| Children spend less time in outdoor play than in former generations. This qualitative comparative case study examines parental socialization influences on children's outdoor play by addressing two research questions. The first question is, "How does parental socialization influence children's outdoor play?" Two theoretical propositions underlie question one: (a) "Direct forms of parental socialization influence children's outdoor play", and (b) "Indirect forms of parental socialization influence children's outdoor play." The theoretical framework is drawn from outdoor play, leisure socialization, and parental socialization literature (i.e., self-determination theory; SDT and expectancy-value theory; EVT). Sensitizing concepts are: (a) role modeling, (b) beliefs and values, (c) autonomy supportiveness of environment, (d) structure, and (e) interpersonal involvement. The second question is, "How do parents differ in the socialization of their children's outdoor play?" Three theoretical propositions underlie question two: (a) "Parents socialize children's outdoor play differently based on the child's gender," (b) "Parents socialize their children's outdoor play differently based on child's age," and (c) "Parents socialize their children's outdoor play differently based on perceptions of environmental factors in their community." Nine of the ten cases were twoparent, middle-class households. Ten mothers and nine fathers (Mage = 37.3 and 41.7 respectively) discussed in semi-structured interviews their own childhood experiences and that of their children. All children 8- to 12- years-old participated (i.e., 7 girls and 9 boys, Mage = 9.0 and 9.5 respectively) in semi-structured interviews that included varied projective and photo-elicitation techniques. Photographs of play spaces and resources taken during a child-led tour contributed to triangulation of data. A modified analytic induction strategy guided data collection and analysis. Case narratives derived from the compilation of data were inductively coded in MAXQDA and used to develop worksheets that aided comparative analysis. Question one addresses the process of socialization. Integrating and adapting SDT and EVT in the theoretical framework was effective in identifying socialization constructs and relationships with aspects of children's outdoor play: (a) physical environment; (b) social environment; (c) activities; (d) frequency and duration; and (e) motivations including intrinsic motivation, subjective task value, emotions, and participation. Question two addresses gender, age, and environmental perception differences in socialization. Although gender differences in mothers' and fathers' socializing their children were more prevalent than differences in the outdoor play experiences of their daughters and sons, socialization by omission emerged as contributing to gender differences in children's outdoor play (e.g., fathers not inviting daughters to play sports). Amotivation (i.e., loss or lack of motivation) for outdoor play was more common in older children and accompanied by: (a) a resignation to home range restrictions that often varied little from younger siblings, (b) internalization of parents' fears, and (c) an inability to fulfill psychological needs (i.e., relatedness, competence, autonomy). Parents' childhood recollections shaped perceptions of environmental factors including social dangers. Socialization of outdoor play included the perpetuation of a cycle of fear resulting from an internalization of parents' fears and tacit acceptance of resultant parenting practices (e.g., home range restrictions). Socialization by omission contributed to changes in all aspects of children's outdoor play from that of prior generations (e.g., dare devil play). Potentially detrimental effects for children's psychological development (e.g., inability to fulfill relatedness needs with peers or lack of opportunities to problem solve) resulting from changes in outdoor play, routinely restricted to manicured yards, were identified. These outdoor play experiences often did not afford sufficient developmentally appropriate and optimally stimulating challenges, particularly for older children. All aspects of outdoor play were influenced by parents' socialization efforts or omissions and patterns of socialization associated with children's high or low motivations for outdoor play were identified. |
