• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.129-144
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• 2009

This study investigated Korean elementary school children's happiness by gender and grade and by attendance in after-school programs during weekdays and weekends. Participants were 3,608 children in Korean provincial areas except Jeju-do; they responded to the Happiness Scale developed by the researchers. Data were analyzed by frequency, percent, and t-test. Results were (1) children's happiness level was high; girls' happiness level was higher than boys'. As they moved up in school grade, happiness level decreased. (2) Their attendance in after-school programs during weekdays and weekends decreased their happiness level in leisure and extra academic activity, but it increased happiness in school/community life and sibling relations. Conclusions were that reduction in the amount of children's after-school programming would increase children's happiness.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.47-58
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• 2024

This study examined the mediating effect of children's school adjustment on the relationship between a creative school environment and children's happiness. For this purpose, an analysis was performed of data from the 12th Panel Study on Korean Children conducted in 2019. The participants were 1,393 fifth-grade elementary school students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 programs. The principal results were as follows. Firstly, there were significant positive correlations among creative school environment, children's school adjustment, and happiness. Secondly, the creative school environment significantly affected children's school adjustment and happiness. Thirdly, children's school adjustment had a positive effect on their happiness. Fourthly, the creative school environment had an indirect effect on children's happiness through school adjustment. The results thus demonstrate that school is a social environment that strongly influences children's happiness. Therefore, to improve children's school happiness, it is essential to consider the relationship between a creative school environment and school adjustment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.342-347
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: School meals are not just meals consumed at school, they are part of the culture, education, and life experience at school. Nevertheless, few studies have revealed the influence of school meals on students' school lives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of satisfaction with the school meal program on students' school happiness. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey conducted in December 2015 asked 2,336 students (1,062 elementary school students, 880 middle school students, and 394 high school students) about their satisfaction with the school meal program and their school happiness. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relation between the students' school meal satisfaction and their happiness level. RESULTS: The average level of satisfaction with school meals of elementary school students was 4.1 out of 5 points, comparatively higher than that of middle and high school students, with a significant difference between school levels (P < 0.001). In addition, school happiness, as well as overall happiness, of elementary school students was higher than that of middle and high school students (P < 0.001). The school meal operation factor (0.232, P < 0.001) had the most influence on students' school happiness, followed by the school meal environment factor (0.219, P < 0.001) and school meal quality factor (0.136, P < 0.001). Overall satisfaction (0.097, P = 0.001) and school meal hygiene factor (0.095, P = 0.001) also had significant influences on students' school happiness. CONCLUSIONS: Students' satisfaction with the school meal program was related to their school happiness. Therefore, plans to enhance students' satisfaction with a school meal program needs to be implemented, with emphasis on placing a priority on school meal operation and school environment factors, in order to improve students' level of happiness.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.157-176
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• 2014

A total of 378 $4^{th}$ and $5^{th}$ grade elementary school students (194 boys and 184 girls) participated in a study investigating the direct and indirect effects (through self-esteem and/or achievement motivation) of children's perceptions of parental expectations on school happiness. First, parental expectations did not have a direct effect on children's levels of school happiness. Second, parental expectations did not have an indirect effect on children's school happiness through self-esteem. Children who perceived higher levels of parental expectations showed higher levels of self-esteem, but the path from children's self-esteem to school happiness was not significant. Third, parental expectations had an indirect effect on children's levels of school happiness through achievement motivation. Children who perceived higher levels of parental expectations showed higher levels of achievement motivation, and children with higher levels of achievement motivation reported higher levels of school happiness. Finally, parental expectations indirectly influenced children's school happiness through self-esteem and achievement motivation. These findings suggest that both environmental and individual factors need to be considered together to more comprehensively explain children's levels of school happiness.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.149-164
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the direct effects of parent-adolescent communication and its indirect effects through adolescent friendship quality on happiness among both middle and high school students. Methods: Participants in this study were 1,126 adolescents (667 middle school students and 459 high school students) in Seoul and Gyoung-gi Do. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires for adolescents, which included measures of parent-adolescent communication, friendship quality and happiness. Data were analyzed by t-tests, correlations, and SEM using SPSS 22.0 and Mplus 6.0. Results: For middle school students, father-adolescent communication had direct and indirect effects on happiness. However, mother-adolescent communication did not directly or indirectly affect adolescent happiness. Specifically, only father-adolescent communication had an significant indirect effect through friendship quality on adolescent happiness. For high school students, father-adolescent communication had direct effects on happiness, while mother-adolescent communication had significant indirect effects on adolescent happiness via friendship quality. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of parent-adolescent communication and friendship quality in predicting adolescent happiness with differences in direct and indirect paths between middle and high school students. These findings emphasize the role of parent-adolescent communication and friendship quality in developing programs to improve the happiness of adolescents.

• 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.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain research-based evidence on the relationships among general characteristics, family strength, self-control, and happiness among late school-aged children using a correlational research design. Methods: The participants were 172 fifth- and sixth-grade students from two public elementary schools. Data were collected by employing structured questionnaires, including the Korean Family Strengths Scale for Strengthening Family II, a self-control scale, and a happiness scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23.0. Results: The level of happiness of late school-aged students showed significant correlations with family strength (r=.78, p<.001), and self-control (r=.59, p<.001). Family strength had a significant positive correlation with self-control (r=.55, p<.001). The factors with a significant impact on participants' happiness were family strength (${\beta}=.63$, p<.001), self-control (${\beta}=.21$, p<.001), exercise frequency, and self-perceived health. The total explanatory power of the model was 69%, and the explanatory power of family strength for the level of happiness was 61%, showing that the family strength was the most important factor that promoted happiness in late school-aged students. Conclusion: These findings imply that improving family strength is an important aspect of promoting happiness among late school-aged children. Interventions to strengthen late school-aged children's self-control are also necessary.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.106-113
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• 2020

This study analyzed the impact of leisure activities on school life satisfaction in the cultural rights and self-determination of teenagers who spend most of their time in school in the college entrance exam-oriented climate, and examined the effects of happiness and life satisfaction on the school life satisfaction through a process macro applying Bias Corrected Bootstrapping in these relationships. For research purposes, 2,590 cohorts in the first year of the 2018 Korea Children and Youth Panel Survey were analyzed through process macros. The result was that leisure life had a significant effect on school life satisfaction. It was also found that happiness and satisfaction in life affect satisfaction, and happiness and satisfaction in life affect satisfaction in school life and serve as a medium. This study confirmed that teenagers' participation in leisure activities greatly affects school life satisfaction and that happiness and life satisfaction have a mediating effect on school life satisfaction. In addition, we could recognize the importance of leisure activities to the satisfaction of school life of teenagers, and find it necessary to develop and provide various program graphs of schools and communities for happiness and satisfaction in life. This study verified that the participation of leisure activities of adolescents has a significant effect on school life satisfaction, and that happiness and life satisfaction have a mediating effect on school life satisfaction. In addition, we could recognize the importance of leisure activities to the satisfaction of school life of teenagers, and find it necessary to develop and provide various program graphs of schools and communities for happiness and satisfaction in life. Therefore, this research is believed to be possible to contribute to academic and practical programs for youth leisure activities and school life relationships, and to make policy suggestions for the development and participation of various leisure activities in order to fully enjoy and protect youth's rights to culture and self-determination of leisure activities.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.395-404
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a predictive model for happiness of students in general high schools. The study was based on the theory of happiness integration and the literature review. Methods: Data were collected using a convenience sample of 231 first and second grade students in five general high schools in D city and K Province. The exogenous variables were optimism as personality factors, parenting attitude, academic stress and friend's support as happiness. The endogenous variables were self-esteem and resilience as mediating variables, and happiness of students in general high schools. Data collection was done from March 14 to March 28, 2019. The AMOS 22.0 and SPSS programs were used to verify the validity of confirmatory factor analysis and hypothesis models. Results: The factors that have the greatest influence on happiness of high school students are self-esteem and resilience. The explanatory power of happiness by these variables was 98.1%. The individual mediating effect and double mediation effect of these variables were found to be significant. Conclusion: As student's optimistic personality, parent's positive parenting attitude, and friend's support improve student's self-esteem and resilience, ultimately positively affecting high school students' happiness, so it is necessary to consider these factors and try to develop a happiness improvement program.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.143-151
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of being aware of the physical and psychosocial environment of the school on subjective feeling of happiness in Korean middle and high school students. Methods: The data of "Health and lifestyle Survey (2019)" conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute were analyzed after receiving approval though the website. A total of 5,311 middle and high school students were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were executed using SAS 9.4. Results: The mean score of subjective feeling of happiness was 6.92±0.56 out of 10. From the univariate analysis, the more positive the perception of the physical school environment was, such as classrooms, restrooms, exercise facilities, catering facilities, health facilities, other school facilities and school uniform, the higher the subjective feeling of happiness was (p for all <.001). In addition, the psychosocial environment of the school was significantly related to the happiness of adolescents (p<.001). After controlling for gender, school level, school grade, socio-economic status, and stress, positive perception of classrooms (B=0.04, p<.001), catering facilities (B=0.01, p=.021), health facilities (B=0.08, p<.001), and the psychosocial environment of the school (B=0.18, p<.001) was significantly associated with happiness of the students. Conclusion: Positive perception of the school environment was found to increase happiness in adolescents. Therefore, efforts should be made to make classrooms, catering facilities, and health facilities a pleasant space as well as to create a school atmosphere that values health.