Beyond Economic Independence: A Longitudinal Study of ‘Self‐Resilience’ Trajectories Among Korean Care Leavers

ABSTRACT Care leavers in South Korea face serious psychological, emotional and social difficulties during their transition to adulthood, yet existing policies and research have overlooked these psychosocial aspects by focusing narrowly on economic independence. This study critiques these limitations and proposes a new framework of ‘Self‐Resilience,’ integrating two components: (1) self‐directed regulation and (2) self‐sustaining social ties. Using three waves (2022–2024) of longitudinal data ( N = 1034) from the ‘Survey on the Living Conditions of Care Leavers’, this study examined developmental trajectories of self‐resilience using indicators of depression, life satisfaction and social isolation. Growth Mixture Modeling identified heterogeneous typologies, and three‐step multinomial logistic regression analysed determinants such as care experiences and individual characteristics. Results confirmed distinct trajectories across indicators—depression (three profiles), life satisfaction (three) and social isolation (four). Multiple facility experience increased the likelihood of negative trajectories, while longer residence in a single facility predicted positive ones. Low economic status was the strongest risk factor across all negative profiles. These findings show that self‐resilience develops heterogeneously, underscoring the limits of uniform, economy‐centred policies and highlighting the need for tailored interventions and the foundational role of economic stability.