• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.83-107
• /
• 2010

This study looked into the inner experience of foster mothers who adopted children under 3 months old and found out they were disabled while they were rearing with Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were used with six foster mothers who live in Seoul, Gwangju, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeollabuk-do. The study resulted in a hermeneutic writing with titled "Love of Mothers Who Want to Make Their Children's Dreams Come True" with six essential themes as follows: 'being at a loss wrapped in a dense fog,' 'venting off the frustration,' 'gratitude amid painfulness,' 'bold confrontation with prejudices,' 'disabled children's return to the center of their moms' life,' and 'expectation for their future life.' As they are disabled, foster mothers want to rear their children with more care and attention to make their children's dreams come true. Seen above, this could be interpreted as mothers' love to a life. For foster mothers, the disability of their adopted children is not a burden but an expectation for a new world. They help the children live by themselves. It shows that every child can have his own home.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.33-50
• /
• 2011

This study aims to examine experiences of adoptive families, mainly focusing on mothers with their biological children and adopted a child, through a phenomenological approach. The subjects of this study are adoptive family's mothers with their biological children according to a criterion-based selection. 15 mothers who adopted children under 12 months, who are currently aged over 6, are selected and given personal and in-depth interviews, questions ranging from the process before adoption, foster care and changes in family relationships to the issues caused by adoption and coping methods. 6 steps of a phenomenological method that Colaizzi(1978) proposed are applied to analyze the data. The results of this study are as follows. The central theme of this study is 'A family which has harmonized with love beyond blood ties'. First, the participants have shown difficulties in different aspects over adoption than those of sterile families. The motive of their adoption is to let adopted children experience a happy childhood in a loving family. Secondly, the participants have adjusted themselves to new adoptive families, have committed to the care of their new children, and have experienced a change in family relationships. Finally, adoptive families have successfully been settled while overcoming difficulties together.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.89-109
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of knowledge that mothers have on child development. To do so, a Knowledge of Child Development Inventory(KCDI) developed by Larsen &Juhasz(1986) was carried on to 156 mothers with an infant range from birth to age 24 months. The findings of the study were twofold: First, 70% of the questions on average were answered correctly by the participants. In other words, mothers generally demonstrated a high level of knowledge on child development. With regard to knowledge of child development, their knowledge on physical development of children was relatively low in comparison with that of cognitive and emotional development. In addition, mothers with a girl were more aware of child development especially in relation to child's emotional development. Also, mothers who delivered a heavier baby at birth possessed a higher level of knowledge concerning child's physical development. Second, other external factors, such as the level of family income and mother's education, played a significant role in affecting the level of knowledge on child development. Unsurprisingly, mothers with a higher income and education level demonstrated a higher level of knowledge on child's cognitive development. The findings of the study implicates that mothers seldom demonstrate a proper level of knowledge on child development. Hence, this study suggests that a practical, functional training services and resources for current and future mothers must be ensued.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.337-346
• /
• 1997

To know the characteristics of the unmarried mother. We need to investigate what kind of circumstances the unmarried mother comes from and under which conditions created her situation. This investigation's purpose is to provide general information on how to prevent this situation. There are many unmarried mothers registered in support groups for single mothers in A City. We surveyed 67 single mothers registered from Nov. 1 '96 - April 30 '97. The questions of the survey asked for general characteristics, family background, friendship, attitude and knowledge toward sex and the relationship with the baby's father. We analysed this research data into a percentages.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.75-85
• /
• 2007

Objectives: The aim of this study was to find out the attitude of Korean women towards IVF surrogacy which is not yet regulated by the law. Methods: We evaluated with a questionnaire, in how far IVF surrogacy was accepted in different groups of Korean women. Total 300 questionnaires were sent out to women who visited our infertility clinic, and to the nurses and office workers of our hospital. Among them, 246 questionnaires were returned, and 211 of them (85.7%) were complete and analyzed. The responders were 58 unmarried women and 153 married women including 60 infertile patients. Results: Only 17 (8.1%) women believed that IVF surrogacy was an acceptable treatment for infertile women without uterus (eg. MRKH or hysterectomized patients), and 125 (59.2%) women chose the adoption. There were no significant differences in response amongst different age group, marital status, or in relation to income level or educational level, or infertility status. A significantly higher level of acceptance was noted only in religious groups, especially in Christians. Most of responders (66.5%) chose unrelated and unknown women as a desirable host, and 28.4% of responders chose the sister or sister-in-law. Conclusions: Overall the different groups were critical towards IVF Surrogacy in Korea, irrespective of the infertile patient group. Despite the established clinical ability to have her own genetic child in women without uterus, this survey reveals that only minority supports the IVF surrogacy. So we need the survey with large, randomized population and then make a regulation about the IVF surrogacy in law.