Patterns of Depression Trajectories and Acculturation Strategies Among Multicultural Adolescents: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study in South Korea

BACKGROUND: Multicultural adolescents in South Korea may face unique challenges related to acculturation that can affect their mental health over time. AIMS: This study examined developmental trajectories of depression among multicultural adolescents in South Korea over a 9-year period and investigated how acculturation strategies and contextual factors influence these trajectories. METHODS: Participants were 1,500 multicultural adolescents (50.7% female; Mage = 10.98 years at baseline) from the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (2012-2020). The sample included adolescents with mothers from various countries (Japan 33.4%, Philippines 25.1%, Chinese Korean 19.1%, China 7.3%, others 15.1%). Using latent class growth analysis, we examined depression trajectories and their associations with individual factors (acculturation strategies, self-esteem, acculturative stress), parental acculturative stress, and friend support. RESULTS: We identified three distinct depression trajectories (low-level: 38.7%, mid-level: 44.9%, and high-level: 16.4%). Integration acculturation strategy showed advantages over assimilation in predicting more favorable depression trajectories. However, contrary to traditional expectations, results tentatively suggest that marginalization may not necessarily be associated with worse outcomes compared to separation strategies, although this finding should be interpreted with caution given the dichotomized measurement of acculturation strategies. Higher self-esteem, lower acculturative stress, and stronger friend support significantly predicted membership in more favorable trajectory groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings challenge assumptions about uniform vulnerability to depression among multicultural adolescents and suggest more complex relationships between acculturation strategies and mental health than previously recognized.