영유아 또래관계 관련 질적연구 동향 분석

An Analysis Of Qualitative Research Trends On The Topic Of Young Children’s Peer Relations In Korea

The study analyzed the qualitative research trends on the topic of young children’s peer relations, focusing on 168 journal articles and doctorate dissertations published in Korea from 1997 to 2020. The results showed that qualitative research on peer relations steadily increased during the 2000s. Major topics included ‘relationship formation process,’ ‘play and play materials,’ and ‘peer interactions.’ An ethnographic approach was most commonly used, and 5 year-olds in regular classrooms were the major research participants. Pilot studies were reported only in 41% of the research articles. Participant observation and interviews were the main methods of data collection. The number of child interviews was only about half of the number of adult interviews, showing the need for methodical efforts to capture children s perspectives. Commonly used data analysis methods were coding and subject/content analysis. Triangulation was most frequently used in order to secure validity and reliability. An increasing endeavor for ethical consideration was shown, although IRB approved research remained rare. Based on the findings of this study, the need for diverse research approaches fitting to the research topics and inclusion of diverse participants was proposed. Also, the need for increased quality and quantity in qualitative research with the proper procedures and methods was highlighted.