• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1629-1644
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• 2009

This study was to examine the relationship between self-differentiation and mental health of elderly couples. This study also tries to investigate the effect of self-differentiation on mental health. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire method with 271 elderly couples over 55 years old who lived in Chollabuk-Do province. The results showed that first, there was no significant difference in the level of total self-differentiation between husbands and wives. While the level of mental health(depression, somatization) were higher for wives than for husbands. Second, both husbands' and wives' mental health were negatively correlated with self-differentiation. Finally, results of multiple regression analyses showed that both husbands' and wives' mental health were negatively influenced by self-differentiation. Specifically, the variable significant affecting the husbands' mental health was the emotional reactivity of self-differentiation and the variable significant wives' mental health was the emotional cut-off of self-differentiation. These findings confirmed the concept of self-differentiation in applying to mental health of elderly couples.

• 한국노년학
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.975-991
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• 2012

Using data from 271 elderly couples, this study was to explore the types of group classified by couples' perception of marital relationship(marital intimacy, marital comparison level) and relationship with adult children(triangulation, differentiation between parents and adult children. In addition, this study was to analyze the differences in the demographic variables and psychological maladjustment according to the group types of elderly couples. A cluster analysis result identified four clusters such as chaos, bad, average, and good type. Second, the four clusters were different in the length of marriage, education level, and the type of social activity participation. Third, the four clusters were different in the levels of the psychological maladjustment, indicating that the psychological maladjustment level was the lowest in the cluster of good type but the highest in the cluster of bad type in both relationships with spouses and adult children.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.421-444
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• 2021

The purpose of this research is to examine the reciprocal relationships between depression and marital satisfaction among older couples. For longitudinal dyadic analysis, this study sets up a research model based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, the Common Fate Model, and Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Model. Data came from four annual waves from the 10th year (2015) to the 13th year (2018) of the Korean Welfare Panel Survey and the final sample comprised a total of 1,383 married couples over 60 years of age in 2015. Structural Equation Modeling identified the reciprocal relationship between depression and marital satisfaction among older couples, with higher marital satisfaction of older couples leading to lower depression of husbands' and wives', and with higher depression of husbands' and wives' inducing lower marital satisfaction of the couples. Thus, this study suggested that longitudinal interplay between depression and marital satisfaction can lead to a vicious cycle. Based on these findings, the need to intervene at both the individual level and the couple level was discussed in order to reduce depression and improve marital satisfaction.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2011

The prolongation of life expectancy has expanded the duration of marriage in old age. In the meanwhile, the change of life style emphasizing privacy and sociodemographic environment favoring independent living has increased the number and proportion of the elderly living with spouse only. This study, focusing on those aged 60 and over who live with spouse only the elderly, explores their marital relationship. The study pays a special attention to compare whether and how the satisfaction on the relationship with spouse would differ between husband and wife. The ordered logit model analysis is conducted based on the nationwide survey '2008 Korean National Survey of Welfare Need in the Elderly'. The results show that the marital relationship satisfaction of husbands is influenced by their own characteristics but hardly affected by his wife's. In contrast, the satisfaction of wife is influenced by husband's characteristics as well as hers. These finding reflect that women are more strongly family-centered and dependent on their husband.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.91-109
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• 2020

This study aims to investigate the interdependence of Korean middle and old-aged couples in the association between exercise and life satisfaction through grip strength trajectory. Data were drawn from the nationally representative Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) collected from 2006 to 2016. The sample included couples over 45 years of age in the first wave and participated in all six waves of the survey (Ncouple=1,997). There were three steps for analyses: correlation, parallel latent growth curve model, tests of indirect effects of the mediation paths. Covariates included in the models were husbands and wives' characteristics (age, education, work status, chronic diseases, marital satisfaction, contact frequency with friends or neighbors) and couple's household income. Results showed husbands' and wives' life satisfaction and grip strength were interdependent upon each other. Also, exercise participation of both husbands and wives was associated with both husbands' and wives' life satisfaction via the initial level of grip strength of husbands. Moreover, exercise participation of only husbands was associated with wives' life satisfaction through the initial grip strength of husbands. These results suggest the aging processes of middle and old-aged couples need to be understood in the context of gender dynamics and couple interdependence.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.199-214
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• 2012

This study analyzed the differences of the sex-role attitude, communication, and marital satisfaction according to a demographic factors as well as analyzed the relationship of the effects on sex-role attitude(sex-role awareness, sex-capacity awareness), communication(close relationship, exclusive relationship, passive relationship), and marital satisfaction of elderly couples. The survey was conducted from June 20 to July 30, 2012 among the elderly couples aged 60 or older in the Gyeonggi-do areas, and 378 responses were used in the data analysis. The statistical analysis methods were frequency analysis, reliability analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and hierarchical regression analysis. As a results, there were partially differences in the sex-role attitude, communication, and marital satisfaction. The sex-role awareness and sex-capacity awareness had a positive impact on close relationship and passive relationship of the communication. But the sex-capacity awareness had a negative impact on exclusive relationship of the communication. In addition, The sex-role awareness and close relationship had a positive impact on marital satisfaction, but exclusive relationship and passive relationship had a negative impact on marital satisfaction of elderly couples.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.230-240
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• 2016

This study analyzed the differences of the sex-role attitude and marital satisfaction of the elderly couples according to the demographic factors as well as analyzed the relationships between sex-role attitude(sex-role awareness, sex-capacity awareness) and marital satisfaction. 378 structured questionnaires were collected from elderly couples who were pus 60 and live in Gyeonggi-do areas. And the frequency analysis, factor analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, t-test, and ANOVA were carried out through SPSS Ver. 20. The findings are as follows. First, the differences of the sex-role attitude and marital satisfaction of the elderly couples according to the demographic were found partially. Second, the sex-role awareness of the elderly couples affected on marital satisfaction positively, but the sex-capacity awareness did not.

• Survey Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.25-59
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• 2017

The current study investigated how elderly husbands and wives' marital satisfaction and depression change over time and examined how changes in marital satisfaction account for changes in depression between and within the dyads. The longitudinal dyadic data from the first wave(2006) to the fifth wave(2014) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging(KLoSA), collected by the Korea Employment Information Service, were used for the analyses. Because husbands and wives are interdependent within couples, we applied statistical models for dyadic data. The dyadic growth model(DGM) was used to model the trajectories of marital satisfaction and depressive symptoms. In order to analyze the association of these growth factors, we proposed the dyadic growth actor-partner interdependence model(DG-APIM) and applied the model to the data. The results showed that on average the husbands' marital satisfaction was higher but decreased faster over the course of the study than the wives'. It also showed that the average depression of the husbands was lower than that of the wives but the husbands' depression increased faster than the wives' over the course of the study. The variance of the averages of husbands' (wives's) depression was accounted for by that of wives'(husbands') marital satisfaction, showing a partner effect. The variance of the slopes of husbands'(wives') depression was accounted for by that of marital satisfaction of themselves, showing an actor effect. The results showed that there is a longitudinal interdependence between husbands and wives' marital satisfaction and depression and supported the marital discord model of depression.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.667-683
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• 2018

This study reviews advances in research made during the last decade in studies of aging families in Korea. Specifically, we provide a critical review of the theoretical directions and empirical findings of 87 research articles focused on aging families published in the Journal of the Korean Gerontological Society between 2008 and 2017. Topics and issues covered include: (a) diversity in family structures and households, (b) intergenerational relations, (c) intimate relations, and (d) family problems in later life. We found that while research applying theories and employing advanced methodologies has increased, embracing more diverse theories and ensuring nationally representative panel data from multi-reporters within families will enhance future research in aging and families. The authors conclude that more multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are needed in the field of family studies and gerontology in Korea.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.313-328
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the spousal relationships on the psychological well-being of the elderly and to find differences in the spousal relationships and psychological well-being according to demographic factors. For the study, 475 structured questionnaires were collected from the men and women residents with their spouses living in Seoul. The 464 collected data excluding incomplete 11 data were analyzed using factor analysis, reliability analysis, multi-regression, t-test and, ANOVA with SPSS 17.0. The result are as follows. First, intimacy-communication, expression of affection, and leisure-sharing showed a positive effects on the positive psychological well-bing, and intimacy-communication and expression of affection affect negatively on the negative psychological well-being, but not leisure-sharing. Second, There were differences in the spousal relationships and the psychological well-being of the elderly according to the demograpic factors.