Varieties of self-care: A qualitative look at children's experiences in the after-school hours

Journal/Book: Merrill Palmer Quart J Devel. 1997; 43: 4809 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201-1309. Wayne State Univ Press. 478-496.

Abstract: In studies of the implications of unsupervised after-school time for children, consistent outcomes are not reported, perhaps because important variations among self-care arrangements are overlooked. A 4-year longitudinal interview study of 53 children and their employed parents explored variation among self-care arrangements and children's reactions to these arrangements. The children (31 girls, 22 boys) ranged in age at the start of the study from 7 to 12 years. Families were diverse in socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and family structure. Variations occurred along many dimensions, including the range of activities and settings accessible to children, the extensiveness of children's after-school responsibilities, the availability of social supports, and children's interpretations of objectively similar after-school arrangements.

Note: Article Belle D, Boston Univ, Dept Psychol, 64 Cummington St, Boston,MA 02215 USA

Keyword(s): LATCHKEY CHILDREN; AGE-CHILDREN; THEMSELVES

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