Earticle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of family characteristics of the baby boomer generation on the level of their later life preparation. This study randomly sampled a birth cohort between 1955 and 1963 consisting of participants living in Seoul, South Korea with a spouse and a child/children. This study investigated a total of 455 subjects from March 2 to March 20, 2016. The study findings are summarized as follows. This study analyzed the characteristics of baby boomers’ family relationships and their effects on their later life preparation. It was found that 55.4% of the subjects had at least 2 children, and 44.6% had 1 child. Concerning their children’s marital status, 33.8% had married children and 66.2% had unmarried children. The level of their children’s support was found at 2.82 points (standard deviation [SD] = .64), which is slightly higher than the mean value of 2.5. The spouse satisfaction among the subjects was found to be 3.59 (.79) which is higher than the mean value of 3. The general status of later life preparation was 2.70 (SD = .44), which is lower than the mean value of 3. In the sub-dimension, the level of social preparation was 2.98 points (SD = .61); the level of economic preparation was 2.60 (SD = .64); and the level of physical preparation was 2.53 (SD = .45). All the values were lower than the mean value of 3. The overall status of later life preparation of the subjects in this study was low. The physical preparation level was particularly low. To analyze the factors that affect baby boomers’ later life preparation, a hierarchical regression analysis was implemented. As a result, a significant effect was found in specific factors, such as spouse satisfaction (β = .32, p < .001), age (β = .26, p < .001), number of children (β = -.18, p <.001), health status (β = .18, p < .001), gender (β = -.11, p < .05), household income (β = .10, p < .05), and children’s marital status (β = .10, p < .05). That is, the higher the spousal satisfaction, the older the age, and the lower the number of children, the higher the levels of later life preparation. Further, a higher level of later life preparation was observed in women, those with higher household incomes, and those with married children.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of family health on life satisfaction. A survey was conducted on 577 married men from August 29 to September 22 in 2014; it was handed out via mail and hand delivery. The families’s health level of married men was, strength of family relations was 3.79, the strength of environment relations was 3.41, and the strength of resources was 3.38. The families’s health level of married men was family relation was 3.93, job satisfaction was 3.58, dietary life satisfaction was 3.47, and housing satisfaction was 3.16, leisure satisfaction and income satisfaction was 3.35. Further, the study shows that the health level of families is related to life satisfaction. Specifically, the strength of family relations is related with dietary satisfaction, family relations satisfaction, work life satisfaction, and housing satisfaction. The strength of environment relations is related with dietary satisfaction, life satisfaction, and leisure satisfaction. Thus, this study showed the need for more social support to improve the health levels of families and life satisfaction.

This research aimed to observe adolescent children’s use of time and to discover the parent-related factors that affect adolescent children’s use of time. The subjects included 2,092 fourth-grade elementary school students and 2,108 first-grade middle school students. We used data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. We tested sociodemographic factors, parents characteristics, and time usage, and we studied these factors using SPSS version 23.0; the results are as follows. Firstly, in the subordinate scope of the child-rearing attitude of parents, affection fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 1.83) and first-grade middle school students(M = 2.02). Inconsistency had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 1.99),and first-grade middle school students(M = 2.12). Excessive expectations had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 2.40) and first-grade middle school students(M = 2.55). Over-involvement had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 2.68)and first-grade middle school students(M = 2.80). Finally, giving reasonable explanations had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 1.51)and first-grade middle school students(M = 1.68). Secondly, in fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 463.35) and first-grade middle school students(M = 378.75). Further, studying hours during weekdays had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 456.15) and first-grade middle school students(M = 460.86). Free activity hours during had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 390.54) and first-grade middle school students(M = 387.11). Sleeping hours during holidays had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 544.85) and first-grade middle school students (M = 511.74). Studying hours during holidays had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students (M = 484.86) and first-grade middle school students (M = 511.74). Free activity hours during holidays had an effect on fourth-grade elementary school students(M = 518.68) and first-grade middle school students(M = 509.73). Thirdly, by observing the relative influence of related factors on adolescent children’s use of time, grade(β = -.284), gender(β = -.208), over-involvement(β = -.380), supervising(β = -.217), and (β = .243) in terms of the child-rearing attitudes of parents was found to affect study hours(F=2.595**). The education level of fathers(β = -.144) results in(β = 1.991) and longer free activity hours for children(F= 4.116***). This research can be used to study the influence of parents’child-rearing attitudes on adolescent children’s use of time and to suggest the role of parents in adolescents’ ability to manage time effectively using practical.

Fathers are increasingly expected to participate in parenting due to the higher participation of women in economic activities, the growing awareness of gender equality, and the greater emphasis on the role of fathers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of paid work time and jobs’ family-friendly policies on parenting participation in dual-earner families. Questionnaires were distributed to 577 fathers of dual earner families through a child care center in the Gyeongsangbukdo Province, and the results were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 for Windows. The statistical methods employed included mean, standard deviation, the Pearson correlation analysis, and a multiple regression analysis. The main results are as follows. First, the fathers of dual-earner families showed an above average level of participation in parenting (3.26). By category, they were less involved (2.89) in household chores, and more active in daily guidance and leisure activities (3.48). Second, the most significant variable affecting fathers’ parenting participation was having a regular office-closing time. Fathers who were younger, had a higher level of education, had a regular office-closing time, had more vacation leave, and whose companies implemented family-friendly policies were more likely to participate more actively in parenting. Third, the key factors influencing fathers’ parenting participation by sub-category were found to be having a regular office-closing time and jobs with family-friendly policies. Fathers with a greater awareness of gender equality were more inclined to participate in household chores, while those who were younger and more educated actively participated in daily guidance and leisure activities.

This study researched the life satisfaction of grandparents currently rearing grandchildren between 0 to 6 years old. We conducted a survey in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Jeolla-do, collecting 134 questionnaires in total. The results of this study are as follows. First, the parenting efficacy of grandparents presently rearing grandchildren had a profound impact on life satisfaction. Precedent studies revealed that the physical conditions of grandparents, their education levels, and household income were factors related to the life satisfaction of seniors. However, the results of this study showed that parenting efficacy had a far greater effect on life satisfaction than other factors. It was revealed in this study that parenting efficacy is a very important variable for life satisfaction, not only for mothers and grandmothers but for all grandparents. In addition, the characteristics of the grandchildren also had an effect on the life satisfaction of their grandparents, although not more than parenting efficacy. Out of the characteristics of grandchildren, variables including sex and the presence or absence of disease were shown to have effects on life satisfaction. Secondly, the difficulty of parenting activities influences parenting efficacy, and parenting efficacy has an impact on the life satisfaction of grandparents. The more difficult the parenting activities of grandparents, the lower the parenting efficacy, and the higher the parenting efficacy, the higher the life satisfaction of grandparents.