• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.39-47
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• 2002

This study analyses young adults'perceptions of the meanings and motivations of parenthood. It also verifies the relationship between the meanings and motivations of parenthood by young adults. The sample population included 311 university students. Our findings show that young adults perceived parenthood variously as a personal lifestyle, and as an statement of social maturation and sound mind and of marital satisfaction. There were no differences by gender in their perceptions on the meaning of parenthood. As for the motivation to become parents, strengthening biological family ties, traditional norms, emotional and altruistic reasons, deepening marital bonds, and perpetuating one's self through the passing on of genes. Among these, altruistic-emotional motivation and marital cohesion were stronger than other motivations. Finally, we provide recommendations for future research.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.205-221
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of father involvement, marital happiness and conflicts, and meanings of parenthood on maternal parenting stress and compare the relative importance of those variables in three (low, middle, and upper) income groups. The subjects of this study were 654 nuclear families which consisted of 3 family members, couple and their infant children aged between 4 months and 10 months. Data was taken from the 2008 Panel Data of Korean Children. The results of this study were as follows : First, maternal parenting stress, father involvement, mother's marital satisfaction and conflicts were statistically significant according to income levels. Second, mother's marital satisfaction was the most significant variable in predicting father involvement, and mother's marital conflict was the most significant one in predicting maternal parenting stress. Third, the significance and numbers of variables which were impacted upon maternal parenting stress and father involvement varied according to income groups. Fourth, in all three income groups, the effects of father involvement on maternal parenting stress was not significant when marital relationship and meanings of parenthood underwent in regression analysis. However, father involvement was impacted upon maternal parenting stress by itself.

• Journal of Family Relations
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-98
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore perceived meanings of dating and marriage among well-educated Korean couples who were in optimal marriageable ages. Particularly, an emphasis was placed on finding out where the traditional gender norms and post-modern contexts intersect on the couples' course of dating and marriage. Method: We undertook a qualitative analysis of 8 couples (age: 26-34) dating. Participants were limited to university graduates of upper-middle rank universities in Seoul, South Korea. The rationale for choosing such sample was based on the idea that characteristics of class is inherent in the act of dating and marriage, and that such characteristics lead to different contextual experiences in dating and marriage. This study was based on interviews conducted over a three-month time span. The interviews were first transcribed into research text and then subjects and key categories were drawn from the transcripts for analysis. Results: Participants sought meanings of joy, learning, and self-improvement in dating, and they were free from traditional gender norms in their romantic relationships. They viewed marriage as having a permanent companionship with their partner, becoming independent from their parents, and/or a social norm to be followed. Participants reported mixed perceptions about marriage in such fashion that they described their parents' relationship in terms of a gendered leader-supporter relationship, while viewing their own relationship as being genderless partners. In transition to parenthood, however, they regressed to traditional gender norms dichotomized as women being a homemaker and men being a breadwinner. In sum, participants displayed expectations that were inconsistent with regard to dating and marriage over the study period. That is, during the course of dating and early marriage, they did not hold separated gender norms; however, when transitioning from being a newly married couple to giving their first childbirth, expectations shifted to traditional gender norms and values. Conclusion: This suggests that it is not marriage, but the experience of childbirth and motherhood, which strengthen traditional gendered norms, engendering regeneration of the gender norms in families. The results indicate that there is a need to promote co-parenting behavior among the newly-married couples and to educate gender equality about parent roles or for parents in South Korea so that they can overcome traditional gendered norms in family.