• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• no.53
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• pp.117-159
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• 2016

This is a case study with the objectives of performing an in-depth investigation of the development process, outcome, and the factors related to the development process of Jinggomdari-the self-help group for divorced single parents at Wolgye social welfare center. Document review, in-depth interviews of the member/practitioner/middle manager, and participatory observations were performed and qualitatively analyzed. The results showed that the development process of Jinggomdari consisted of 4 phases including initiation, formation of basis, growth, and expansion/independence. Two categories including 'nurturing abilities and growth as an individual or within families or communities' and 'beyond Jinggomdari, into society', 6 subcategories, and 31 concepts were derived as the outcome. In terms of the factors related to the development process and outcome, 6 categories including 'members participating with sympathy despite various issues', 'outstanding and stabilized leadership', 'commitment of the practitioners showing utmost efforts despite shortcomings', 'effective functions as the hub supporting the low-income divorced single parents families based on the institution's firm determination', 'mixed group showing cautious but synergistic effects', 'dilemma of managing the low-income divorced single parents self-help group and lack of manual for management', 20 subcategories, and 61 concepts were derived. Management issues concerning low-income divorced single parents' self-help group was discussed based on these results.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.17-43
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• 2011

With a substantial rise in divorce rates since the mid 1990s, single-parent households are increasing rapidly in Korea. Often it is believed that children in single-mother households suffer the most economically and socially with the marital disruption of the parents. This study hypothesizes that in Korea the socioeconomic status of single-father households may be lower than that of single-mother households mainly because low-income divorced women are not able to form their own households with children. The analysis is based on two sub-samples from the 2% sample of the 2005 Census, one, with children 12 years old or younger and, the other, with divorced mothers of children of the same ages. The findings support the hypothesis that previously-married single fathers show the lowest educational and occupational status among 6 groups of parents: fathers and mothers from two-parent families, fathers and mothers from married but spouse-absent families, and previously-married single fathers and mothers. Divorced mothers'likelihood of living apart from their children has a strong negative association with their educational attainment, with the highest likelihood among women of middle school or lower education and the lowest likelihood among women with college education. Although single mothers comprise a larger percentage of single-parent households, single-father households demonstrate a particular vulnerability with their weak socioeconomic status.