This study was motivated from the proposition that readiness for self-sufficiency is important for future independent life of poor adolescents. This study focused on analyzing the effect of empowerment as a mediator as well as analyzing the effects of...
This study was motivated from the proposition that readiness for self-sufficiency is important for future independent life of poor adolescents. This study focused on analyzing the effect of empowerment as a mediator as well as analyzing the effects of predictive factors of readiness for their self-sufficiency. In examining the mediator effect of empowerment, its total effect was examined and its sub-category effects(intrapersonal, interpersonal, and sociopolitical empowerment) were also examined.
As predictors on adolescents readiness for self-sufficiency, future plan, family relations, peer relations, academic performance, recognition of financial situation, experience of violence, use of vocational training, and use of social welfare services were included. Readiness for self-sufficiency was operationalized to include multiple dimensions of sociability, readiness for job, values concerning the career, life management, and will for self-sufficiency. For conducting this study, a survey method was used on 240 poor adolescents residing in Seoul. In order to measure empowerment, intrapersonal empowerment scale, interpersonal empowerment scale, and socio-political empowerment scale were used. For measuring readiness for self-sufficiency, sociability scale, attitude toward job scale, job preparation scale, life management scale, and scale about willingness for self-sufficiency were used. The descriptive statistical analyses were used to show distributions and characteristics of variables and relationships. The hypotheses were examined by structural equation modeling using AMOS 4.0.
This study had the following results.
First, in the model using total empowerment score, statistically significant factors that directly influenced readiness for self-sufficiency were use of social welfare services and experience of violence. In variable of violence, the number of kinds of violence experienced by the adolescents was inversely related to preparation for self-sufficiency. Statistically significant factors that influenced readiness for self-sufficiency through the mediator effect of total empowerment were future plan, family relations, peer relations, academic performance, and participation in social organizations. Such results confirmed that there are mediator effects by empowerment between those independent factors and adolescents readiness for self-sufficiency. Second, in the comparison of the model fitness among the sub-categories of empowerment, it was shown that interpersonal empowerment model has the highest model fit score; thus, this model had relatively many statistically significant relationships among those independent variables, mediator, and dependent variable.
Third, in the intrapersonal empowerment model, statistically significant variables that directly influenced preparation for self-sufficiency were use of social welfare service and participation in social organization. Statistically significant variables that had effects on readiness for self-sufficiency through intrapersonal empowerment were family relations, peer relations, and academic performance. In the relationships, family relations, peer relations, and academic performance had a positive influence on readiness for self-sufficiency through empowerment. It confirmed the mediator effect of empowerment between those variables and adolescents readiness.
Fourth, in interpersonal empowerment model, statistically significant variables that had direct influence on readiness were use of social welfare service and experience of violence, which was identical to the result obtained from the total empowerment model. Statistically significant variables that had effect on preparation for self-sufficiency through interpersonal empowerment were future plan, family relations, peer relations, academic performance, and participation in social organization. The results showed that there are mediator effects through interpersonal empowerment between those variables and adolescents readiness.
Fifth, in sociopolitical empowerment model, recognition of financial situation and use of social welfare service were statistically significant variables that had direct influence on the readiness for self-sufficiency. It was found that recognition variable about financial situation of ones family have a direct effect only in sociopolitical empowerment model. And statistically significant variables that had an indirect effect on adolescents readiness through sociopolitical empowerment were future plan, family relations, peer relations, academic performance, and participation in social organization. This result showed that there are mediator effects through sociopolitical empowerment between those variables and adolescents readiness.
In summary, this study showed that the above-described variables influence adolescents readiness for self-sufficiency through empowerment. Such results provided knowledge foundations for diverse social work approaches related to promoting empowerment. Specifically, this study shows that diverse social services are necessary for promoting poor adolescents readiness and social work interventions are necessary for strengthening adolescents empowerment. This study had a lot of discussions about the findings and implications. This study contributed to the development of scales such as readiness for self-sufficiency scale and empowerment scale as well as the development of knowledge about phenomenon related to empowerment.