Childrearing Practices Perceived as Overprotective Behaviors for First to Third Grade Levels of Elementary School: Focused on Cognition of the Guardians

Abstract

This study explored mothers` and grandmothers` perception regarding child rearing practices as overprotective behaviors for first to third grade levels of elementary school. The study was conducted on 202 mothers and grandmothers of first to third grade elementary school students. Questionnaires were made with 40 questions on overprotection behaviors selected from the existing questions for preschooler, high grade elementary students, and youth. The questionnaires were distributed to target subjects to answer how they would perceive when each of question is applied to their lower grade elementary students. Based on the collected responses and the factor analysis, it was found out that the overprotective behaviors were classified into four factors such as “reduction in independence,” “over-sensitiveness to safety,” “interference in daily life,” and “health anxiety.” There were significant differences in the perception of the overprotective behavior by the subjects depending on the generations, features of children and mothers. This study focused on the lower grade elementary school students who have been removed from studies due to the lack of intervention measures. It has the implication in that the findings of the study can give the basic data for the development of the scale on overprotective behaviors in lower grade elementary school students.