The Activity Setting of Homework: An Analysis of Three Cases and Implications for Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Abstract An important goal of occupational therapy is to foster clients’ participation in daily life. The daily lives of children occur mainly within their homes and schools. Homework is an occupation whose performance affects children’s participation in both home and school. A qualitative study of parental self-reports of the strategies they use to foster their children’s successful engagement in homework was conducted. In this paper, we examine three cases from this study using the activity setting concept from the ecocultural theory of family accommodation. The three cases were chosen based on their diversity: ethnic and religious background, socioeconomic status, presence of a stay-at-home mother, and presence of children with special needs. The analysis of these cases illustrates that strategies used by parents to foster their children’s engagement in homework reflect their values and priorities, their expectations of their children, and their perceptions of their children’s strengths and limitations. The concept of activity setting can be useful for occupational therapists to analyze family situations when they are developing home treatment programs.