Return to NCHPAD Home | Get the Discover Booklet for Free! | |||
A | A | A | A | ||||
What is Play? | What is Leisure? | What is Inclusion? | Finding Leisure | Finding Resources |
Finding Leisure |
Home > Finding Leisure > Self-Determination |
|||
DefinitionAwarenessSkills Learning & RehearsalSelf-DeterminationBenefitsOvercoming BarriersTherapeutic Recreation ServicesSettingsActivity |
Self-DeterminationAs children grow and develop, it is important for them to increase their level of self-determination. For young children, it is appropriate for parents, caregivers, teachers, and professionals to make decisions and direct children to leisure opportunities. Parents make decisions for their children based on what they have deemed appropriate for their child and within the capabilities they believe the child possesses. The role of parents and teachers is to assist children with exploration of multiple leisure options, gauging interests, and creating opportunities to learn skills and behaviors in the activities preferred by the child. However, as the child gets older, he or she needs to more actively be involved in leisure decision-making. If not, then the child will continue to depend on others to make decisions for them and to direct them to activities and experiences that may have more appeal to the decision makers than to the child. The process of making decisions independently is referred to as self-determination. Simply put, self-determination is one’s ability to act as the primary decision-maker in his or her life and make choices free from external influences or inference (Datillo, 1989). An adolescent may not be developmentally ready to make appropriate decisions about all aspects of his or her life. However, by having the opportunity to make decisions or choices about participating in various leisure experiences, your child is able to develop valuable skills. One aspect of self-determination that is very important to understand is the concept of intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is an internal or personal desire to do something; for example, a person plays soccer on a daily basis, simply because he or she loves the game. Self-determination is said to both direct and be directed by intrinsic motivation (Deci and Ryan, 1985). If a person is intrinsically motivated to do an activity he or she will continue doing a particular activity for longer periods of time because he or she enjoys it, and additionally, learn, adapt, and develop skills that contribute to overall well-being. It is important that youth have the ability to make decisions and act on their own choices as they mature. Meaningful leisure experiences come when an individual is free to participate in an activity that he or she chooses because it is something that interests him or her. Therefore, being self-determined gives an individual the skills and confidence to speak up for himself or herself, letting others know what he or she thinks and desires. « Previous | Next » |
|||
About This Site | Site Map | Accessibility Statement | NCA | NCHPAD |
This online resource has been created through a collaborative project of the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) with content and design development by the National Center on Accessibility (NCA) and the Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. This project is funded through Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U59/CCU522742-02 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright 2013, Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. |