| The Model: |
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| The model and definition of "leisure activities"
adopted by the FOCUS system is based on Dr. Donald E. Super's research,
theories and works in "Life Career Roles". According to Super, leisure
can be defined as self-determined activities, free from time commitments
in your other roles such as a student, a worker, homemaker, or citizen.
Leisure pursuits may require the expenditure of effort, such as in
sports or gardening, or it may be idling your time reading in a hammock.
On a personal level, leisure activities are engaged in to meet your
personal needs, and satisfy your interests, abilities and values. |
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| In the 1980s, Super developed the "theory of self-expression"
or "self-fulfillment " which states that people engage in leisure
activities and work activities that provide self-expression for one's
interests, abilities and values. Research has shown that the persons
that are most satisfied with both their occupation and their leisure
activities prefer hobbies and recreation activities that are very
similar in nature to their occupational duties. |
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| Clearly, leisure activities can be predictive of
the occupations an individual would find interesting and enjoyable.
FOCUS used Super's theory to develop an inventory of recreational
activities that are associated to occupations. The FOCUS system user
indicates the degree of satisfaction he/she receives or would receive
by performing each activity using a Likert rating scale. Responses
are then scored on 6 dimensions based upon the John Holland RIASEC
model. |
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| The result is a list of occupations, drawn from
an occupational database containing more than 1500 occupations. The
individual will be given the opportunity to explore any occupation
in depth - engage in an interactive career analysis - and will have
the opportunity to create a "basket of occupations" that
will integrate with the other five core assessments modules in Focus. |
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| Quick Facts: |
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| Age Range |
14 and above |
| Reading Level |
6th Grade |
| Completion Time |
10 - 15 minutes plus 3-5 minutes per occupation |
| Reports |
client and counselor |
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Assessments:
Leisure Time Preferences