Hee-Jung Choi
Sungkyunkwan University · Social Sciences
About the Lab
Professor Hee-Jung Choi's research lab focuses on the intersection of family dynamics, marital quality, and health outcomes across the life course. The lab investigates how marital conflict, caregiving transitions, and spousal relationship quality influence psychological well-being, functional health, and longevity, particularly among middle-aged and older adults. Using longitudinal national datasets, the lab emphasizes relational and structural factors that moderate or mediate socioeconomic and demographic inequalities in health. Research directions include spousal interdependence in health, the buffering role of marriage in socioeconomic disparities, and evolving family relationships in changing cultural contexts such as South Korea.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15Guided by a stress process perspective, we investigated (a) whether marital conflict might directly lead to changes in depression and functional impairment, (b) whether marital conflict might indirectly lead to changes in functional impairment via depression, and (c) whether marital conflict might indirectly lead to changes in depression via functional impairment. We estimated a latent variable causal model using 3 waves of data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 1,832). Re
Guided by a life course perspective, this study investigated whether the psychological consequences of transitioning into a caregiver role for a biological parent, parent-in-law, spouse, other kin, or nonkin among married adults might be moderated by marital role quality. Using longitudinal data from a national sample of 1,842 married adults aged 35 years and older, this study estimated regression models examining whether marital disagreement prior to the transition to caregiving predicted diffe
OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated (a) whether being continuously married compared with other marital status trajectories over 5 years attenuates the adverse effects of lower education and lower income on longevity, (b) whether being in higher conflict as well as lower conflict marriage compared with being single provides a buffer against socioeconomic status inequalities in mortality, and (c) whether the conditional effects of marital factors on the SES-mortality association vary by gender. ME
OBJECTIVES: We investigated associations between positive marital quality and health among married persons aged 50 or older and their spouses. Prior research using data from married individuals has yielded inconsistent findings regarding the association between positive marital quality and global health outcomes. The present study involved married couples to examine how spouses' positive marital quality affect their own and each other's health, and whether these effects vary by age. METHODS: Usi
Recent efforts to promote marriage among the socioeconomically disadvantaged are based on the assumption that marriage is equally beneficial for persons with varying levels of socioeconomic status. Using 3 waves of data from a sample of married adults (the National Survey of Families and Households; N = 1,849), the authors evaluated whether the health benefits of marital happiness and the health costs of marital conflict might vary by education and income levels. They found that increases in mar
Abstract Objective Guided by modernization theory and an intergenerational solidarity perspective, this study evaluated the differences in patterns of contact with non‐coresident parents and parents‐in‐law in Korea at two time points 10 years apart and explored how these contact patterns were associated with gender and marital satisfaction. Background Family relationships traditionally governed by Confucian patrilineal norms have been evolving into more egalitarian and bilateral patterns in cont
Abstract Objective This scoping review systematically analyzes empirical research evidence on the acceptance and effectiveness of AI technology for older adults' social connectedness with a focus on sociocultural factors from an ecological perspective. Background The global aging population faces significant challenges, including physical decline and social isolation. AI assistive technologies may offer promising solutions to support independent daily activities and improve social connectedness
This study examined whether structural (coresidence, proximity) and associational (frequency of face-to-face contact, frequency of contact via phone, email or letter) solidarity between adult children and older parents may influence older parents’ cognitive functioning. Adult children may help delay older parents’ cognitive decline by promoting healthier lifestyle, engaging parents in complex everyday problem solving, and providing emotional support. The data consisted of men and women 65+ at Wa
This study examined intergenerational contact and financial support exchange between parents and each of their non-coresident married children. Prior qualitative work has suggested that increased contact between parents and their married daughters may indicate a decline in patrilineal norms in contemporary Korean families. Using a nationally representative sample, this study investigated if married daughters engage in similar levels of intergenerational contact and financial support exchange wit
Objective: This study examined correlates of residential proximity between parents and non-coresident married children. A majority of existing studies on intergenerational living arrangement has focused on exploring factors that are associated with intergenerational coresidence only, despite an increasing number of parents and children who do not live together but close by. Because residential proximity facilitates frequent contacts and support exchanges between the two generations, it is import
This study examined the associations between intergenerational contact frequency, contact pattern, and subjective well-being among middle aged and older parents. Prior work has primarily focused on contact frequency, without paying attention to potential variations with each individual child. Thus, more explicit attention to patterns of contact with multiple children is warranted. Data were drawn from the 5th wave of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, and the analytic sample consisted of p
This study examined intergenerational contact and financial support exchange between parents and each of their non-coresident married children. Prior qualitative work has suggested that increased contact between parents and their married daughters may indicate a decline in patrilineal norms in contemporary Korean families. Using a nationally representative sample, this study investigated if married daughters engage in similar levels of intergenerational contact and financial support exchange wit
This study examined whether structural (coresidence, proximity) and associational (frequency of face-to-face contact, frequency of contact via phone, email or letter) solidarity between adult children and older parents may influence older parents' cognitive functioning. Adult children may help delay older parents' cognitive decline by promoting healthier lifestyle, engaging parents in complex everyday problem solving, and providing emotional support. The data consisted of men and women 65+ at Wa
Research Areas
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