Analysis of Domestic Research Trends Pertaining to Children of Divorced Families

Abstract

This study examined the trends of domestic academic research on children of divorced families by classifying them by period, method, target, and subject. From 2000 to 2022, 105 papers published in 58 journals were surveyed. In terms of research methods, quantitative research was conducted using questionnaires and panel data. The subjects of the reviewed studies were mainly elementary school children, and there were many studies on both divorced single mother and child families as well as divorced single father and child families. By analyzing the core subjects of the study, papers related to children's personal adaptation accounted for the largest proportion, followed by problematic behaviors, psychological difficulties, such as depression and stress, and relationships. In conclusion, due to the high divorce rate in Korea there is a need to focus academic attention on the children of divorced families. To this end, it is necessary to study the adaptation and protection factors of the children of divorced families. More qualitative research should be conducted on children of divorced families of various ages, not just elementary school students.