Harris Hyun-soo Kim

Examining the Effects of Parental Influence on Adolescent Smoking Behaviors: A Multilevel Analysis of the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (2003–2011)

INTRODUCTION Based on a large cross-national dataset, we investigated the role of parental smoking (a risk factor) and parental supervision (a protective factor) on the frequency of smoking by youths in resource-poor countries. In addition, we tested for cross-level interactions between these two predictors and national wealth on the outcome variable. METHODS Pooled cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (2003-2011) were analyzed, which consists of 58956 students in 31 countries. Hierarchical linear models were estimated to examine the associations between the two parental influence variables and adolescent smoking. RESULTS Among the control variables, age, gender (male), the experience of being bullied, frequency of getting into physical fights, truancy, and anxiety were significantly related to higher frequency of smoking. With respect to the main predictors, both at the individual level, parental supervision was negatively associated with adolescent smoking, while parental smoking was positively related to it. Two cross-level interaction terms were also observed. National wealth (GDP per capita) significantly moderated, that is, increased, these effects of parental influence on how often the adolescents smoked. CONCLUSIONS We provided new evidence on the factors related to adolescent smoking in low-income countries, a topic that has received very little attention. We showed that the associations between parental influences and adolescent smoking behaviors are not constant but vary according to the level of economic development. Future research should incorporate this comparative dimension in elaborating and specifying the conditions under which parental influences and other predictors differentially affect adolescent smoking. IMPLICATIONS Prior research on adolescent smoking focused on developed countries. Based on the secondary analysis of the Global School-based Student Health Survey (2003-2011), this study examines the associations between parental influence (parental smoking and parental supervision) on the frequency of youth smoking behaviors in resource-poor countries. We show that parental smoking is positively related to adolescent smoking, while parental supervision is negatively related to it. We also find that these two associations vary according to national wealth: both effects are stronger in a country with higher per capita GDP.

School context, friendship ties and adolescent mental health: A multilevel analysis of the Korean Youth Panel Survey (KYPS)

Research on the social determinants of health suggests that interpersonal networks play a critical role in facilitating individual mental and physical well-being. Prior studies also indicate that ecological or contextual factors contribute to positive health outcomes. This study extends prior research by examining the factors associated with adolescent health in an Asian context. Based on the multilevel analysis of the Korean Youth Panel Survey (2006 & 2007), a longitudinal project funded by the Korean government, it investigates some of the key variables related to the mental health of Korean students. Much of previous research focuses on the functions of social capital. This study contributes to the social epidemiology literature by investigating the possible downside of network ties. Specifically, it asks whether having delinquent friends is associated with negative mental health experiences. In addition, little research has been conducted concerning the associations between adolescent health outcomes and school characteristics. This study moves in that direction by examining the relationship between mental well-being of students and a variety of school related variables (e.g., subjective attitude toward school and quality of relationship with peers and teachers). Hierarchical linear modeling shows that, among the social capital control variables, being properly integrated into the family and frequent peer interaction significantly add to mental health. At the individual (student) level only, ties to delinquent friends are negatively associated with mental health, while at both individual and contextual levels, school characteristics are positively related to adolescent subjective well-being.

The association between social capital measures and self-reported health among Muslim majority nations

ObjectivesMuch evidence suggests that social capital (e.g. networks, trust, organizational memberships) has a significant effect on self-reported health. Previous research, however, has focused primarily on Western countries. The current research seeks to remedy this problem by investigating the association between multiple social capital indicators and subjective health in a novel empirical setting.MethodsThe data come from the Comparative Values Survey of Islamic Countries (1999–2006) which consists of probabilistic samples from Muslim majority nations. Three-way multilevel analysis is used to examine the social determinants of health.ResultsStatistical results from hierarchical linear modeling shows that frequent contact with strong and intermediate ties (i.e. family members and friends, respectively) is significant, while interaction with weak ties (coworkers) has no association. General trust and trust in the central government are also significantly related to subjective health, as is trust in religious authority, albeit in an inverse way.ConclusionsThis study calls for a more contingent view of the relationship between social capital and self-reported health. Future research needs to take this into consideration in hypothesizing and testing the potential health benefits of social capital.

Generalised Trust, Institutional Trust and Political Participation: A Cross-National Study of Fourteen Southeast and Central Asian Countries

The main objective of this study is to examine the role of trust as it relates to individual political behaviour. Previous research suggests that social (generalised) trust and political (institutional) trust are associated with the likelihood of getting involved in both informal and formal political activities. Despite the large volume of studies, however, the extant scholarship is not clear on the exact nature of the relationship between trust and civic engagement. Moreover, the existing evidence is largely based on data that consist of Western-developed democracies. This study seeks to contribute to the literature by examining the associations between the two forms of trust and informal (signing a petition, boycotting, protesting) and formal (voting) political activities in the context of Central and Southeast Asia. The data come from AsiaBarometer Survey (2005), which contains cross-national data on probability samples from this region. Hierarchical linear models are estimated to examine the political impact of trust in strangers and confidence in political institutions. Findings show that only institutional trust is significantly related to voting, i.e., formal political participation. On the other hand, both forms of trust are found to be associated with informal political activities. There is also cross-level interaction between institutional trust and level of democracy. In a less democratic country, where individual democratic rights are limited, institutional trust plays a greater role in facilitating political participation.

Transnational ethnic networks and the creation of immigrant social capital: A multilevel analysis

Abstract This study examines the network determinants of post-migration social capital among a group of foreign wives living in Korea. Based on a newly collected dataset, which consists of representative samples of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese women, it analyzes how and to what extent the survey respondents’ preexisting transnational ties to prior co-ethnic migrants in Korea influence their differential access to social capital. Two measures of social capital are used: the size of friendship network with native Koreans and the prestige score of occupational categories of the network contacts. Multilevel analysis reveals that while controlling for a host of individual- and contextual-level factors, ethnicity-based networks are significant in allowing foreign wives to build social capital in the host society. However, not all network relations have a uniform causal impact. Rather, they have a contingent role in the formation of post-migration social capital.

The impact of online social networking on adolescent psychological well-being (WB): a population-level analysis of Korean school-aged children

Abstract This study examines the extent to which online media activities are associated with psychological well-being of adolescents. Data come from the Korean Youth Panel Survey (KYPS), a government-funded multiyear research project. Based on Wave 4 (2007) and Wave 5 (2008) of KYPS, the most recent data available, hierarchical linear models are estimated to probe the psychological effects of time spent online. While holding constant a host of time-lagged control variables at individual (student) and contextual (school) levels, the analysis shows that online social networking is adversely associated with the psychological status of Korean students, measured in terms of self-reported mental problems and suicidal thought. The bulk of previous research on the pros and cons of online social media use is based on cross-sectional data, thereby precluding causal inference. Using longitudinal data, the current research offers more conclusive evidence on the direction of causation.

Social capital or liability? Gender, network size and self-rated health (SRH) among community-dwelling adults in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Highlights • Relationship between network size and SRH is examined.• Multilevel modeling is performed using primary data collected in Laos.• At the individual level, the network-health linkage is found to be negative.• For women only, this relationship is also shown at the contextual level.• Social capital may not always be functional for health. Abstract This study examines the relationship between social capital and health by focusing on a novel empirical case: Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). Specifically, it examines individual- and community-level associations between network size and self-rated health (SRH) among community-dwelling Lao adults, and how gender may moderate those associations. Data come from the original survey (of 979 respondents in 50 villages) conducted in Laos in 2015. Using pooled and stratified subsets of data, we fitted a series of (2-level) hierarchical generalized linear models to investigate the network size-SRH linkage, while adjusting for confounders. Net of age, gender, ethnicity, partnership status, educational attainment, household economic background, life satisfaction, social support, and physical conditions (BMI and number of adverse bodily symptoms), we find that larger network size (number of confidants) is negatively related to SRH for both male and female subgroups. For the female subsample, residence in a “better-connected” community, characterized by greater aggregate network size, is also associated with lower odds of being healthy. No such contextual-level effect exists for men.

Is the relationship between parental abuse and mobile phone dependency (MPD) contingent across neighborhood characteristics? A multilevel analysis of Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey

Research indicates that mobile phone dependency (MPD) is associated with various behavioral and internalizing problems. While a significant amount of findings points to its negative outcomes, there is a dearth of evidence concerning the determinants of MPD. This study focuses on this critical, yet understudied, subject by analyzing the associations between abusive parenting style, neighborhood characteristics, and MPD among youths in South Korea, a country with one of the highest mobile broadband penetration rates in the world. Based on the secondary analysis of two waves of Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS), a government-funded multiyear study, we investigate individual- and contextual-level factors underlying MPD. Findings show that, net of a host of time-lagged controls (including baseline dependency from the previous year), abusive parenting style significantly increases adolescent MPD. After adjusting for individual level characteristics, however, no contextual-level effect is found, i.e., residing in a neighborhood with a relatively higher proportion of parental abuse is not related to greater MPD. Finally, two cross-level interaction effects are observed. First, the association between parental abuse and MPD is weaker in a neighborhood context with better educated inhabitants (more college graduates). Second, it is reinforced in demographically “aged” communities with more elderly residents.

Analyzing Multilevel Factors Underlying Adolescent Smoking Behaviors: The Roles of Friendship Network, Family Relations, and School Environment

BACKGROUND This study investigates the extent to which friendship network, family relations, and school context are related to adolescent cigarette smoking. Friendship network is measured in terms of delinquent peers; family relations in terms of parental supervision; and school environment in terms of objective (eg, antismoking policy) and subjective (eg, school attachment) characteristics. METHODS Findings are based on the secondary analysis of the health behavior in school-aged children, 2009-2010. Two-level hierarchical generalized linear models are estimated using hierarchical linear modeling 7. RESULTS At the student level, ties to delinquent friends is significantly related to higher odds of smoking, while greater parental supervision is associated with lower odds. At the school level, antismoking policy and curriculum independently lower smoking behavior. Better within-class peer relations, greater school attachment, and higher academic performance are also negatively related to smoking. Last, the positive association between delinquent friends and smoking is weaker in schools with a formally enacted antismoking policy. However, this association is stronger in schools with better peer relations. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent smoking behavior is embedded in a broader ecological setting. This research reveals that a proper understanding of it requires comprehensive analysis that incorporates factors measured at individual (student) and contextual (school) levels.

A liability of embeddedness? Ethnic social capital, job search, and earnings penalty among female immigrants

Evidence concerning the relationship between ethnic social networks and labor market outcomes is mixed. Some studies indicate that immigrants with more social capital benefit in terms of formal-sector employment, higher occupational status, and greater earnings. Others argue that embeddedness in and reliance on ethnic networks can hamper economic incorporation in the host society. Using multilevel analysis of population-level data, this study examines the association between using a personal contact in the job search and monthly earnings among immigrant women (foreign-born spouses) in Korea. Findings show that, at the individual level, the use of personal contact, both weak and strong ties, is related to lower income. At the contextual level, residing in a community characterized by denser informal interaction among immigrant members is also associated with lower income. Finally, the negative relationship between informal job search and earnings is stronger in a community with more aggregate ethnic social capital.