This study analyzed research trends in language development among young children from multicultural families. The sample comprised 90 articles published between 2008 and 2025 in journals listed or candidate-listed in the Research Information Sharing Service. Articles were retrieved using search keywords “multicultural families,” “young children,” “language,” and “Korean language,” and were then selected as the final dataset. The data were analyzed using the Textom program, with keyword frequency analysis and network centrality analysis performed across three time segments.
The results of the keyword frequency analysis are as follows. In Segment 1 (2008–2012), the most frequent keywords were multicultural families, language, young children, development, education, society, marriage-migrant women, and picture books. In Segment 2 (2013–2017), the most frequent keywords were language, multicultural families, young children, development, culture, picture books, and bilingualism. In Segment 3 (2018–2025), the highest frequencies were observed for young children, multicultural families, education, Korean language, language, culture, bilingualism, and teachers. The network centrality analysis revealed that in Segment 1, marriage-migrant women, play, mothers, and literacy environment emerged as central keywords. In Segment 2, the central keywords were language, multicultural families, development, culture, and picture books. In Segment 3, the major keywords identified were education, culture, bilingualism, Korean language, and teachers.
These findings indicate a shift in the primary agents of multicultural children’s language education from mothers to teachers, reflecting a transition from personal to institutional dimensions. Moreover, governmental multicultural policies have significantly influenced related academic research.