We aimed to investigate the actual state on children’s self-determination behavior in Japan, China, and South Korea. A questionnaire survey was given to 4th, 6th, and 8th grade students and their guardians (649 children and 683 guardians in Japan, 795 children and 911 guardians in China, and 756 children and 596 guardians in South Korea). Five factors of self-determination behaviors for guardians and children were extracted by factor analysis: daily routine, time management, types of activities, unusual occasion, and career choice for guardians; and daily routine, time management, career choice, unusual occasion, and play for children. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that guardians from all three countries, except area of career choice, were aware that their children should have more self-determination as they become junior high students, and Japanese guardians were generally more aware than South Korean and Chinese guardians. Furthermore, for children, the results of the frequency of self-determination were the same in Japan and China; i.e., the frequency increased as the children became older, but this increase was not notable in South Korea. A comparison of the three countries showed that children in Japan had a higher awareness of self-determination than children in China and South Korea.
