Marriage and family therapists' thoughts and perceptions on time management in families: The possible effects on children

The purpose of this study was to determine whether licensed marriage and family therapists discuss issues concerning time management with the families in which they work. This qualitative study was fueled by five research questions: Do licensed marriage and family therapists explore time issues as a factor impacting family functioning; Do licensed marriage and family therapists think that the lack of time management has a negative impact on children; Do licensed marriage and family therapists discuss the topic of time management with families at any time during the course of therapy; What do licensed marriage and family therapists say about the lack of time with children during a session; and How do licensed marriage and family therapists begin a discussion about parents spending more time with their children? Twenty-one Texas licensed family therapists were recruited to participate in an online questionnaire through PsychData. Five themes emerged from the data: (a) time management strategies, (b) attention to the child, (c) quality vs. quality, (d) investigation of family patterns, and (e) parental education. Findings indicated that research participants believed that discussing time management with their clients and families served as resource for families in developing time management strategies, and that families are challenged in balancing parenting, family, and time management.