Life balance for specific populations Part 1: Children vs. Adolescents
Read the following chapters:
Matuska & Christiansen:
Chapter 13: The “Hurried Child”: Myth vs. Reality
Chapter 14: Time Use Imbalance: Developmental and Emotional Costs
Discussion Questions:
- For children and adolescents, briefly summarize the key phenomena that have been identified by the current research about life balance as reported by the authors.
- What are some noteworthy commonalities between the findings about children and the findings about adolescents regarding life balance?
- What are some noteworthy differences between the findings about children and the findings about adolescents regarding life balance?
- Based on these research findings, what strategies can occupational therapists use to help each of these populations deal more effectively with hurried schedules and time pressure?
Include strategies that involve both consultation with parents and client education. Provide information from your readings and/or examples from other relevant sources with appropriate in-text citations and accompanying references.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: In this assignment, we will be discussing the topic of life balance for specific populations, primarily children and adolescents. We will be evaluating the key phenomena identified by current research and discussing the noteworthy commonalities and differences between the findings about children and adolescents regarding life balance. Furthermore, we will suggest strategies that occupational therapists can use to help each of these populations deal more effectively with hurried schedules and time pressure, including the involvement of parents and client education.
1. For children and adolescents, briefly summarize the key phenomena that have been identified by the current research about life balance as reported by the authors.
According to Matuska and Christiansen (2012), the key phenomena identified by current research about life balance for children include the “hurried child” myth, which suggests that children are overscheduled and have little time for rest and relaxation. The authors also report a time use imbalance, which can lead to developmental and emotional costs. For adolescents, common phenomena related to life balance include academic pressure, extracurricular activities, and social media use. Research has shown that excessive academic pressure can lead to stress, anxiety, and physical health problems. Engagement in extracurricular activities and social media use have been linked to a lack of sleep and fatigue.
2. What are some noteworthy commonalities between the findings about children and the findings about adolescents regarding life balance?
One noteworthy commonality is the emphasis on academic pressure and overscheduling, leading to a time use imbalance, which can negatively impact both populations’ physical and emotional well-being. Additionally, the limited opportunities for rest and relaxation in both populations can lead to social, developmental, and emotional costs.
3. What are some noteworthy differences between the findings about children and the findings about adolescents regarding life balance?
One significant difference is the form of pressure experienced by each population. Children experience academic pressure because of parental expectations, while adolescents feel pressure to excel academically and socially from peers and adults. Another difference is the role of technology in adolescents’ lives, including social media use, which can have a considerable impact on time use and their sense of life balance.
4. Based on these research findings, what strategies can occupational therapists use to help each of these populations deal more effectively with hurried schedules and time pressure? Include strategies that involve both consultation with parents and client education. Provide information from your readings and/or examples from other relevant sources with appropriate in-text citations and accompanying references.
Occupational therapists can develop and implement strategies to help children and adolescents achieve a better life balance. For instance, they can work with parents to reduce the number of activities in which children participate. Occupational therapists can help the families establish realistic expectations regarding academic goals, extracurricular activities, and social media use. They can also provide client education to help children and adolescents learn time management and coping skills. Strategies could include relaxation techniques, mindfulness exercises, and other stress management interventions. For adolescents, therapists can help them develop healthy habits around social media use, including setting limits and taking breaks from technology. Overall, occupational therapy interventions must aim to promote a sense of balance and well-being, promoting healthy physical and emotional habits.
References:
Matuska, K. M., & Christiansen, C. (2012). A Life Balance Approach to Occupational Therapy. Slack.
