Affiliations: School of Occupational Therapy, University of
Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. Lucinda Dale, Associate
Professor and Co-Director of Advanced Studies, School of Occupational Therapy,
University of Indianapolis, 1400 E. Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227, USA.
Tel.: +1 317 788 3561; Fax: +1 317 788 3542; E-mail: ldale@uindy.edu
Abstract: The workplace is increasingly serving as an important context for
the development of work behaviors, interpersonal skills, and values for high
school students. A lack of qualitative studies regarding the meaning of the
subjective aspects of work for teens is evident. The purpose of this research
study was to understand the meaning of work for two high school seniors through
qualitative inquiry. The researchers interviewed two participants in a
conference room to maintain privacy. Interviews were audio taped, transcribed
verbatim, and returned to the interviewees for member check. The researchers
analyzed transcriptions, coded for identification of themes, and shared them
with the participants to ensure accuracy. The meaning of work for both
participants included themes of gaining financial freedom, learning
job-specific skills, learning the general work skill of time management,
sacrificing and rearranging leisure time spent with friends and family, and
helping to define choices related to future work and co-workers. The meaning of
work for the participant who owned his own business included additional themes
of improving interpersonal communication, marketing, budgeting, taking
initiative and responsibility, prioritizing, organizing, and decision-making,
all required to develop and expand a successful business.
