초저출산 사회에서 미혼모에 대한 사회적 인식과 정책 은유에 관한 고찰: 대학생의 태도와 수용성 분석

Abstract

Purpose: This study analyzed the metaphorical framing of Korean policies pertaining to unmarried mothers amid ultralow fertility. It examined how these metaphors, along with public perception, influence healthcare policy direction and acceptance, with the aim of identifying gaps between social perception and policy support and providing insights for policy development. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining qualitative policy metaphor analysis and quantitative text mining. Policy documents—including the 2025 Comprehensive Guide to Single-Parent Family Welfare Services— were analyzed using Lakoff and Johnson’s conceptual metaphor theory and Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” approach. Responses from an open-ended survey of 69 university students was analyzed using Python 3.13 and KoNLPy. Analytical techniques included keyword frequency analysis, 2-g co-occurrence analysis, and sentiment analysis using the KNU Korean Sentiment Dictionary. Results: The analyses revealed significant structural imbalances: healthcare support accounted for only 18.6% of total policy measures, with just 1.4% specifically targeting unmarried mothers. Three dominant metaphorical frames of unmarried mothers emerged: protection (framing them as vulnerable subjects), risk (portraying them as social threats), and beneficiary (positioning them as passive welfare recipients). Text mining analysis revealed predominantly negative sentiments (59.42%) in initial perceptions but relatively high support (53.62%) for policy proposals, highlighting a significant gap between perception and policy acceptability. Conclusion: Current policy frameworks consider unmarried mothers as passive recipients, resulting in their significantly limited access to healthcare services compared to married mothers. This perception–policy gap underscores the need to reframe policies toward a rights-based approach that prioritizes health equity and reproductive autonomy.