초등 전환기 아동의 행복감 변화 양상 분석

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the change in children’s happiness during the transition to elementary school and to identify the preschool factors in relation to children and parents. Methods The 7th (seven-year-old) and 8th (eight-year-old) year data(N=1,469) of the Panel Study on Korean Children(PSKC) were analyzed. Results The results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, children’s happiness level decreased significantly during the transition to elementary school. Second, the patterns of change in children’s happiness were classified into high-maintenance, low-to-high, extreme high-to-low, low-maintenance, and high-to-low. Third, the aspects of an individual child’s school readiness, social skills, parent’s parenting behavior, and interaction with children were significantly among clusters. Specifically, school readiness was significantly higher in high-maintenance or low-to-high than in extreme high-to-low; social skill was higher in high-maintenance than in extreme high-to-low. Children in groups of high-maintenance or low-to-high or high-to-low had higher levels of affective parenting in preschool period compared to that of extreme high-to-low. High-maintenance children were higher in positive parent interaction. Conclusions This study provides theoretical rationale of individualized intervention approach that would support children’s happiness during the transition to elementary school.