A long-term longitudinal study using mixed methods on identity formation and autobiographical memories among childcare persons

• Project/Area Number: 15K04296
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Education
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: NISHIYAMA Osamu 岡山大学, 教育学研究科, 教授 (50310850)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
• Keywords: 保育者 / アイデンティティ / 自伝的記憶

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study stands on long-term longitudinal research of 12 years from the training stage to the initial and middle terms. The study traced the changes in childcare person identities and clarified the relationship between long-term changes in childcare person identities and autobiographical memories. As a result, it turned out that there were four patterns of changes in the identities of childcare persons: "descending group," "ascending group," "low sustaining group," and "high sustaining group." These change patterns appeared to match the descriptions of the corresponding autobiographical memories. The study sorted out each group using the extracted keywords and the likes. This study provided clues to support childcare person.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

社会の変動を背景に、今、保育者には一層高い資質・力量が求められている。他方、保育者の養成期、初任期、中堅期は成人形成期と重なり、アイデンティティ形成という発達上の課題に直面する時期でもある。本研究では、養成期から中堅期に至る12年間の長期縦断的混合研究により、保育者のアイデンティティの変化を捉え、自伝的記憶との関係を詳細に検討した。従来の研究に、こうした長期的調査を遂行したものはなく、本研究は初めて保育者のアイデンティティ形成過程の一端を実証的に示し、今後の保育者養成や支援を考える手掛かりを提供したと言える。