• Human Ecology Research
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.587-600
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of family resources on social exclusion and the resilience of low-income families. To be more specific, this study categorized the level of social exclusion into five dimensions: work, housing, health, education, and social participation. Further, family resources were categorized into the two dimensions of "internal resources of the family" and "external resources of the family" in order to evaluate the effects of the two differentiated dimensions on social exclusion and the resilience of low-income families. The data of low-income families for the period of August 23 to September 28, 2012, were collected from community welfare centers that manage individual development accounts and local self-sufficiency centers; 302 cases were considered. The main results of this study were as follows: firstly, the model analysis proved that family resources as a parameter was significant, not only statistically but also theoretically and practically. Secondly, while a negative relationship was found between social exclusion and family resources, a positive relationship was found between family resources and resilience. This implied that the alleviation of a low-income family's social exclusion level could become an important intervention for the improvement of the family's functioning and strengths. Further, it implied that the qualitative improvement of the family's resources that affected the promotion of the resilience could be a basis for another practical intervention. These results suggested crucial implications for the development of comprehensive policies for addressing poverty issues.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.55-66
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of We Start home visiting intervention program on the positive changes of infants and their low-income families. The subjects were 171 18~36-month olds and their mothers living in We Start and non We Start areas. The instruments used were Developmental Profile, Cleminshaw-Guidubaldi Parent Satisfaction Scale(CGPSS) and Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment(HOME). The results were as follows: First, the result of Developmental Profile showed positive changes in all domains(physical development, self-help skills, social development, cognitive development, and communication ability). Second, the result of CGPSS showed positive effects on parent-child relationships. Third, the result of HOME showed positive effects on mothers' emotional and language responses. In conclusion, We Start home visiting program for infants from low-income families is an effective early intervention program to end intergenerational transition of poverty in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.87-104
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• 2002

This study investigated developmental levels and explored play behaviors in 194 4- and 5-year-old children from low-income families attending 18 daycare centers in Seoul. The Developmental Test for Korean Kindergartners(Korea Institute Curriculum & Evaluation, 1996) was used to assess developmental levels in seven areas. Play behaviors were observed during free-play in their classrooms. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and $x^2$. Results were that the children from low-income families showed highest scores in motor skill development and the lowest scores in mathematical and scientific development. The children engaged most frequently in group-functional play, followed by onlooker behaviors, group-dramatic, and group-constructive play. Onlooker behaviors were the most frequent activity of the 4-year-olds, and the block corner was the most frequently used area during free-play.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.157-179
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine psychological and behavioral characteristics of parents from low income families and to figure out the influence of these parents' characteristics upon children's problematic behaviors by comparing two-parent families and single-parent families. The subjects in this study were 193 parents who participated in a dream- start program geared toward low-income families. Their psychological and behavioral characteristics were tested, and their children's problem behaviors were investigated. As a result, the children from intact families in the low-income classes showed more problem behaviors when their parents faced heavier parental stress, and they showed less problem behaviors when their parents were more satisfied with their relationship with them. In contrast, the children from single-parent families in the low-income brackets showed less problem behaviors when their parents had better dietary habits and were more satisfied with their daily routine life, and they showed more problem behaviors when their parents were under heavier parental stress. The findings of the study seem to suggest that the development of parental and parent education programs is required to relieve the problem behaviors of children from the low-income classes and improve the parental behavior of their parents, and that a wide variety of assistance should be provided in consideration of the current marital status of parents as well.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.341-353
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• 2013

The object of this study is to examine the relationship between temperament (emotionality, activity, sociability, and shyness) and the resilience (social competence and language ability) of preschool children from low-income families and the moderating effect of maternal warmth. The subjects were 86 low-income preschool children (42 girls and 44 boys; mean age, 70.57 months), their mothers and teachers, recruited from five daycare centers in Namyangju city and Ansan city located in Gyeonggi-do area. Each child's language ability was individually assessed with with the standardized measure, Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES) and their teachers reported on children's social competence and parents reported on their child's temperament by questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed by correlation analysis and hierarchical regression. The main results of this study were as follows. First, children's emotionality in temperament and maternal warmth had main effects on social competence. Second, only monthly income level and sex had main effects on language ability. Third, maternal warmth moderated the effects of children's shyness in temperament on social competence and language ability as resilience. Findings could provide basic information for programs to promote resilience in preschool children from low-income families.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 1995

Urben wage workers' education expenditure among different social classes from 1979 to 1993 has been compared. Eduction expenditure has increased much more than that of income resulting from income increase and government policy. Education expenditure gaps among social classes have showed to be an increasing trend although the ratio of education expense to the income has increased among low class families. Average income elasticity was 1.1 and this result showed that education expense was luxury good. Income elasticity of education expense among low class families have fluctuated more than any other classes resulting from construction business cycle and housing rent increase. Average Gini coefficient was 0.38 and turned out to be highest among 9 household expenditures, however it was in the trend of improvement from 81. But from 91 Gini Coefficient went up high again. Main reason for this increase was due to high social class families' eucation expenditure increase. Government's strong policies to enhance equality level of education opportunity and to support low class families are urged.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.113-137
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• 1992

The purpose of this study was to figure out the urban establishing families' economic structures(income, expenditure, assets, first-present-future housing cost etc.), the states of first-present housing, the future housing plans, and the housing preferences. For this purpose 274 establishing families in Seoul and its metro-politan area were interviewed through the standardized questionnares. Finally 264 questionnares were analyzed. The major findings were as follows; 1. The important source of their monthly incomes was the labor income. But there was often the transfer income from their parents. And the important items of monthly expenditures were savings and foods. In higher income classes, the traffic cost was important relatively. 2. It was found that the urban establishing families were very dependent on their parents for their first-present housing costs. The dependency was stronger in high education classes compared to the low. This was the case in future housing costs. 3. The states and changes of first-present housing showed the demands for an apartment, homeowership, and privacy. These tendencies were higher in high education classes compared to low education classes, but the demands for future housing were according to the monthly income. The present locations were determined majorly by the distance from office and parents. 4. Their housing preferences were different from the present housing states. Furnished rental housing, open living space, large common spaces, and common using of unusual appliances etc. were more preferred by high education classes compared to low education classes.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.761-774
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• 2010

This study examined the relationship between parental efficacy, marriage satisfaction, social support, neighborhood context, and parental involvement in preschool children's education in low income families. Total 460 low income parents' data about parental efficacy, marriage satisfaction, social support, neighborhood context, and parental involvement are collected from the data of index studies for Korean child and adolescent's development in 2009. Parental efficacy, marriage satisfaction, perceived social support and perceived neighborhood context correlated positively with parental involvement. Regression analysis detected different patterns of association between these variables and the three dimensions of parent involvement. Perceived neighborhood context was associated with child care involvement, while parental efficacy was the most influential factor related to child leisure involvement. Marriage satisfaction was the strongest factor influencing involvement in children's educational activity. These results support the validity of a multi-dimensional, ecological conceptualization of parent involvement in low income families.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.321-336
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• 2017

This study examines the effect of family resources on low-income families by exploring their holistic experience of poverty to the formation of resilience. A grounded theory approach is utilized to structure process from their experience of poverty as well as the use of social welfare services to the formation of resilience. This study targets 17 families involved in the pilot project for the beneficiaries of an asset building program in Seoul. In accordance with open coding and a paradigm model by the result of axial coding, 86 concepts, 23 sub-category, and nine categories are produced. These categories are classified into the causal condition (a tough life due to poverty), contextual condition (being the recipient of an asset building program), intervening conditions (interpersonal resources and effects of accumulated time or experience), central phenomenon (a will to live and overcome poverty), actions/interactions (active behavior and change of attitude), and consequences (change of asset levels and increased efficacy in their lives). The integrating categories identify the core category as 'the process of making a resilient life out of the power to live' and a final process model is organized. The results suggest crucial implications to develop comprehensive policies to address poverty issues for low-income families with a strength-based approach.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.305-316
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate how children from low-income families perceived their family strength, ego-resilience and school adjustment. The relative magnitude of effects of family strength, ego-resilience and school adjustment were compared. Data were collected from 217 children in grade 4 through 6 who were attending local child welfare centers located in Seoul, Korea. The key research findings were as follows. Ego-resilience and perceived family strength were related to school adjustment among children in poverty. The relatively greater effect of ego-resilience implied that programs for children in poverty need to focus on developing interpersonal relationship skills or coping strategies designed to enable children from disadvantaged environments to deal with stressful events and to promote their ego-resilience. Additionally, the recovery or enhancement of family strength and ego-resilience will be effective at protecting and solving various adaptive problems that children from low-income families may experience at school.