• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.99-116
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influences of family resilience on the self-concept of adopted children in open adoptive families in Korea. The participants of this study consisted of 94 adoptive parents and 113 of their elementary-aged adopted children. The findings of this study were as follows. First, the family resilience level of open adoptive families was 2.91 out of 4 full points. Second, the self-concept of adopted children in elementary school showed significantly higher scores than a norm group. Finally, the socio-demographic characteristics and adoption related factors did not significantly influence the self-concept of adopted children. Only the organization patterns of family resilience positively affected the self-concept of adopted children.

• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• no.23
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• pp.71-102
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to understand the meaning of being adopted that adopted children have experienced. To achieve this purpose, researchers contacted adopted children and adoptive parents, collected data through in-depth interview and document, and analysed these data using case study approach. 23 adopted children over three ages and their parents were interviewed for this study. Participants were classified into three groups(3~5 ages, 6 ages, over 7 ages) based on their age. Researchers investigated the changes of the meaning of being adopted by age. The major findings were follows: First, the meaning of being adopted that adopted children have experienced was changed from 6 ages. Second, this study analyzed that the meaning of being adopted was love born by heart at 3~5 ages, inevitable grief at 6 ages and first step of adoptive person over 7 ages. Based on the findings, this study suggested practice guidelines to help adoptive children and their family.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.69 no.3
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• pp.141-164
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to understand the school achievement of domestic adopted children in Korea and its related factors. Although the developmental outcomes of domestic adopted children were the focus of research interests, their school achievement has never been fully addressed in Korea. The subsample (9-17 years old) of 5th wave data of was used for the analysis. The results showed that the school achievement level of domestic adopted children was not significantly different from their non-adopted peers during elementary school years except the mathematics, but changed drastically after they entered the middle school, showing significantly lower level from their non-adopted peers. Factors related with the overall school achievement were the level of school, maternal education, age at adoption, child's self-esteem and school adjustment. For specific subject, however, significant factors were found to be somewhat different. Based on the results of the study, the practical guidelines to improve the school achievement of adopted children were suggested. Also, suggestions for the following studies were made.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.157-174
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• 2008

This study used the person-oriented approach to explore differences in narrative representations of 97 4-, 5- and 6-year old children (30 foster care, 40 biological family, 17 adopted). Using the MacArthur Story Stem Battery (Bretherton et al., 1990), observations were made to obtain children's narrative representations of content themes and performances. Descriptive statistics, ANOV A and hierarchical cluster analyses were performed. The results of this study were that : (1) Biological family children showed more empathy/helping representations. Foster care children and adopted children showed more anxious representations, and foster care children showed more dysregulated aggression. (2) Four clusters of foster care and adopted children and five clusters of family biological children were found.

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

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.410-416
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• 2009

In Korea, overseas adoption has been practiced for more than 50 years. Initially, overseas adoption began with the objective to provide permanent homes for Korean war orphans, including mixed-blood children. From 1953 to 2007, about 160,000 Korean children were placed worldwide through overseas adoption and approximately 70,000 children were adopted in Korea. During that period, Korea developed into one of leading industrial countries in the world and the family norms changed dramatically. Since 1989, the Korean government has made diverse efforts to increase domestic adoptions and to support adopted families through the revisions to Korea's Child Welfare Law. However, it is not enough to reduce overseas adoptions rapidly because the Korean government's economic support for adopted families is not adequate and Korean sentiments regarding adoption have not changed. Being an international adoptee is a unique experience, involving dissimilarities of race, ethnicity, and culture. Clearly, it is very important for us to focus on placing Korean children in the best possible environment. Therefore, Korea must make diverse efforts to reduce overseas adoptions and to encourage domestic adoption. First, Korean society has to try to reduce the number of children who need out-of-home care. Second, the Korean government and people should make an effort to increase domestic adoptions, including adoptions of disabled and older children. Finally, the Korean government and adoption agencies have to provide professional pre-adoption and post-adoption services for international adoptees and adoptive parents.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1034-1046
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• 2009

Based upon literature survey, this research aims to analyze western children's clothing and characteristics over centuries. It was not until the 18th century that children were given serious consideration and that fabrication of clothing began to be designed only for children. The very first clothes which revolutionized children's wear was 'a la matelot' in the 18th century which freed children from physical restriction, recognized gender difference, and sailor suit became popular among all sexes and adopted as school uniform. And then children's clothing was shortened in length and adopted tubular silhouette, which allowed greater comfort and movement. The 20th century saw children's wear reform to be carried out after the World War II due to invention of synthetic fiber, easy care dress material, mass production system and sophistication of marketing methods. Further evidence of improvement of children's social status can be found in contemporary designs: for example, 'casualized' wear, 'character design' which reflects children's psychology and 'family look' which is designed to be worn with mothers. This evolution of children's clothing within western dressing support the view that children's clothing is not a miniature of adult wear but it reflects idiosyncrasies of the era and exerts children's dignity.

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

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.400-413
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of informational intervention on postoperative pain following tonsillectomy in children. This study was performed on 30 children, aged 5-15 years, undergoing tonsillectomy and their parents by providing informational intervention with colored figure; operation procedure and information. Pain assessment was done by Pain Questionnaire. The results from this study were as follows : 1. Children in experimental group with mean 16.07 had lower pain scores than control group with mean 14.87 at 4th hours after operation(p<0.05). It showed 'significant difference' and first hypothesis was adopted. 2. Children in experimental group with mean 20.60 had lower pain scores than control group with mean 17.27 at 8th hours after operation(p<0.05). It showed 'significant difference' and second hypothesis was adopted. 3. Children in experimental group with mean 28.80 had lower pain scores than control group with mean 25.70 at 24th hours after operation(p<0.05). It showed 'significant difference' and third hypothesis was adopted. 4. When we analyzed the time difference and difference between two groups simultaneously by repeated measure ANOVA, the significant difference was not found. And so 'the experiential group with operation-related information will show the lower pain sense than the control group just as the time flows after operation', fourth hypothesis was rejected. Generally, it was found that providing information about operation to children and their parents reduced effectively postoperative pain in children, but in clinical settings there are minimum preoperative information-providing because of insufficient time and inconvenience although nursing staffs and patients know its needs. Conclusionally providing preoperative information should help children and their parents cope with Pre, Peri and Post operative events effectively.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.69-98
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychosocial adjustment level of adopted children in non-traditional adoption of Korea and to verify the variables which influence their psychosocial adjustment. Moreover, this study concentrates on the parenting style of an adoptive mother and the openness of communication between the adoptive mother and her adopted child. And, six control variables which are individual characteristics of the adopted child and his(her) adoptive mother were utilized. The participants of the this research consisted of 61 adopted children in non-traditional adoption of Korea aged six and above and their adoptive mothers of 61. Door-to-door surveys for data collection were conducted nationally from December of 2007 to February of 2008. As the results of this study, out of 6 behavior problem variables, the adopted child showed the highest points in immaturely dependence, and their social competence was verified to be good. The psychosocial adjustment of the adopted children in non-traditional adoption of Korea showed meaningful differences according to the warmhearted parenting style of the adoptive mother, the openness of adoptive mother-adoptee's communication on both general and adoption related issues, and control variables. It was also verified that the warm-heartedness and the respect for autonomy of adoptive mother's parenting style, openness of adoptive mother-adoptee's general communication, and five control variables were the important variables influencing the psychosocial adjustment of the adopted child in non-traditional adoption of Korea. Accordingly, the adoptive parents' education of parenting for adopted child should be required more professional and individual approach at the adoption practice of Korea.