A comparison of path factors influencing depressive symptoms in children of immigrant women and Korean children in South Korea

The aim of this study is to compare Korean children and the children of immigrant women with respect to how depressive symptoms in these two groups are related to potential causes, including paternal neglect, maternal neglect, gender, socioeconomic status, ego resilience, peer relationships, teacher-student relationships, and discrimination. Concurrently analyzing multiple populations, we found that the path model and the path coefficients we used for the study were appropriate for both groups. Peer relationships and discrimination were found to have direct influences on depressive symptoms in both groups. We also found that gender, ego resilience, and teacher-student relationships had indirect effects in causing depressive symptoms in the children of immigrant women. Furthermore, maternal neglect had a more significant indirect effect among the children of immigrant women, whereas paternal neglect had a more significant indirect effect among the Korean children in our study. The results indicate that the same path model could be applied to both groups of children, allowing us to conclude that the same focus and approaches for intervention could be provided to both groups to decrease the levels of depressive symptoms.

► We examined the pathway of risk & protective factors influencing childhood depression. ► This study compared the children of immigrant women and Korean children. ► The results indicate that the same path model could be applied to both groups. ► Same intervention approaches to depression could be provided to both groups.