types of Change and Predictive Variables in Life Satisfaction of Multicultural Youth During Middle School

Objectives: This study seeks to examined the longitudinal patterns in life satisfaction among multicultural adolescents in Korea and explore the presence of distinguishable latent trajectory groups.Methods: Data were obtained from the fourth to sixth waves of the Multicultural Youth Panel Study conducted by the Korea Youth Policy Institute. After removing incomplete responses, a total of 1,316 cases were analyzed. Growth Mixture Modeling was utilized to identify distinct life satisfaction trajectory classes, followed by multinomial logistic regression to examine predictors of class membership based on individual and cultural factors.Results: Three key findings were obtained. First, the average life satisfaction steadily declined throughout the middle school years. Second, three latent trajectory classes were identified: “low-level ascending group,” “average maintenance type group,” and “high-level declining group.” Third, variables such as gender, depressive symptoms, ego-resilience, self-esteem, and multicultural acceptance significantly predicted group membershipConclusion: This study highlights the heterogeneous nature of life satisfaction development among multicultural adolescents and identifies relevant psychological and cultural predictors for each group. These findings underscore the importance of designing tailored intervention strategies that reflect the distinct needs of each class. These insights can inform the creation of targeted, evidence-based programs aimed at enhancing the emotional and psychological well-being of multicultural youth in Korea. This study identified potential classes that determine the life satisfaction of multicultural youth and the psychological and cultural factors related to each class.