The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of parent-child bonding of children in institutional care on peer relationship through self-esteem and depression and to verify mediating effect of self-esteem and depression on the factor impacting p...
The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of parent-child bonding of children in institutional care on peer relationship through self-esteem and depression and to verify mediating effect of self-esteem and depression on the factor impacting peer relationship of children in institutional care.
The research questions set for this study are as follows.
First, does parent-child bonding of children in institutional care make an impact on their self-esteem and depression?
Second, dose parent-child bonding of children in institutional care make an impact on peer relationship through self-esteem and depression?
To analyze above research questions empirically, 50 child care facilities located in Metropolitan and Gyeonggi area were selected, and data were collected from 301 elementary students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grade. For screening, the experience with family of origin of children in institutional care was coded as 'Not Applicable 0', and only selecting children in institutional care who have an experience of parent-child bonding with family of origin, the impact of parent-child bonding on peer relationship through self-esteem and depression was analyzed.
Using SPSS 18.0 program and AMOS 20.0 program, after measuring each theoretical variable and reviewing basic statistics and normality assumption of these variables, confirmatory factor analysis was performed. To verify the theoretical model between relevant variables, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied, and after evaluating the goodness of fit of the structural model, analysis verifying causal relationship of the study model was conducted.
The results identified in this study can be summarized as follows.
First, the impact of parent-child bonding of children in institutional care on self-esteem and depression was not significant.
Second, self-esteem of children in institutional care made a significant impact positively on peer-relationship.
Third, depression of children in institutional care made a significant impact negatively on peer relationship.
Fourth, when considering the goodness of fit of the model and factor loadings through confirmatory factor analysis, it was revealed that latent factors of parent-child bonding, self-esteem, depression, and peer relationship were explained appropriately by measured variables.
Fifth, as a result of analyzing the structural equation model for causality analysis, it was found that parent-child bonding did not make an impact on peer relationship through self-esteem and depression of children. The impact of parent-child relationship through depression and self-esteem was not significant. However, self-esteem and depression made a significant impact on peer-relationship.
In conclusion, parent-child bonding of children in institutional care did not show a significant result on peer relationship having self-esteem and depression of children as a mediator. However, self-esteem and depression variables of children in institutional care made a significant impact on peer relationship. As a result of this study, it was found that children's peer relationship could be developed through self-esteem and depression of children in institutional care. Therefore, to help development of children's peer relationship, continuous insight on parent-child bonding along with psychological characteristics such as children's self-esteem and depression, and political and practical interventions and efforts that can help the development of children's psychosocial adaptation are required.