• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.37-53
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• 2009

This study researched aspects of gender and grade related to the after-school happiness of lower grade elementary students and the correlation between the children's happiness and their stress and playfulness. Results of surveys and interviews of 124 lower grade elementary students who attended 4 after-school programs in Seoul showed that : (1) there were no gender differences in happiness but first graders were the happiest, then 2nd graders and the 3rd graders who were the least happy. (2) Children's happiness correlated negatively with stress. (3) There was no relationship between children's overall happiness and playfulness, but there was a negative correlation between happiness and playfulness under the sub-category of cognitive spontaneity. Results were discussed in relation to the Korean socio-cultural environment.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.207-223
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• 2008

This study examined children's happy situations and their self-judgment of happiness level. Subjects were 831 children (7-13 years of age). Research findings were that : (1) There were three categories of happy situations : rewards, daily routine activities, non-daily activities/incidents. These categories were subcategorized into personal and relational experiences. Personal experiences gave them greater happiness than relational experiences. (2) The younger children felt happier through relational experiences than older children. (3) Sixty-two percent of the children reported they were happy most of the time. (4) Preschool children answered "I'm happy" more than older children. Sixth grade children answered "I'm happy" least among the entire sample. (5) Academics correlated positively with children's judgment of happiness level; free time correlated negatively with happiness.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.15-26
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences of the perceptions and conditions of happiness between children and adolescents, and also of the perceptions of happiness according to their needs level of the conditions of happiness. There was a total of 649 participants, of which 405 were children and 244 were adolescents, all of whom were attending elementary school, middle school, or high school. The children and adolescents completed a questionnaire on the perceptions of happiness and the conditions of happiness which consisted of 57 (for children) or 58 (for adolescents) items. The results were as follows: First, children and adolescents both felt happy regarding the variables of 'flow', 'health and appearance', 'leisure' and 'interpersonal relations'. However, it was found that children felt happier than adolescents. Second, children and adolescents perceived achievement-related variables as important conditions of happiness. Additionally, variables of 'relations with parents and relatives' and 'positive emotions' were the conditions that children needed. However, adolescents rated the needs of the conditions of happiness higher than children. Lastly, children and adolescent groups who perceived the necessity of the conditions of happiness at a high level were found to be happier than those who perceived the necessity of the conditions of happiness at a low level. The findings have implications of providing educational, psychological and environmental support to improve the happiness of children and adolescents.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among children's perceived parental attachment, parental happiness, and children's autonomy, and to find out in detail the influence of parental attachment and parental happiness on children's autonomy. Frequency analysis and descriptive statistical analysis were performed on data from the 12th year of the Korean Children's Panel (2019), and Pearson's moment correlation coefficient was calculated for correlation analysis between variables. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the influence of parental attachment and parental happiness on children's autonomy. The research results were as follows. First, parental attachment perceived by children, parental happiness, and children's autonomy were all positively correlated. Second, among the sub-variables of parental attachment, maternal trust, paternal trust, and maternal communication were found to have an influence, and only maternal happiness was found to have an effect on parental happiness. This means that parental attachment acts as a more important variable than parental happiness. Therefore, we need constant attention and effort to support children in a more intimate and stable relationship with their parents so that they can gain life satisfaction through active and proactive choices and decisions.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.105-123
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a child's demographic variables and maternal perceptions of the conditions of happiness on their happiness for mothers. The participants of this study comprised 916 mothers of young children, school-aged children, and adolescents. The results revealed that a child's age and the numbers of children influenced maternal happiness when mothers' demographic variables were controlled. In addition, mothers who exhibited high degree of need in terms of the conditions of happiness regarding existence, relatedness, and growth were more likely to be happy than mothers who exhibited low degree of needs. Finally, the expectations regarding growth, which refers to the pursuit of self-accomplishment and meaning, was the most important predictor of maternal happiness. These findings have implications for parent education programs for mothers of young children, school-aged children, and adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.89-105
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the current status of parent-child play and the relationship between children's perceptions of play with parents and children's happiness. Methods: One hundred twenty 5-year-old children and their parents participated in the study. Each parent reported the current status of play with their child and the researchers interviewed the children about their perceptions of play with parents and their happiness. Results: The results showed that parents played with their child for about 52 minutes on weekdays and 2-3 hours on weekends. Mothers played longer with their child than fathers on all days. Parents perceived that they played with their child at average frequency and showed above average participation. Children perceived that their parents were actively playing with them and children enjoyed and were satisfied with their play with parents. Children were happier when parents spent more time playing with them in an engaging fashion, and when they enjoyed the nature of the play. Conclusion/Implications: This study implies the influence and importance of the quality of parent-child play on children's happiness.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.469-479
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• 2022

This study aims to examine the mediating effects of positive parenting attitudes, self-esteem, and depression on the relationship between parental happiness and children's happiness. To this end, the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey 2018 were used. Structural equation modeling was implemented based on 2,551 data collected from fourth-grade children of elementary school and their parents. The happiness felt by the parents was found to have a positive correlation with positive parenting attitudes, self-esteem, and happiness perceived by the children, and a negative correlation with the children's depression. And, the happiness felt by the parents was found to affect the happiness of children by sequentially progressing through positive parenting attitudes, children's self-esteem and depression. Such results reflect how parents who perceive themselves to be happy tend to be warm, provide structure, and support the autonomy of their children. This also shows how such positive parenting attitudes encourage children to believe that they are valuable individuals and how this plays a role in reducing their sense of depression and enhancing their happiness.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.257-270
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• 2010

This study investigated preschoolers' happiness, behavior problems, and interpersonal problem solving strategies according to their sex and age, and the relationships among them. The subjects were 185 preschoolers (97 boys and 88 girls; 83 four-year-olds and 102 five-year-olds). Results showed that boys were higher in behavior problems (aggression) and forceful problem solving strategies than girls, while girls were higher in happiness (characteristics of self) than boys. Also, 4-year-old children were higher in forceful problem solving strategies than 5-year-olds. Children's happiness was negatively related to their internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Behavior problems and interpersonal problem solving strategies of children were influenced by their happiness. These findings provide preliminary evidence that children's happiness may predict their behavior problems and interpersonal problem solving strategies.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.129-142
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of self-regulation abilities on the relationships between parental attachment, peer attachment, teacher attachment and children's happiness in elementary school students in higher grades. The subjects of this study were selected from 4th-6th grade students residing in Dae-gu and Kyung-buk using questionnaires from May 1st to July 1st in 2014. The statistical analysis program(SPSS) was used for analyzing the collected data from the research in correlation analysis. To examine the mediating effects of self-regulation abilities on the relationship between parental attachment, peer attachment and teacher attachment and children's happiness, the Baron and Kenny(1986) model was used.. The results are as follows. First, in the case of father attachment, mother attachment, peer attachment, and teacher attachment, self-regulation abilities and children's happiness, as perceived by higher grade elementary school children positive correlations were observed. Second, in terms of relative effects of father attachment, mother attachment, peer attachment and teacher attachment on children's happiness, mother attachment was observed to have the most effect on children's happiness. Third, self-regulation abilities, as perceived by the children, mediated the effect of father attachment, mother attachment, peer attachment, and teacher attachment amongst higher grade elementary school students and the subsequent affect on children's happiness.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.261-292
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to explain the process of meaning construction on children's happiness by mothers with young children. The study participants were 16 mothers with young children. The data were collected through the interviews which were conducted during 10 months from March, 2013 to December, 2013. The Data were analyzed according to a grounded theory methodology. The process of meaning construction on children's happiness by mothers included 4 stages, which are as follows. 'Following inseparated social desire and demands', 'Looking around my desire and children's happiness', 'Rearranging interlacing desire' and 'Going to find my children's happiness and my happiness'. And the stages were interacting mothers'time perspectives and diverse ecosystems. Based on the results, the study discussed the characters of interaction on time perspectives and parenting, and discussed influences of meaning construction on happiness.