The influence of Korean mothers’ marital conflict on follow-up childbirth plan: the mediating effect of social support and value of children

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the structural relationships between Korean mothers’ marital conflict, social support, value of children, and follow-up childbirth plan. It also examined the mediating influence of social support and value of children on these relationships. A structural equation model analysis was performed on 1,285 mothers’ survey responses from the 2015 Korean Children Panel Study. The results showed that, first, marital conflict directly influenced social support and value of children. Second, social support and value of children directly affected follow-up childbirth plan. Third, marital conflict not only directly influenced follow-up childbirth plan, but also indirectly affected it through social support and value of children. This study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the influence of marital conflict on follow-up childbirth plan mediated by social support and value of children.

KEYWORDS:

• Marital conflict
• social support
• value of children
• follow-up childbirth plan

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributor

Min Kyung Ha majored in early childhood education. Min Kyung Ha is currently teaching students at the university. The field of research are low birth rate and problem behavior of children.

ORCID

Min Kyung Ha http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2553-0476

Notes

1 Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The TFR is an international index of the level of births, that shows the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime.