Date of Award:

5-1995

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Department name when degree awarded

Family and Human Development

Committee Chair(s)

Jay D. Schvaneveldt

Committee

Jay D. Schvaneveldt

Committee

Miller

Committee

Austin

Committee

Lindauer

Committee

Kim

Committee

Thomas Lee

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate Korean-American families' beliefs about child development and their child-care practices. Questionnaires were distributed and mailed to wives of Korean-American dual-earner families residing in Utah with young children. Incorporated measures were the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA), Maternal Expectations of Child Development, questions on the type of child care and its quality, and the Child Care Satisfaction Scale (CCSS). Seventy-three mothers filled out the questionnaire for 104 children's child-care situations.

Results showed that Korean-American mothers were moderately acculturated and held both American and Korean values concerning the growth and development of children. There were consistent relationships among the type of child care, mothers' quality rating, and maternal satisfaction, as they relate to family characteristics. That is, the child's age, family income, and the availability of relatives were factors related to the type of child care. Korean-American mothers considered educational activities or learning opportunities as important factors in child care and gave higher ratings to center care than they gave to relative or neighbor care. Also, maternal satisfaction with the care arrangements was positively related to their ratings of quality.

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