중증장애인부부의 결혼생활경험에 대한 생애사 연구

Marriage Experiences of Severely Disabled Couple - Based on a Biographical Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the marriage experiences of the severely disabled couple. The qualitative research, expecially biographical methodology approach was adopted to analyze the severely disabled couple’s marriage life. Participants were two pairs of severly disabled couples who have been married for more than 10 years. Interviews with the participants were conducted 5 to 6 times per participant, 2 to 3 hours per session in the welfare center program room and their home. Three questions based on the biographical analysis framework of Mandelbaum(1973) were studied. As results, in the marriage experience of severely disabled couple, the area of life was derived from ‘religion’, ‘social services’, ‘poverty’, ‘social relations’ and ‘individual activities’. Turning point of marriage came out as ‘spousal selection depend on pity each other’, ‘childbirth and parenting’, ‘meeting the need for relationship’, ‘policy improvement’. Finally, adaptation showed ‘thank you now’, ‘embrace me and my spouse’, and ‘going one step further’. Understanding of spouse disability led to gratitude of life and marital satisfaction. There has been an attempt to solve various disillusions that have been abandoned due to disability since middle age, and actively participate in social activities, such as arts and cultural educations. Based on these results, some implications for the practical understanding and supporting directions were discussed.