Effect of Strains from Home and School on Delinquency Behavior Among Children from Multicultural Families: The Mediating Effect of Negative Emotion

Backgrounds
As a number of international marriages are increasing, there are many social struggles which multicultural families experience in Korea. Especially children from multicultural families have problems including discrimination, violence victimization and lack of communication with their parents. According to General Strain Theory(GST), these strains can lead to psychological and behavioral problems. 
Most of studies in Korea have examined the validity of this theory to explain juvenile delinquency on traditional Korean children. Because unique characteristics including culture and language of children from multicultural families have, there is a necessity to study their strains in everyday life and delinquent behaviors using GST.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of strains on delinquent behaviors of children from multicultural families and discuss whether the negative emotion can work as a mediator in this relationship.

Methods
This study is based on a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data originally collected for the survey of Gyeongi-prefecture Education Welfare Panel(2011), which is targeting an entire population of children from multicultural families in Gyeongi prefecture of Korea. Participants for this survey were 3,298 students in total, aged from 12 to 19 years. Regarding social circumstances that multicultural families face, 521 samples between 12 and 15 years and have experienced discrimination were chosen to analyze in this study(Male: 238, Female: 283).
Measurement
Independent variable is comprised of 7 items that measure strains from home and school, using a 4 point Likert scale(Cronbach alpha=.611). Delinquency was a dichotomous dependent variable, in which 4 items asked targets whether they have ever been involved in delinquent behaviors. The mediating variable has 3 items that measure negative emotion-depression, anxiety, and lack of confidence(Cronbach alpha=.710). Sex, school grades, Korean proficiency, education background of parents and economic statues were controlled.
Statistical approach
The hypothesized model was tested with Structural Equation Modeling using maximum likelihood estimation. CFA was used to develop a measurement model and minor modifications were made to achieve adequate fit to the data. Within this model, indirect path estimates, standard errors and confidence intervals were produced using maximum likelihood and bootstrapping.

Results
Overall fit of analytic model was =270.328, df=131, CFI=.913, IFI=.916 and RMSEA=.045, p<.001. Also, negative emotion significantly worked as a full medication variable between both of strains and delinquency behaviors. The total effects of home and school strain were .060 and .136, and indirect effects were shown as .033 and .046. Bootstrapping revealed that mediating effects for both of strains were significant(95% CI: .008~.070 in home, .015~.143 in school strain).
Discussion
The findings suggest that delinquent behaviors of children from multicultural families are positively affected by home and school strains through negative emotion, as a mediator between them. However, ethnic-specific indicators of strain such as discrimination and cultural differences should be used and longitudinal analysis will be required for future studies. Despite of noted limitation, this study offers implications for intervention which aims to reduce negative emotions among children from multicultural families.