Child Health Nursing Research

Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing (한국아동간호학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Infant-rearing experiences of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea: a mixed-methods approach

  • Received : 2023.10.16
  • Accepted : 2023.12.31
  • Published : 2024.01.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the infant-rearing experiences of parents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and provide foundational data for the development of infant-rearing support programs during pandemic situations. Methods: Convergent mixed methods were used to better understand the research outcomes by converging both quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 149 parents with infant-rearing experiences during the pandemic responded to a self-report survey, and 10 parents participated in the interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method, descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression. Results: Analysis of qualitative data yielded the following three categories: five theme clusters, ten themes, and thirty-nine subthemes. The factors influencing infant-rearing behavior were nuclear family (β=.34, p<.001) and rearing stress (β=-.39, p<.001). The explanatory power of the regression equation was 26.6%. Conclusion: Infectious disease disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can quickly alter infant-rearing conditions, causing heightened parental anxiety. This may affect infant-rearing behaviors and hinder healthy infant development. Future research should develop a comprehensive tool to measure holistic health-related parenting behaviors across the different stages of child development. Additionally, pediatric nurse practitioners can play an active role in educating parents, supporting parenting, and promoting healthy infant development in their communities, making pediatric nurse practitioners a highly relevant and necessary healthcare profession during infectious disease disasters. Thus, there is a need to improve institutions and build infrastructure at the national level to support them.

Keywords

References

  1. World Bank. The global economic outlook during the COVID-19 pandemic: a changed world [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2023 September 2]. Available from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/08/the-global-economic-outlook-during-the-covid19-pandemic-a-changed-world
  2. Kang YJ. Lessons learned from cases of COVID-19 infection in South Korea. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2020;14(6):818-825. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2020.141
  3. Kim SH. A study on the stress of young children's parents in COVID-19 pandemic - focusing on COVID-19 stress and parenting stress -. Korean Journal of Safety Culture. 2021;13:375-390.
  4. Choi HM. Changes in child-rearing costs for young children before and after COVID-19. Korean Journal of Child Care and Education Policy. 2023;17(1):3-26. https://doi.org/10.5718/kcep.2023.17.1.3
  5. Brown SM, Doom JR, Lechuga-Pena S, Watamura SE, Koppels T. Stress and parenting during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2020;110(Pt 2):104699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104699
  6. Lee DW, Kwon IS. An analysis of nursing research on child rearing in Korea. Child Health Nursing Research. 2014;20(4):264-274. https://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2014.20.4.264
  7. Park SM. Child rearing experience and needs for parent education of mother with infancy children. Korean Journal of Parents and Guardians. 2014;1(1):63-87.
  8. Song IH, Kang KA. Research trends over 10 years (2010-2021) in infant and toddler rearing behavior by family caregivers in South Korea: text network and topic modeling. Child Health Nursing Research. 2023;29(3):182-194. https://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2023.29.3.182
  9. Bae EJ, Park KJ. COVID-19 pandemic: effects of changes in children's daily-lives and concerns regarding infection on maternal parenting stress. Korean Journal of Child Studies. 2021;42(4):445-456. https://doi.org/10.5723/kjcs.2021.42.4.445
  10. Cho SI. The work-family reconciliation status and needs of dual-earner families amidst the COVID-19 situation. Korea Institute of Child Care and Education. 2021;68:18-28.
  11. Park KJ. A phenomenological study on the hardship of parenting disabled children in COVID-19: focused on the experience of mother in dual income family. Counseling Psychology Education Welfare. 2021;8(2):245-259. https://doi.org/10.20496/cpew.2021.8.2.245
  12. Jung SH. A phenomenological study of working mom's work and parenting lived experience in the Covid-19 crisis. Korean Journal of Christian Counseling. 2021;32(3):245-277. https://doi.org/10.23909/kjcc.2021.08.32.3.245
  13. Dawadi S, Shrestha S, Giri RA. Mixed-methods research: a discussion on its types, challenges, and criticisms. Journal of Practical Studies in Education. 2021;2(2):25-36. https://doi.org/10.46809/jpse.v2i2.20
  14. Wu YP, Deatrick JA, McQuaid EL, Thompson D. A primer on mixed methods for pediatric researchers. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2019;44(8):905-913. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsz052
  15. Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 2007;19(6):349-357. https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzm042
  16. von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gotzsche PC; Vandenbroucke JP; STROBE Initiative. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. PLoS Medicine. 2007;4(10):e296. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0040296
  17. Kim MR, Chae SM. Factors influencing changes in parenting behavior during Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Journal of the Korean Society of Maternal and Child Health. 2022;26(2):80-90. https://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2022.26.2.80
  18. Kim K, Hwang Y. Development and validation of parenting competency scale for parents of young child. Journal of Open Parent Education. 2020;12(4):133-152. https://doi.org/10.36431/JPE.12.4.7
  19. National Library of Medicine (NLM). Child rearing [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2023 November 24]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/68002668
  20. Kim SJ, Kang KA, Yun J, Kwon OJ. Development of a tool to measure health promotion behavior for infants & toddlers. Journal of Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing. 2007;13(1):21-32.
  21. Abidin RR. The determinants of parenting behavior. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology. 1992;21(4):407-412. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp2104_12
  22. Abidin RR. Parenting Stress Index: PSI-4; professional manual. 4th ed. Psychological Assessment Resources; 2012. p. 1-167.
  23. Chung KM, Yang YJ, Jung S, Lee KS, Park JA. Standardization study for the Korean version of Parenting Stress Index Fourth Edition Short Form (K-PSI-4-SF). Korean Journal of Health Psychology. 2019;24(4):785-807. https://doi.org/10.17315/kjhp.2019.24.4.001
  24. Colaizzi PF. Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. In: Valle RS, King M, Editors. Existential-phenomenological alternatives for psychology. Oxford University Press; 1978. p 6.
  25. Lincoln YS, Guba EG. Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications; 1985. p. 289-331.
  26. Kim Y, Kim J. The study of relationship between maternal parenting stress and infant development: the mediating effects of mother's responsible interaction and parenting efficacy. Korean Journal of Early Childhood Education. 2017;37(2):169-187. https://doi.org/10.18023/kjece.2017.37.2.008
  27. Russell BS, Hutchison M, Tambling R, Tomkunas AJ, Horton AL. Initial challenges of caregiving during COVID-19: caregiver burden, mental health, and the parent-child relationship. Child Psychiatry and Human Development. 2020;51(5):671-682. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-020-01037-x
  28. Song NR, Rha JH. Exploring variables effecting parental stress of fathers with infants. Korean Journal of Childcare and Education. 2018;14(1):187-202. https://doi.org/10.14698/jkcce.2018.14.01.187
  29. Ju HR, Han AR. The study on the emotional experience of an infant mothers using the emergency child care after COVID-19. Journal of Korea Open Association for Early Childhood Education. 2021;26(1):209-227. https://doi.org/10.20437/KOAECE26-1-09
  30. Kim D, Eo Y. Understanding the sources of high inflation in Korea after COVID-19: evidence from disaggregate CPI inflation rates by expenditure category. Korean Economic Forum. 2022;15(2):1-20. https://doi.org/10.22841/kefdoi.2022.15.2.001
  31. Seo SW, Lee DK. The effects of mother's marital satisfaction, couple conflict and infants' emotional temperament on mother's parenting stress. Korean Journal of Early Childhood Education. 2013;33(5):279-298. https://doi.org/10.18023/kjece.2013.33.5.012
  32. Lee SJ, Jin X, Lee S. Factors influencing COVID-19 related anxiety among infant's mothers. Korean Society for Wellness. 2021;16(3):309-316. https://doi.org/10.21097/ksw.2021.08.16.3.309
  33. Kim HJ. Influencing factors on child health promoting behaviors of the mothers with infants and toddlers [master's thesis]. Kyunghee University; 2015. p. 1-83.
  34. Seok MA, Moon IK, Lee BH. A study on parent's experience of in-home childcare due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Korea Open Association for Early Childhood Education. 2021;26(3):199-230. https://doi.org/10.20437/KOAECE26-3-08
  35. Kim HJ, Do SL, Song MR, Jang YI. The experience of facility isolation by children infected with COVID-19. Journal of Korean Council for Children & Rights. 2021;25(3):421-445. https://doi.org/10.21459/kccr.2021.25.3.421
  36. Gigli KH, Beauchesne MA, Dirks MS, Peck JL. White paper: critical shortage of pediatric nurse practitioners predicted. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. 2019;33(3):347-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2019.02.008