• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.35-50
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• 2012

This study explored the moderating effects of self control and social support in terms of the relationship between stress and problem behaviors of children of divorced single parent families according to gender. A questionnaire was administered to elementary school-aged children (grades 3-6). 266 children from divorced single parent families were surveyed. The major findings were as follows : first, self control had a moderating role to play in the relationship between stress and problem behaviors for girls. Second, social support also had a moderating effect in the relationship between stress and problem behaviors for boys. Third, the variables having a moderating effect in the relationship between stress and problem behaviors of children also differed according to gender. Therefore differences in gender should be considered when seeking moderating the relationship between stress and problem behaviors of children.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.5-27
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• 2016

In this study, we examine differences in the children's medical utilization by family structure with a focus on single-mother and single-father families using data from the Korean Health Panel Survey, years 2008~2012. We also investigate whether the cause of transition into a single-parent household, whether coresidence with children's grandparents, and number of siblings are associated with children's use of ambulatory visits. The main findings of this study are as follows. First, children who grew up in single-father households had fewer ambulatory visits compared to those living with both parents after controlling for children's demographic characteristics and family backgrounds. Second, coresidence with grandparents was not associated with children's medical utilization. However, number of siblings was significantly and negatively correlated with the use of ambulatory visits. Third, children living with a divorced father had fewer medical utilization compared to those living with a widowed father, and coresidence with grandparents was positively associated with children's use of ambulatory visits. Our findings suggest that tailored policy supports would be more fruitful based on characteristics of single-parent households such as gender of parents, and the supports should also pay more attention to health care needs and medical utilization of children.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.17-43
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• 2011

With a substantial rise in divorce rates since the mid 1990s, single-parent households are increasing rapidly in Korea. Often it is believed that children in single-mother households suffer the most economically and socially with the marital disruption of the parents. This study hypothesizes that in Korea the socioeconomic status of single-father households may be lower than that of single-mother households mainly because low-income divorced women are not able to form their own households with children. The analysis is based on two sub-samples from the 2% sample of the 2005 Census, one, with children 12 years old or younger and, the other, with divorced mothers of children of the same ages. The findings support the hypothesis that previously-married single fathers show the lowest educational and occupational status among 6 groups of parents: fathers and mothers from two-parent families, fathers and mothers from married but spouse-absent families, and previously-married single fathers and mothers. Divorced mothers'likelihood of living apart from their children has a strong negative association with their educational attainment, with the highest likelihood among women of middle school or lower education and the lowest likelihood among women with college education. Although single mothers comprise a larger percentage of single-parent households, single-father households demonstrate a particular vulnerability with their weak socioeconomic status.