Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem on Relationship between Cultural Adaptation Stress and Achievement Motivation in Adolescents from Multicultural Families

Purpose: To understand mediating effects of self-esteem on the relation between acculturative stress and achievement motivation of adolescents from multicultural families.Methods: As a secondary analysis research using data of the 16th (2016) Youth Health Behavior Survey, this study selected a total of 1,239 middle school students from multicultural families. Using SPSS/WIN 24.0 Program, collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé’s test, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, Stepwise multiple regression, and SPSS Process Macro.Results: Achievement motivation had a significantly negative correlation with acculturative stress (r=-19, p<.001) while it had a positive correlation with self-esteem (r=.56, p<.001). Acculturative stress had a negative correlation with self-esteem (r=-23, p<.001). Self-esteem partially mediated the relation between acculturative stress and achievement motivation (95% CI, -0.05~-0.03).Conclusion: Results of this study indirectly showed that the negative influence of acculturative stress on achievement motivation could be reduced through enhancement of self-esteem. Thus, to improve achievement motivation of adolescents from multicultural families, it would be necessary to develop and provide programs for enhancing self-esteem.