University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0732
Survey Title Basic Survey on Childrearing Life (Preschool Children Edition), 1997
Depositor Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute
(Former Name:Benesse Corporation)
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' on the SSJDA website.

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Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
SSJDA Data Analysis Not available
Summary Amid comments on the importance of education at home, some propose a “theory of how things should be” that is apt to differ somewhat from the feeling of life as actually lived by today’s mothers. However, what is necessary in the first place is to capture the actual situation, and if there is a problem, to start from there and think about a solution together. Hence, this survey was conducted to capture parents’ (mainly mothers’) attitudes to discipline and education in the midst of childrearing.

The survey theme comprises the actual state of childrearing in homes with children from the first year of kindergarten to second grade of elementary school, mothers’ attitudes to discipline and education, and mothers’ own activity situation, specifically the six points outlined below.

(1) Childrearing anxiety and information sources on childrearing, childrearing norms, joy of childrearing, maternal consciousness, etc.
(2) Disciplining the child and view on education, child’s lifestyle habits and degree of independence
(3) Awareness of the role of a kindergarten, school, and home in discipline and education
(4) Expectation for the child’s future and child’s entering higher-level schools, actual conditions of taking individual courses, child’s after-school lessons
(5) Current and future activities of the mother herself, mother’s interpersonal relationships
(6) Conversation and degree of understanding with husband, current life satisfaction level, etc.

*The data provided consist only of the responses from mothers of kindergarten-age children (first, second, and third year in kindergarten, etc.). The data on the responses of mothers of elementary school students and people other than mothers have not been deposited.
Data Type quantitative research: micro data
Universe Guardians of children of kindergarten age (born between April 2, 1991 and April 1, 1994) and first and second-grade elementary school students
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size Number of questionnaires distributed: 21,000
Number of responses: 4,766(response rate: 22.7%) 
*The data provided consist of mothers of kindergarten-age children (N=2,478)
Date of Collection 1997-09 ~ 1997-10
September to October, 1997
Time Period 1997 ~ 1997
Spatial Unit tokyo
saitama
chiba
kanagawa
Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa prefectures
Sampling Procedure
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Voluntary mail survey
Investigator Benesse Educational Research & Development Institute
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0732
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation [Questionnaire]
Major Survey Items (1) Regarding day-to-day childrearing
- Whether day-to-day childrearing is enjoyable, when respondent finds childrearing fun
- Worries and concerns about childrearing
- Information sources on discipline and education
- Presence of a maternal role model
- Child’s lifestyle habits, what respondent wants her child to be independent about
- Satisfaction level with discipline situation
- Role of home and a kindergarten in discipline
- Things respondent keeps in mind for discipline at home, discipline mother received from her parents at home
- Thoughts on discipline

(2) Regarding the child
- Kind of person respondent would like her child to be in the future
- Expectation for child to advance to higher education
- Whether or not the child takes after-school lessons, kind, number, age of starting, reason
- Expenses for after-school lessons per child

(3) Regarding mother herself and family members
- Activities respondent is currently focusing on, activities respondent wants to engage in
- Level of satisfaction with current lifestyle
- Whether respondent discusses things with husband, feeling when discussing, reasons for not discussing, whether respondent wants to have discussion with husband
- Spouse’s understanding of respondent’s interests
- Respondent’s feeling about current childrearing life

(4) Attributes
- Gender of the child,age, order of birth, relationship to the child, whether the child goes to a kindergarten, etc./year, type of school
- Age of respondent, age of spouse, area of residence, years at residence, occupation, occupation type, spouse’s occupation, type of residence, family structure, cohabitants, number of cohabitants, age and gender of children up to the fourth child, newspaper subscription, highest level of educational attainment, spouse’s highest level of educational attainment, annual household income, respondent’s income

*For details of survey items, please refer to the questionnaire.
Date of Release 2013/01/23
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Compulsory and pre-school education
Family life and marriage
Topics in SSJDA Education/Learning
Version 1 : 2013-01-23
Notes for Users Variable and value labels are written in Japanese. The data provided consist only of the responses from mothers of kindergarten-age children (first, second, and third year in kindergarten, etc.).