Profiles of identity and discrimination and the psychological, health, and academic outcomes of Korean ethnic minority youth in China

Abstract

Korean Chinese is one of the 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities in China. The protective effects of strong bicultural (ethnic and national) identities and the detrimental effects of ethnic discrimination on adjustment outcomes are well documented for ethnic minority youth in W.E.I.R.D. societies. Yet, ethnic minority youth in non‐W.E.I.R.D. societies, such as Korean Chinese, may experience a unique form of discrimination—national discrimination. It is not known how multiple social identities and experiences of dual discrimination may intersect to predict youth adjustment. Thus, this study explored profiles of ethnic and national identities and ethnic and national discrimination among Korean Chinese youth and examined their psychological, health, and academic adjustment. The analytic sample included 267 Korean Chinese youth aged from 12 to 18 (M = 15.21, SD = 1.65) residing in Northeast China. Three latent profiles were identified. The dominant profile of Korean Chinese youth was characterized by high bicultural identity and low ethnic and national discrimination (BILD; n = 171). The second profile was characterized by high bicultural identity and high national discrimination (BIND, n = 50). The third profile was characterized by moderate ethnic and national identities and moderate ethnic and national discrimination (MIMD, n = 46). Regression analyses found that the BILD profile showed fewer depressive symptoms compared to the BIND profile and showed better perceived physical health compared to the MIMD profile. The findings highlight strong bicultural identities as a cultural asset and discrimination—particularly national discrimination—as a contextual risk to Korean Chinese adolescents' well‐being.

Towards a decolonial developmental science: Adolescent development in the Majority World taking center stage

“…Singh, 2024), health (e.g., body image, Mahama et al, 2024), and well-being (Zambrano et al, 2024). Some studies focus on highly relevant and challenging life experiences such as cumulative risk and armed conflict exposure (Kara & Selcuk, 2024), ethnic and national discrimination (Zhao et al, 2024), substance use (Shaikh & Sarin, 2024), and interventions to promote positive bystander behaviors in intergroup conflict (Brenick et al, 2024). Studies also investigate family processes including family obligation (Yang et al, 2024), role of family in adolescents' occupational choices (Pease Dreibelbis et al, 2024), grandparenting (Tan et al, 2024), and parental socialization of adolescent emotions (Shi et al, 2024).…”

“…Studies also investigate family processes including family obligation (Yang et al, 2024), role of family in adolescents' occupational choices (Pease Dreibelbis et al, 2024), grandparenting (Tan et al, 2024), and parental socialization of adolescent emotions (Shi et al, 2024). Methodologically, studies utilize a variety of qualitative approaches (Appachu & Singh, 2024;Kerai et al, 2024;Pandya & Bhangaokar, 2024;Pease Dreibelbis et al, 2024;Santana & Ristum, 2024;Zambrano et al, 2024), mixed-methods approaches (Tan et al, 2024;Mahama et al, 2024;Shaikh & Sarin, 2024), prospective longitudinal designs (Pandya & Bhangaokar, 2024;Shi et al, 2024;Thomas et al, 2024), quantitative studies with variablecentered approaches to data analysis (Shi et al, 2024;Nwafor et al, 2024) as well as person-centered approaches (Thomas et al, 2024;Zhao et al, 2024). This methodological pluralism highlights the relevance of different approaches with various adolescent communities in the Majority World.…”

“…Other researchers incorporate decoloniality by focusing on adolescent development in communities that are marginalized within their local contexts. For example, Zhao et al (2024) examine identity and discrimination among Korean ethnic minority youth in China. Appachu and Singh (2024) explore social identity of youth in an indigenous community in South India that is typically not included in psychological research.…”

Toward a decolonial developmental science in Asia: Exploring adolescent development in communities from the majority world

“…At the individual level, the articles in this issue have signaled risks to viewing adolescents and their culture through a lens of vulnerability or deficit by adopting approaches that recognize adolescent's inherent strengths and capabilities for understanding and adapting to their environments, and their capacity for agency as operators within their communities. Zhao et al (2024) identify strong bicultural identities as a cultural asset among Korean ethnic minority youth in China, contributing to their improved mental health and education outcomes. Pandya and Bangaonkar (2024) note the unique aspects of adolescent moral reasoning in the Indian context and underscore the importance of indigenous methodologies in understanding and supporting adolescent moral development.…”