• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.141-163
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• 2016

This study reviews and analyzes the current status and conditions of child-rearing issues related to single-parent families and pinpoints related problems. It undertakes for single-parent families with children in elementary and middle schools to determine limitations that prevent single-parent families from obtaining in existing policies and legislation. The study introduces policy guidelines to ensure childcare for single-parent families. The results are follows. First, the basic policies supporting single-parent families should be broadened to include not only low-income, single-parent families but also higher-income, single-parent families, which would allow all such families to be given first priority at childcare centers. Second, to resolve discrimination and prejudice toward single-parent families, articles about education and single-parent families should be included in the Single-Parent Support Act. Third, substantial and customized support policies tailored to the growth-stages of children are needed. Fourth, programs to improve the relationship between children and single parents should be developed and promoted. Finally, various family types, such as single-father or multi-cultural single-parent families, must be considered.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.61-73
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to compare the consumption expenditure patterns and the effects of socioeconomic variables on expenditure between single-mother families and two-parent families. From the 2001 Household Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by Korea National Statistical Office (KNSO), 693 single-mother families and 14,439 two-parent families were selected. A t-test was completed to examine how the expenditure patterns of two types of families differ. Total expenditures and expenditures on 11 consumption categories were modeled as functions of permanent income and other socioeconomic variables. Also, dummy variable interaction technique was used to examine whether the independent variables differently affected the expenditures between single-mother families and two-parent families. The results of this study indicated that there were differences between single-mother and two-parent families in the levels and shares of expenditures of each consumption category, and the effects of socioeconomic variables on expenditures. Single-mother families had spent less than did two-parent families in each consumption category. However, single-mother families had significantly higher expenditure shares for food at home, shelter, utilities, apparel and shoes, and education. Income elasticities for food at home, shelter, utilities, and education of single-mother families were significantly larger than those of two- parent families.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.99-118
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• 2018

This study examines household expenditure patterns for single-parent families to better understand the decision-making process and to consider the appropriateness of the decisions on monetary allocation. This study investigates the household expenditure patterns and the determinants of expenditure patterns for single-father families as compared to those for single-mother families. A series of analyses of the data, which was gathered from the 2015 Single-parent Family Survey on household expenditures, were conducted. The results show that there are differences in the household expenditure volumes and patterns between single-father families and single-mother families. Differences in the categories of expenditure and variations in the share that was allocated for each expenditure category in single-father families as compared to in single-mother families were both statistically significant. Disparities were found in seven categories of household expenditure between single-father families and single-mother families. The amount allocated from total expenditures for each expenditure category was also significantly different between single-father families and single-mother families in regards to clothing, home equipment, housing, water/light/heat costs, transportation, and telecommunication. The determinants of the total household expenditure for single-parent families were age, level of education, number of family members, public transfer, household income, assets, and debt.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.121-140
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to understand how the economic conditions and needs of single-parent families are different between single-mother and single-father families, and also how they are dependent on household composition. The data for this study were drawn from the 1st Korea Welfare Panel Study and analyzed by frequencies, means, ${\chi}^2$, t-test, F-test, and logistic regression with the STATA 9.1 program. The major findings are as follows: (1) Single-parent families are more likely to live in a three-generation household than married couple families. (2) The composition of a three-generation household of single-parent families is affected by sex, age, education, type of marital disruption, the type of employment of single parents and the age of the last-born child. (3) The income-to-needs ratio is not significantly different depending on the sex of the single parents and their household composition. However, material hardship is significantly low in three-generation household single-parent families. (4) There are differences between three-generation single-parent families and independent single-parent families in income sources: The ratio of public transfer to total incomes is higher in three-generation households than independent households, while the ratio of private transfer to total incomes is higher in independent households.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.129-138
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to explore a life-supportive housing alternative for single-parent family, focused on cohousing. Single-parent family is considerably increasing according to diverse social changes. In foreign countries, for instance, Scandinavian countries where dual-income households and single-parent families occupy comparatively higher proportion of the whole households, cohousing has been implemented as one of the life-supportive housing alternatives. Cohousing community has been developed aiming to reduce burden of housework, child-care and loneliness through mutual support amongst inhabitants. Opinions of single-parent families are described in this study in order to explore any possibility of development of cohousing for single-parent families for their well-being in Korea. The study was fulfilled by intensive interviews with 4 heads of single-parent families as well as inhabitants of collective housing and cohousing in Korea and foreign countries.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.145-164
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of group art therapy on the self-efficacy and sociality of middle school students from single-parent families. The major results of this study were as follows: First, it was revealed that the activities of group art therapy were effective in making the self-efficacy of students from single-parent families higher by expressing their thought, and feelings better and having more confidence in themselves. Second, it was revealed that the activities of group art therapy were effective in improving the sociality of students from single-parent families by showing better performance in relationship with peers. Third, it was revealed that the activities of group art therapy had an effect on students' affirmative feelings according to each stage. That is, the students' feelings became more affirmative after this art therapy activities. Fourth, this study proved that K-HTP was effective in improving the self-efficacy and sociality of middle school students from single-parent families Fifth, this study proved that KFD was effective to improve the self-efficacy and sociality of middle school students from single-parent families. In conclusion, the Group Art Therapy had the effect on improving the self-efficacy and sociality of students from single-parent families.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.73-89
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• 2003

The purposes of this research were to investigate the conditions of education and counseling for single-parent families and to propose developmental alternatives and effective information service system. For these objectives, the concurrent-type program for single-parent families that emphasized communication skills, psychological strategies, and the importance of family relationships was constructed. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by pre-, post test through 163 single parents and their children and it was analyzed by paired t-test. The results suggested that the program was effective in improving self-esteem, satisfaction of life and communication. Several programs for single-parent families using on-line or off-line were analyzed and more effective alternatives were proposed. For improving of wellbeing of single-parent families, the welfare system must be changed to cooperation with other institutions and systematic information service network.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.147-160
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• 2015

This study analyzed the differences in adjustment and family environments of adolescents from three different family structures, using the KCYPS panel 4th wave data from first graders in middle schools. The participants of the study consisted of 1,715 adolescents in two-parent families, 79 adolescents in single-father families, and 113 adolescents in single-mother families. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and ANCOVAs. The findings of this study indicated that adolescents in two-parent families showed a lower level of physical symptoms than those in single-mother families and a lower level of participation in classwork than those in single-father families whereas adolescents in single-father families were more likely to be involved in delinquency than those from the other two family structures. In addition, significant differences were found in family environments including parents' physical health and life satisfaction, family economic status, parenting behaviors, and parents' absence at home after school. Parents in single-mother and single-father families were less healthy physically, showed lower levels of life satisfaction, reported less income, and spent less money for their children, compared to those in two-parent families. With regard to parenting behaviors, single fathers tended to be less warm toward and neglected their children more than single mothers and parents in two-parent families. Adolescents in single-father families were most likely to be left alone at home after school, followed by those in single-mother and two-parent families. The results suggested that specific attention needs to be paid to adolescents from single-father families in order to support their adjustment.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.44
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• pp.346-374
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between suicidal ideation among Korean adolescents and factors such as family conflict, cohesion, organization of family activities, expressiveness, independence, achievement orientation, depression, stress, and support of friends and teachers, according to the individual student's parental type. The study sample consisted of 1908 high school students in the 11th grade from the city of Inchon. The results showed that in both males and females, suicidal ideation was greater in students from single-parent families than two natural-parent families and greater in step-parent families than in single-parent families. As an exploratory study, the analysis of factors influencing suicidal ideation according to parental type showed that the study model accounted for 33.6% for students from two natural-parent families, 42.8% for students from single-parent families and 84.5% for students from step-parent families, of the variance in suicidal ideation. This indicates that the study model is more appropriate for application to students from single-parent and step-parent families. In addition, the study shows that the factors of influence and the way these factors make an influence tended to differ according to parental type. This indicates that in terms of predicting suicidal ideation, it is more effective to study students according to parental type than as a whole. It also indicates that it is ineffective to take the same approach in dealing with suicidal ideation for students with different parental types.

• Journal of Family Relations
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.75-95
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aims to examine a school adjustment trajectory of adolescents from continued single parent families and its associated factors by comparing it to that of adolescents of two-parent families. Methods: We selected 4th grade students from Korean Youth & Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS). Using a multi-level growth modeling, we followed the trajectory of school adjustment until 9th grade and the effects of family income, parenting styles, and academic motivations of adolescents on the intercepts and the slopes. Results: Adolescents' school adjustment were decreased from 4th grade to 7th grade and then increased from 7th to 9th grade. The adolescents of continued single parent families showed a lower school adjustment than those of two parent families and this trend remained constant during the period. The effects of family income, parenting style, and academic motivation were confirmed to explain the gap between the adolescents of single parent and two parent families. Conclusions: The results imply that an earlier intervention is necessary to reduce the gap. We need to offer income support and decent quality of work for single parent family to reduce the economic hardship and also provide parental education that is designed to enhance academic expectations and motivations.