한국사회 노년 후기 여성의 삶의 재평가와 자아통합

초록

The aim of the present study is at examining how the oldest old in Korea see their whole life,which is expected to provide a frame with which the aged like participants can reevaluate their own life and to produce findings of service to the younger generation in understanding the old. As participants, sixteen Korean women aged 75 or older were interviewed on the basis of semi-structured questionnaire, being asked to recollect their whole life. Data analysis, which was based on a phenomenological research method, indicated that four themes were derived from four evaluation areas for a child and adolescent period, five themes from four evaluation areas for adulthood, and eight themes from seven evaluation areas for old age. Further, most of participants rated their life high and accepted their past life positively despite general conditions in adversity. Children and religion were those elements making participants' life meaningful. They also had acceptive attitudes toward death with a hope that their life would not be a burden to their children. These findings were discussed in a developmental and cultural perspective.

키워드