조부모의 학령 초기 손자녀 대리양육 경험에 관한 질적 연구

• Published in: Korean Journal of child studies Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 185 - 203
• Main Authors: 송승민(Seung-Min Song), 이운경(Woon Kyung Lee), 이윤형(Yoon Hyung Lee), 강현아(Hyunah Kang), 김은혜(Eun Hye Kim), 강하라(Hyunah Kang)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 한국아동학회 2017
• Subjects: child-rearing experience; kinship foster care; grandparents raising grandchildren; qualitative research; primary-grade
• ISSN: 1226-1688; 2234-408X

Objective: The present study examined the perspectives of grandparents raising their grandchildren in an attempt to better understand grandparents' child-rearing experience while providing kinship foster care to their primary-grade grandchildren. Methods: Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with eight grandparents who have raised one or two primary-grade (ages 8-10) grandchildren using a qualitative approach. Results: First, the participants viewed the reason for their kinship foster care as a failure for caring for their own children and accepted the present grandparent-care provision as their responsibility. Second, the participants communicated constant struggles with their own health and grandchild-care as well as positive/negative emotions associated with the care provision. Third, most of the participants did not fully understand the developmental needs of their primary-grade grandchildren. Fourth, the participants articulated concerns for their primary-grade grandchildren's learning, peer interactions, school adjustment, and extra-curricular activities. Lastly, the participants all agreed on hoping to raise grandchildren with good personality traits as members of a society and to have them fill the gap from the loss of their parents. Conclusion: Although most participants accepted the current circumstances as their obligation, they still noted difficulties in child-care provision. Given the developmental needs of grandchildren and the resource needs of grandparents, proper and continuous intervention approaches should be developed/provided.