Content Analysis of Quality of Life in Fifth and Sixth Grade Students

國小五、六年級學童（10~12歲）常需面對許多變化與壓力，處於青少年身心發展初階段的風暴期，其生活品質值得關切。本研究主在探討國小學童是如何感知和定義其生活品質。資料收集是針對13名國小高年級學童，以個人深度訪談法及焦點團體方式進行收集。資料分析主要運用內容分析和持續性比較法，結果發現學童所定義生活品質的概念是以學童在個人每日生活與所處環境互動的感受和詮釋為主；其主要內涵包括四大範疇及十四項副範疇。分別為：自我的成長與獨立（包括身體心像的建構、體能活動與休閒的安排、自我主宰的渴求）、家庭的完整與和諧（包括家庭目標的達成、親子溝通的順暢、成員衝突的化解）、學校的調適與認同（包括成就期望的壓力、學習阻礙的因素、同儕情感的分享、師生互動的影響）、和社會的安全與滿足（包括危險環境的改善、生活物質的充足、醫療照護的便捷、居住空間的寬敞）等。討論焦點在探討形構本土學童生活品質的可能特性和問題所在，建議省思影響學童生活品質相關社會文化，重視整體醫療衛生、教育、經濟、及政治的改造，以提供學童更佳適情、適性，有益身心健康發展的社會環境；建議未來可採量性研究法更全面地評量國內學齡兒童生活品質之程度，並進一步分析和推論可能影響生活品質概念間的關係。
Fifth and sixth grade elementary school students encounter many changes and substantial stress as they transition from the critical stage of pre-puberty to puberty. Their quality of life is thus of priority concern. This study investigated how these students perceive quality of life in their social world. Data were collected from thirteen fifth and sixth grade students by personal in-depth interviews and a focus group. Data were analyzed by content analysis and constant comparison methods. Analysis results indicate fifth and sixth grade students perceive quality of life from all aspects of his/her environment. The quality of life study revealed four major domains: self-fulfillment of growth and independence (subcategories: construction of body image, physical and leisure activity, desire for self-mastery), family harmony (subcategories: family goal achievement, intergenerational two-way communication, conflict resolution), adaptation of identity to school environment (subcategories: stress of achievement expectation, learning obstacles, emotional sharing with peers and influence of teacher-student interaction) and perceived social safety and stability of life (subcategories: safety of living environment, material sufficiency, adequacy of medical care and comfort of living space). This pilot study elucidates the attributes of elementary school children for an initial understanding of the generic health-related quality of life in Taiwan children. A more holistic health life environment is suggested to meet the needs of these children. Meanwhile, additional research approaches are suggested to promote a broader understanding of quality of life in children and to identify related factors.