Connectedness of Korean adolescents: Profiles and influencing factors

The purpose of the present study was to identify profiles of Korean adolescent connectedness across multiple contexts (e. g., family, school, neighborhood, etc.), using cluster analysis. In addition, this study examined how the profiles of Korean adolescent connectedness are discriminated by demographic and adjustment-related variables. Data were collected from 538 Korean adolescents aged 13-19. Participants completed a Korean version of Measure of Adolescent Connectedness (MAC-K). Results from a cluster analysis revealed three profiles of connectedness to parents, siblings, teachers, school, friends, and neighborhood. Results placed participants into categories of Well-connected, Disconnected, and Socially connected. The first two profiles were characterized by reports of either strong or weak connectedness to all contexts. The last profile is characterized by reports of strong connections only to friends and neighborhood. The results also indicated that adolescents' school adjustment, problem behaviors, self-esteem, and gender were significant discriminators between the three profiles. Implications for counseling practice and future studies are discussed.