• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.129-147
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• 2013

The primary focus of the study assesses how individual spouses' and their partners' marital adjustment influence their own and their mental health. The study also examines whether this influence was mediated by the relationship with their adult-children. Data were collected from 271 dyads of elderly couples by using a self-report questionnaire. Marital adjustment was measured in terms of intimacy and comparison level of marriage. Mental health was measured in terms of depressive mood, anxiety, and somatization. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) analysis revealed that marital adjustment was positively associated with one's own mental health and with one's own relationship with their adult-children, but not with their partner's. On the other hand, the relationship with adult-children was positively associated with one's own and with their partner's mental health. Furthermore, analysis of the mediating model using APIM indicated that marital adjustment through one's own adult-children relationship had direct and indirect effects on one's own mental health. It is interesting to note that the wives' mental health were directly influenced by their partners' relationship with adult-children. However, the effect of the husbands' mental health was not significant. These findings highlight dyadic interdependence among spouses' perceptions of marital and adult-children relationship with their mental health. The results suggest implications for educators and clinicians working with elderly couples to improve their psychological and relational health.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2006

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the adult attachment style characteristics of mothers with selective mutism children and their relations to selective mutism. Methods :The subjects of this study were 15 mothers with selective mutism children who were diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria at psychiatry outpatient department of Kyungpook National University Hospital from March 1998 to February 2005. The controls of this study were 30 mothers with normal children who are in the second grade of elementary school in Daegu. We assessed the adult attachment style characteristics of these mothers by Revised Adult Attachment Scale, and Reciprocal Attachment Questionnaire-Korean version, self-report attachment style questionnaire. Results : 1) On the self-report attachment style questionnaire, it revealed that mothers with selective mutism children had both of the secure and the dismissing-avoidant types predominantly and the tendency that mothers with selective mutism children more commonly had dismissing-avoidant type than controls did. 2) On the comparison of attachment quality of mothers, although only the anxiety subscale difference was significant, it revealed that mothers with selective mutism children had generally lower score pattern in all of closeness, dependence and anxiety subscale than controls did. It was consistent with the consequence of self-report attachment style questionnaire in this study. Conclusion : This study showed that the distribution of adult attachment style of mothers with selective mutism children was different from those of controls. The dismissing-avoidant attachment style was predominant in mothers with selective mutism children. we suppose the possibility that the dismissing-avoidant attachment style of mothers with selective mutism children has relation with selective mutism.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2012

Although the prevalence of divorce in South Korea has greatly increased since late 1990s, the impact of divorce on the parents of adult children in Korean families has received very little attention. This is particularly unfortunate because of the emphasis in Korean culture on family cohesion and obligations. To address these issues, we explored in our study the well-being of the parents of divorced adult children as well as intergenerational relationships among the members of Korean families. Total 113 parents participated (39 males and 74 females), age ranged from 46 to 65. Of the total participants surveyed, 29% were parents of divorced children (N=33), with the remainder having children in intact marriages (N=80). The measures examined four areas: (1) demographics, (2) parental psychological well-being, (3) intergeneration relationships, and (3) parental perception of their adult child's marital experience. A series of MANOVA and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Our findings indicate important differences between parents of divorced children and parents of non-divorced children on overall well-being, interpersonal relationships, and parental perception, which is consistent with previous studies. Parents of divorced children in this study also reported lower level of intergenerational relationships compared to parents of nondivorced children. Parent-grandchild relationships seem to be particularly important for parental well-being. In addition, we found an unexpected association between parents and their relationship with their former children inlaws. More detailed discussion was discussed.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.287-298
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to deepen understanding the nature of the care experience by the mothers with adult children in persistent vegetative state. Methods: Participants were 7 mothers caring for their adult children in persistent vegetative state. Data were collected individually through in-depth interviews on their lived experiences. Also texts were included as data from literary works, novels, movies, essays, and arts containing on patients with persistent vegetative state and their mothers. Data were analyzed by van Manen's phenomenological methodology. Results: The essential themes of caring experiences of the mothers were as follows. The theme in relation to lived time has shown as back to the past and caring experience related lived body has emerged as locked the body in children. The theme related lived space was getting into the swamp and the theme in lived others was derived as lonely struggle into. Conclusion: The nature of mothers' caring experiences for adult children in persistent vegetative state is summarized as 'Do not off hand of hope in a locked state'. This study suggests long-term supports are necessary for mothers to care persistent vegetative state children.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.105-118
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• 2015

This study examined whether structural (coresidence, proximity) and associational (frequency of face-to-face contact, frequency of contact via phone, email or letter) solidarity between adult children and older parents may influence older parents' cognitive functioning. Adult children may help delay older parents' cognitive decline by promoting healthier lifestyle, engaging parents in complex everyday problem solving, and providing emotional support. The data consisted of men and women 65+ at Wave 1 who had at least one child 20+ and participated in at least two waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA, N=3,961). Cognitive functioning was measured with the Korean version of the Mini Mental State Examination. Fixed effects models were estimated using the xtreg procedure in STATA. Findings suggest that increases in proximity with at least one adult child may lead to enhanced cognitive functioning among older parents. Neither transitioning to coresidence with at least one adult child nor increases in frequency of contact with at least one non-resident adult child was associated with changes in older parents' cognitive functioning. With older parents' increasing preference for living close by, but not necessarily living with adult children, greater proximity may provide more opportunities for reciprocal support exchanges between the two generations, leading to better cognitive functioning of older parents.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.53-64
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• 2002

The main purposes of this study are to examine the impact of parent's and child's incomes on financial transfers from elderly parents to their adult children, and to study other factors influencing financial transfers from parents to children. Analyzing data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which provides long-term observations of financial transfers, the current study finds strong positive effects of parent's income on financial transfers from parents to their adult children. In terms of determinants of financial transfers, the results of multivariate logistic regression analyses suggest that child's education child's marital status, and sibling size are statistically significant determinants of parent-to-child financial transfers.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.439-447
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was to describe the burden of aged parents caring for adult children with disabilities and related factors. Methods: The subjects were 123 caregivers aged over 65 who were caring for 18-year-old or older children with disabilities. The research tool of this study was a structured questionnaire on family burden. Data were collected from June 3 to 25, 2010, and analyzed by Cronbach's alpha, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and ANOVA using SAS 9.2 program. Results: The major findings of this study were as follows. Elderly parents caring for adult children with disabilities perceived a moderate level of burden. The burden from concern over their children's future was highest, and economic and physical burdens were higher when the parents were younger. Burden was significantly different according to parents' characteristics such as gender, perceived health status, disease, the costs of caring for disabled children, and children's characteristics such as disability rating, health status, and ADL. Conclusion: In order to reduce the burden of elderly parents caring for adult children with disabilities, we need to improve their health status and assess comprehensive policies.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2020

This research explores the generational similarities and discrepancies of socio-demographic and housing statuses between young adult children leaving the parental home and their parents. Utilizing the 20th Korean Labour and Income Panel Study (KLIPS), this study identified a total of 609 households who have left their parent home from 1999 to 2017. Two-thirds of the adult children were married couples while the rest was singles. Children's educational level was higher, and their household size was smaller than their parents. Both generations were mainly headed by employed and married men. The vast majority of the adult children lived in the same area with their parents and lived as tenants in much smaller housing than their parents. On the contrary, most parents were homeowners of a large single-family home. The generational differences were clearly observed in housing tenure, housing structure, and housing size. Although leaving parents' home is part of a transition to adulthoods (depending on the stability of the labor market and the affordability in the housing market), that process was largely triggered by the employment status that can lead to economic independence rather than their marital status. Both housing and job opportunities are important factors to determine independent life.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-55
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• 2004

The elder abuse draws an increasing concern as the elderly population grows rapidly, and increasing demands to provide long-term care to the impaired elderly are imposed on the families. This study compares Korean American elders' and their adult children's perceptions of possible elder abuse under care-giving situation, and related help-seeking behaviors using five scenarios developed by the author. The subjects consist of ten elders and their ten adult children including daughters-in-law who live in Los Angeles, the USA. Content analysis reveals very similar help-seeking behaviors of the two generations within the family despite the substanally generational difference towards the perceptions of elder abuse under care-giving situation. Mann-Whitney test shows a significant difference in the perceptions of elder abuse between the elderly and their adult children. It means that the elderly are substantially less likely to perceive a given situation as abusive than their adult children would. But there is no significant difference between the elderly and their adult children in their intended use of formal sources of help. Implications for gerontological social work practice and program development are discussed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5037-5047
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• 2013

This study was conducted to identify the relationship between internet addiction and adult children propensity, mental health in college students. Data were collected from 502 college students in G city, from November 5 to November 30, 2012 and analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Internet addiction was a significantly positive correlation between adult children propensity(r=.395, p<.001) and mental health(r=.479, p<.001). Adult children propensity was a significantly positive correlation with mental health(r=.432, p<.001). Also, General characteristics, internet addiction and adult children propensity accounted for 42% of the variance in mental health among college students. The implication of the results is need to consider adult children propensity to reduce internet addiction and improve mental health in college students.