미혼 남성 사무종사자들의 자녀가치인식에 관한 질적 연구

초록

The purpose of this study was to investigate single male workers’ perception of the value of children and to fulfill research in terms of the relationships between SMWs and their individual and social experiences/opinions on rearing a child in Korea. The researcher interviewed 4 different SMWs who were qualified to participate as a worker based on the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations (KSCO). Each participant was individually interviewed 2-3 times with deliberated questions for collecting data. The results of this study show that SMWs equally considered the value of children in both positive and negative ways. According to the data, SMWs appeared to have individual benefits and difficulties, including ‘Emotional burden of sacrificing their life as being a father’, ‘Waiting their own time’, and ‘Wishing to meet higher expectations despite the poor environment’. In addition, results showed that SMWs also have social benefits and difficulties, including ‘Expanding economic and mental burden after birth’, ‘Difficulties in controlling educational expenses’, and ‘Preferring to spend more time for leisure activities and socializing with others’. Based on the results of the interviews, the awareness of value of children was possibly formed by the fathers’ social and individual experiences/opinions. The findings of this study provide fundamental data for reducing the problem of low fertility and also consolidate the needs of education to help SMWs to have positive perceptions of the value of children.

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