AUTHOR : 임춘희
INFORMATION : page. 19~64 / 2011 Vol.18 No.1
This study sought to investigate the family strength levels of multi-child families based on the perception of couples and individuals having three or more children. Multi-child families can be seen as actual contributors to the ongoing problem of the low birth rate in South Korea. 21 a multi-child family members, defined as adults having three or more children, were interviewed in-depth for the purposes of this study. The data thus collected were analyzed through categorization by qualitative analysis, based on Grounded theory. The main results of this investigation revealed that the participants did their utmost to maintain or reinforce their family strengths by means of ‘positive thinking’, ‘strong marital solidarity’, ‘family time and activity’, ‘effective time management’, ‘learning and practice of good parenting’. This study further revealed that couples and individuals having three or more children perceived family strengths positively both as a family and as a couple in a variety of ways and made a greater effort to maintain their family strengths. Regardless of social economic family status and regardless of family type, the multi-child family members in this study expressed satisfaction and happiness which they attributed to having three or more children. The participants in this study perceived the strengths of multi-child family in many ways as follows: ‘Happiness from children’, ‘satisfaction with family life’, ‘decrease of parenting role stress’. ‘closeness of marital relationship’, ‘family solidarity’. Respondents also perceived a great many strengths derived from thier role as a couple in multi-child families, ranging from ‘strong couple solidarity’ to ‘appreciation and trust in one's partner,’ ‘marital stability’, and a ‘couple-oriented life style’. Couples and individuals reported a great many positive changes after having three or more children, including an ‘increase in family responsibility and commitment’, ‘positive self-concept’ and ‘mental stability’. In contemporary Korean society, people tend to think that childbearing and child-rearing is a very difficult, distressing period which is also a major drain on both time and money so having three or more children has become an unwelcoming burden. Additionally, there is a strong tendency to view childbearing and child-rearing in mostly economic terms. However, unexpectedly, families having three or more children exhibited very positive perceptions in relation to their family life and reported a great many family strengths as a result. Key words : multi-child family, family strengths, strong family, strengths of multi-child family
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