Abstract:

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of involvement in Father School of generativity and life satisfaction of middle and old aged men. In this study, different levels of generativity-related factors between those who participated in Father School program and who did not were examined and generativity and life satisfaction model was adopted in order to compare these two groups. Among 279 middle and old aged respondents, 159 men participated in Father School, and 120 men did not. Data was analyzed using t-test, correlation test, and path analysis. The results of this study were as follows:

First, the comparison of demographic variables has found no difference between these two different groups. However, generativity and life satisfaction levels of marital relationship were measured and the satisfactory of the group who participate was higher than those who did not.

Next, the related factors of participation in Father School were marital relationship, volunteer work, and life satisfaction and those who participated in Father School tended to participate more in volunteer work. Marital relationship had a positive relationship with father-child relationship, informal support, volunteer work, generativity, and life satisfaction. Apart from participation in Father School, educational background, monthly income, marital relationship were also associated with volunteer work. Generativitiy was related with positive effects on educational background, monthly income, marital relationship, and informal support. Life satisfaction was not only associated with participation in Father School, but educational background, monthly income, marital relationship, informal support, volunteer work, and generativity.

Lastly, the generativity and life satisfaction models between the two groups were different. Unlike the non-participating group, the negative effect of aging of fathers to marital relationships and father-child relationships was not found in the participating group. In non-participating group, higher levels of educational background were associated with better relationship with children and greater generativitiy while higher levels of educational background were associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and more informal support in participating group. Also, in non-participating group, only educational background and informal support influenced the generativity, whereas monthly income and father-child relationship also had effect on generativity in participating group. Informal support was examined not only directly associated with life satisfaction, but also indirectly through generativity.

Based on the results, it has been proved that the Father School program was associated with generativity and life satisfaction of middle and old aged men. Therefore, the comparison study of the generativity and life satisfaction model between the participating group and the non-participating group would form the foundation for providing evidences that re-establish the human-development theory and also provide valuable information regarding development of practical methods as social education for individuals with longer middle and older lives.

Keywords:

Generativity, Life Satisfaction, Father School.