Rethinking Acculturation Typologies: Latent Profiles of Bicultural Acceptance Attitudes Among Migrant-Background Youth In South Korea

Background and Purpose

The population of youth with immigrant backgrounds in South Korea is rapidly increasing, yet most research has focused on multicultural families with at least one Korean parent. Youth from foreign-family backgrounds (i.e., both parents are non-Korean nationals) remain understudied, despite their distinct structural conditions. Unlike multicultural family youth, they lack exposure to Korean culture within the household and must acquire their host cultural orientations primarily through external environments (outside family). This difference suggests that their acculturation processes may diverge fundamentally.

Acculturation has been widely conceptualized using Berry’s fourfold typology—integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization. However, this framework assumes discrete and clearly bounded categories, which may not reflect the lived experiences of youth. Empirical evidence, particularly from person-centered approaches, suggests that acculturation patterns may be more fluid and context-dependent. This study aims to (1) identify latent profiles of bicultural acceptance among foreign-family youth and (2) examine how these profiles are associated with psychological adaptation.

Methods

This study used data from the 2023 Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS), focusing on 265 youth with two foreign-national parents. Bicultural acceptance was measured using 10 items capturing parallel orientations toward heritage and Korean cultures.

Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify subgroups based on bicultural acceptance patterns. Model selection was guided by fit indices (BIC, SABIC), entropy, LMR, BLRT, and profile size. The Bolck–Croon–Hagenaars (BCH) method was then applied to compare differences in psychological adaptation across profiles while accounting for classification error. Outcomes included positive (national identity, self-esteem, life satisfaction) and negative (social isolation, depression, aggression) indicators.

Results

A three-profile solution was identified: (1) an integrated orientation profile (52.0%), characterized by high levels of both heritage and Korean orientations; (2) a low-heritage orientation profile (23.3%), marked by consistently low heritage orientation; and (3) a moderate/undifferentiated profile (24.7%), showing mid-level and less differentiated orientations.

These findings did not reproduce Berry’s four distinct acculturation types. Only the integrated profile emerged as clearly defined, while the remaining profiles exhibited more ambiguous and boundary-like characteristics, suggesting that acculturation may not form discrete categories.

The integrated profile showed the highest levels of positive psychological adaptation (national identity, self-esteem, life satisfaction) and lower levels of certain negative outcomes (social isolation, depression. aggression), while the low-heritage profile showed the lowest levels of positive adaptation. Differences in negative outcomes were partial and domain-specific.

Conclusions and Implications

Acculturation among foreign-family youth in Korea appears to be partially differentiated rather than clearly typologized, supporting a more dynamic and continuous understanding of acculturation. These findings challenge the assumption that Berry’s four categories are empirically observable in all contexts. The results highlight the need to recognize heterogeneity within immigrant-origin youth populations. Foreign-family youth, who are often excluded from mainstream welfare systems due to citizenship-based eligibility and fragmented services, may face unique challenges in developing stable cultural identities. Interventions should move beyond uniform approaches and adopt profile-based strategies that account for varying patterns of cultural orientation.