세대간 지원교환의 형태와 노인들의 생활만족도

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

In this study, we addressed the issue of quality of life of the Korean elderly today by investigating the relationship between the patterns of support exchange across generations and the subjective well-being of the elderly measured by the overall life satisfaction index. Relying on equity or exchange theory, we formulated hypotheses: in contrast to the elderly who only receiving, the elderly who both give and receive are more satisfied with life while the elderly who only give or the elderly who do not exchange any support with their children are less satisfied. The multiple regression analysis based on Survey of Living Environment and the Quality of Life of the Korean Elderly in 1997(n=1,056) appear to support these hypotheses as a whole. The finding that the balanced exchange relation between generations is an crucial aspect of subjective well being of the elderly in Korea suggests that becoming only receiver of support from their children without being able to reciprocate may lead to depressed affect, although the elderly parents developed social credit from past contribution to their children and the filial piety dictates that the elderly parents should be cared for regardless of their ability to compensate the support received. This finding may imply the transition of intergenerational relations from the unidirectional one with the elderly parents being in the position of receiving to the bi-directional one which emphasizes mutual care and assistance.