An Analysis of the Effect on Childbirth Will of Married Women

기혼여성의 출산의지에 영향을 미치는 요인 연구

  • Lee, So-Young (Dept. of Family Culture & Consumer Science, Sungshin Women's Univ.)
  • 이소영 (성신여자대학교 가족문화소비자학과)
  • Published : 2008.05.31

Abstract

According to the research taken by the National Statistical Office, the fertility rate of a Korean fertile female is 1.17. This figure is the lowest in the world, and the reduction in the fertility rate over the last 30 years was the biggest in the world. It can be seen as a warning alarm about the effects of a low birth rate and a silver society. Assuming that there are several factors involved in this phenomenon, this study inquired into the attitude towards children, attitude towards nourishing children, attitude towards sex roles and the harmony between the jobs and families of married females, and examined the factors that influence the willingness to give birth. Final 581 copies of the survey questionnaire were used for analysis and the collected data were analysed by SPSS, Pearson's correlation analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Three main conclusions were reached: Firstly, the value variables, such as sex-role attitudes and the preference for work or home, affect the willingness to give birth. Therefore, it can be said that one's values have a significant effect on these variables and the willingness to give birth. Secondly, both working morns and housewives have a strong tendency to give a birth if they are supported on child rearing. Finally, the employment of the married women itself can be a variable that can affect childbirth. In other words, the working hours affect employed married women so as sex-role attitudes, the preference between work and home, ideal number of children, and the income to housewives. Also, even in whole married women, the employment itself can be a major factor of the willingness to have a baby. Therefore, unemployed married women have more of a tendency to have children than employed married women.

Keywords