• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.105-123
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a child's demographic variables and maternal perceptions of the conditions of happiness on their happiness for mothers. The participants of this study comprised 916 mothers of young children, school-aged children, and adolescents. The results revealed that a child's age and the numbers of children influenced maternal happiness when mothers' demographic variables were controlled. In addition, mothers who exhibited high degree of need in terms of the conditions of happiness regarding existence, relatedness, and growth were more likely to be happy than mothers who exhibited low degree of needs. Finally, the expectations regarding growth, which refers to the pursuit of self-accomplishment and meaning, was the most important predictor of maternal happiness. These findings have implications for parent education programs for mothers of young children, school-aged children, and adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.69-89
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in maternal perceptions of mothers in regards to the conditions of happiness across the life-cycles of their children. The participants consisted of a total of 961 women who were the mothers of preschool children, school aged children, and adolescents. The mothers completed a questionnaire on the perceptions of the conditions of happiness which consisted of a total of 56 items. The results of this study revealed that mothers in their 20's and 30's, with high levels of education, and on high incomes were more likely to have high expectations regarding most of the conditions of happiness compared to mothers in their 40's and 50's, with lower levels of education, and on low incomes. In addition, the results further revealed that mothers perceived that 'children grow up well and healthy' as being the most important factor in their happiness regardless of the life cycles of their children. In particular, mothers with younger children tended to give greater priority to a close mother-child relationship in their happiness. However, when mothers' demographic variables were controlled, there were no differences in maternal perceptions of the conditions of happiness across the life-cycles of their children. The implications of parent education and the directions of following research were also discussed.