The Relationships between Sex-Role Identity and the Meaning in Life for a Matriarch / 여성건강간호학회지

The purposes of this study were to understand the sex role identity and the meaning in life(MIL) of matriarchs and analyze their relationships to offer basic data for effective nursing strategies for improving MIL. The data for this study was collected from the 10th of August to the 30th of November, 2000. The subjects were women registered in an occupational training program for unemployed matriarchs which is held in the Working Women's Center in Busan. The measurement tools of this study were MIL(unpublished)developed by researchers and sex role inventory designed by Kim Deuk Ran(1992). The results of this study were as follows: 1.Sex role identities of matriarchs were feminity 13.7%, masculinity 13.4%, androgyny 37.8% and undifferentiated 35.1%. 2. The mean MIL for matriarchs was 173.46+/-16.09. 3. The levels of MIL were 57.2% of the subjects felt a loss of meaning in life, i. e. existential vacuum, 42.8% were in pursuit of meaning but had not discovered it completely and 6.0% felt they had established meaning in life. 4.There were significant differences in MIL levels, concurrent to 4 types of sex role identities(F=11.93, P=.000). And according to Scheffe's post test, between feminity and masculinity, feminity and androgyny, masculinity and the undifferentiated, androgyny and the undifferentiated, there were significant differences. From the results of this study, most matriarchs felt loss of meaning in life, i. e. existential vacuum, and the group with masculine sex role identity had the highest level of MIL. In conclusion, the factors related to masculine sex role identity are necessary to develop nursing strategies for improving levels of MIL.

Development of Meaning in Life Measurement Tool / 간호학회지

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure meaning in life based on Frankl's theory of logotherapy. Data were collected from August to October, 1999 by means of questionnaires developed by researchers. The subjects were 351 adults living in Busan and Kyoung Nam province. The study was conducted as follows: 1) A conceptual framework was identified based on the extensive review of relevant literatures and interviews with adults and professionals in psychology, philosophy, theology, and nursing. 2) The 76 items, 4-points scale were developed. 3) The scale was tested on 351 adults to assess the reliability and validity, and factor analysis was done. 4) 63 items were established based on this testing and ten factors were extracted. These factors were labeled as self-awareness and self-acceptance, futuristic aspiration, valuelessness, purpose in life, contentedness with life, role awareness, experience of love, love in family, commitment, self- transcendence. Cronbach's alpha of the 63 items was .950. Comparative studies to assess construct validity and repetitive studies to heighten generalizability are needed. This tool can be utilized to measure Korean's meaning in life.

A Study on the Meaning in Life of Matriarch ; Q-Methodological Approach / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study is used to investigate and understand types of meaning in life of matriarch. Methods: This study is based on a Q-methodological approach. Thirty nine statements concerning meaning in life were selected. Twenty seven women were chosen as a subject group for this study. Their opinions were shown in 39 statements divided into 9 scales by forced distribution. Results: TypeIwas named "self-transcendental and future- oriented types". In this types a one pursued attitudinal value by religion. Type II was named "Realistic and responsibility fulfilling types". This type pursued creative and experiential value. Type III was named "Encounter and relationship oriented type". This types pursued experiential value. Type IV was named "Realistic self-actualizing type". This types pursued creative value. Type V was named "Altruistic and commitmental types". This type pursued creative, experiential, and attitudinal value. CONCLUSION: Considering the structure of finding the meaning in life of matriarchs, all types had responsibility and self-control in their lives and lived for present however, only typeI lived for the future. It seem necessary to understand each matriarchs meaning in life and nursing needs to develop appropriate nursing interventions based on the type matriarch she is.

The Development and Effect of a Group Counseling Program for Unemployed Matriarchs / 간호학회지

This study was designed to develop a program for unemployed matriarchs and show if the program affected their view on the meaning in life. The subjects were women registered in an occupational training program for unemployed matriarchs, which is being practiced in the 'Working Women Center' located in Busan. The researchers selected 44 persons from the group who agreed to our program. This study was done from the 10th of March, 1999 to the 9th of October. The researchers used the measurement tools, The Purpose in Life, Self-esteem, Hope and Meaning in Life which was composed of 63 items developed by them. Their Cronbach's alpha were .88, .79, .76 and .95. The researchers analyzed the data with frequency, percentage, Mean, S.D, Wilcoxon signed ranks test which were deduced from SPSS 10.0 WIN program. The results of this study were as follows: 1) The program is composed of 'becoming intimate', 'open-minded', 'exploration on self', 'relax of repressed emotion', 'self- acceptance', 'establishing the life-goal', 'enrichment of human relationship' and closing. It took 20 hours for this program to come into practice. 2) According to the analysis of the general traits of all subjects, average age was 39.36. High school graduates were 86%, college graduates were 14% and divorce were 57%, bereavement were 18%, and the rest were 25%. 3) The result of 1st progam showed self-esteem during the program was high. 4) The result of 2nd progam showed self-esteem during the program was high. 5) The result of 3rd progam showed the sum scores of meaning in life, creative meaning, and attitudinal meaning during the program was high. 6) The result of 4th progam showed the sum scores of meaning in life and creative meaning during the program was high. On the viewpoint of above results, we convinced that 'a program for unemployed matriarch is effective to establish a stronger meaning in life. Therefore, it is demanded that support for unemployed matriarchs should not only be economic help such as technical training and help of living expenses, but also psychological, professional and systematic support.