Predictors of Subjective Social Mobility among Middle-aged Working Single-Mothers

Abstract

This study explores the subjective social mobility (SSM) of middle-aged working single mothers (40–64 years old) who have experienced financial difficulties, caregiving for their children, and preparing for retirement. This study used data from 539 households that responded to the Seoul Survey of 2022 to identify factors associated with SSM. The SPSS 26.0 was used to conduct multiple regression analysis (MRA) and multinomial logistic analysis (MLA). According to the MRA, the following factors are associated with SSM: age (β=-.10, p<.05), subjective health status (β=.18, p<.001), subjective residential environment (β=.17, p<.001), loneliness in one’s family (β=.12, p<.01), satisfaction with cultural facilities (β=.16, p<.01), satisfaction with cultural programming (β=-.24, p<.001), and perception of social fairness (β=.23, p<.001). According to the MLA, the following factors were significantly associated with perceived upward social mobility compared to immobility: subjective health status (odds ratio [OR]=1.38, p<.05), white collar (OR=.15, p<.05), subjective residential environment (OR=2.12, p<.05), below 100% of median income (OR=.42, p<.05), loneliness in one’s family (OR=1.44, p<.05), community belongingness (OR=.48, p<.001), and perception of social fairness (OR=11.60, p<.001). The following factors were significantly associated with perceived downward social mobility compared to immobility: subjective health status (OR=.82, p<.05), satisfaction with cultural facilities (OR=.54, p<.01), satisfaction with cultural programming (OR=2.39, p<.001), community belongingness (OR=.68, p<.05), and positive attitude toward marginalized group policies (OR=.56, p<.05). This study has practical implications as it recognized the need for social welfare policies and programs to improve SSM among middle-aged single mothers.