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Problem gambling can have negative impacts on both harmed gamblers, and those people close to them (concerned significant others; CSOs). Experiencing these gambling-related harms can have a signifi...

AimGambling harm is a serious public health issue affecting the health, financial security, and social well-being of millions of people and their close relations around the world. Despite its population health implications, gambling harm is not typically viewed and treated as a public health policy issue. This paper critically reviews the evolution of the public health perspective on gambling harm. It also considers how gambling harm can be operationalized within a public health model.MethodsA critical historical review of the emerging public health perspective on gambling harm was conducted. Key documents covering three decades of development were reviewed and appraised through a process of deliberation and debate over source impact in the fields of research, policy, and programming internationally.ResultsThe first decade mainly focused on identifying gambling harm and framing the public health issue. The second decade featured the expansion of health assessment and emerging areas of policy and program development. The third decade saw an increased focus on public health frameworks that advanced understanding of harm mechanics and impact. As reflected by theessential functionsof a general public health model, gambling harm prevention efforts emphasize health promotion over other key functions like health assessment and surveillance.ConclusionGambling harm is a public health issue requiring greater attention to health assessment and surveillance data development.

Background and aimsThe Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling moves beyond a symptoms-based view of harm and addresses a broad set of factors related to the risks and effects of gambling harmfully at the individual, family, and community levels. Coauthored by international research experts and informed by multiple stakeholders, Gambling Research Exchange (GREO) facilitated the framework development in 2013 and retains responsibility for regular updates and mobilization. This review article presents information about the revised version of the Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling completed in late 2018.MethodsWe describe eight interrelated factors depicted in the framework that represent major themes in gambling ranging from the specific (gambling environment, exposure, gambling types, and treatment resources) to the general (cultural, social, psychological, and biological influences). After outlining the framework development and collaborative process, we highlight new topics for the recent update that reflect changes in the gambling landscape and prominent discourses in the scientific community. Some of these topics include social and economic impacts of gambling, and a new model of understanding gambling related harm.Discussion and conclusionsWe address the relevance of the CFHG to the gambling and behavioral addictions research community. Harm-based frameworks have been undertaken in other areas of addiction that can both inform and be informed by a model dedicated to harmful gambling. Further, the framework brings a multi-disciplinary perspective to bear on antecedents and factors that co-occur with harmful gambling.

In 2019, the Gambling Commission announced a National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms. Underlying the strategy is the Framework of Harms, outlined in Measuring gambling-related harms: A framework for action. "The Framework" adopts a public health approach to address gambling-related harm in Great Britain across multiple levels of measurement. It comprises three primary factors and nine related subfactors. To advance the National Strategy, all componentsneed to be supported by a strong evidence base. This report examines existing research expertise relevant to the Framework amongacademics based in the UK. The aim is to understand the extent to which the Framework factors and subfactors have been studied in order to identify gaps in expertise and provide evidence for decision making thatisrelevant to gambling harms research priorities. A social network analysis identified coauthor networks and alignment of research output with the Framework. The search strategy was limited to peer-reviewed items and covered the 12-year period from 2008 to 2019. Articles were selected using a Web of Science search. Of the 1417 records identified in the search, the dataset was refined to include only those articles that could be assigned to at least one Framework factor (n = 279). The primary factors and subfactors are: Resources:Work and Employment, Money and Debt, Crime;Relationships:Partners, Families and Friends, Community; and Health:Physical Health, Psychological Distress, and Mental Health. We used Gephi software to create visualisations reflecting degree centrality (number of coauthor networks) so that each factor and subfactor could be assessed for the density of research expertise and patterns of collaboration among coauthors. The findings show considerable variation by framework factor in the number of authors and collaborations, suggesting a need to develop additional research capacity to address under-researched areas. The Health factor subcategory of Mental Health comprised almost three-quarters of all citations, with the Resources factor subcategory of Money and Debt a distant second at 12% of all articles. The Relationships factor, comprised of two subfactors, accounted for less than 10%of total articles. Network density varied too. Although there were few collaborative networks in subfactors such as Community or Work and Employment, all Health subfactors showed strong levels of collaboration. Further, some subfactors with a limited number of researchers such as Partners, Families, and Friends and Money and debt had several active collaborations. Some researchers’ had publications that spanned multiple Framework factors. These multiple-factor researchers usually had a wide range of coauthors when compared to those who specialised (with the exception of Mental Health).Others’ collaborations spanned subfactors within a factor area. This was especially notable forHealth. The visualisations suggest that gambling harms research expertise in the UK has considerable room to grow in order to supporta more comprehensive, locally contextualised evidence base for the Framework. To do so, priority harms and funding opportunities will need further consideration. This will require multi-sector and multidisciplinary collaboration consistent with the public health approach underlying the Framework. Future research related to the present analysis will explore the geographic distribution of research activity within the UK, and research collaborations with harms experts internationally.

Gambling is a popular activity among older adults that has potential for growth as the population ages. Benefits have been identified for recreational gamblers (those experiencing no gambling-related problems), but there are many social, financial, and health harms affecting quality of life related to gambling across the spectrum of risk levels. Because of their greater numbers, low and moderate risk (LMR) older adult gamblers are responsible for higher levels of population harm. Therefore, this study examines outcomes experienced by older adults who participate in gambling at recreational and LMR levels to better understand protective factors that contribute to quality of life. Guided by activity theory and a modified self-complexity model, we explore how leisure complexity and employment buffer the relationship between gambler type and factors associated with well-being, namely social support (both perceived and received) and stress. A sub-sample of 3232 adults, age 55 years and older, who gambled in the past year was drawn from the 2013–2014 Canadian Community Health Survey. Data were analyzed using linear regression with moderation, focusing on the interactions of gambling risk level with leisure complexity and employment. Recreational gamblers reported greater role complexity and more diverse leisure lifestyles, both of which were associated with greater social support and reduced stress. Life stress was higher among older adults who worked for pay. Even so, having a job appeared to temper stress levels among LMR gamblers, suggesting the importance of maintaining a diversity of social roles and leisure activities, where possible, to enhance quality of life.

Introduction Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) constitute a substantial fraction of workplace injuries and can result in costs to employers, workers, and societies as a whole. MSD prevention programs disparate from wider organizational approaches can be costly, ineffective and unmaintainable. Objective This study examines key informants’ perspectives on the integration of MSD prevention programs into management systems as a solution to issues associated with isolated or separate program. Method Seven Health & Safety (H&S) consultants, five H&S managers, five researchers, three policy makers, and three labour representatives were interviewed on this topic. A thematic analysis approach was used to code and analyze the data from the key informants’ interviews. Results The participants consistently suggested that a disconnect of MSD prevention strategies from management system frameworks can lead to inadequate attention and ineffective prevention policies. Integration of MSD prevention into management systems was highly supported. Incorporating MSD hazard identification and assessment into tools such as Failure Mode Effects Analysis, Job Safety Analysis, decision making tools, and Kamishibai and Ishakawa (for Lean) was suggested to improve MSD prevention. Contribution This study gives expert insight into challenges associated with MSD risk factors as well as solutions regarding current approaches to MSD prevention and effective tools for implementation.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS To implement effective musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) prevention programs in organizations, there needs to be commitment from top and middle management, ongoing worker participation, and effective training and education. This study addresses practical solutions for the successful execution of these elements with businesses and organizations in mind. The specific structures, concerns, and unique operating environments of organizations are considered to put together practical advice by experts in the field. Conclusions of the study reveal best practices, essential components, and ideas to improve and employ these elements to improve current MSD prevention strategies in the workplace.TECHNICAL ABSTRACTBackground: Prevention of MSD in the workplace presents many challenges. There are high costs to the organization, worker, and society associated with these occupational injuries. Therefore, it is important to identify which methods and approaches companies should use to successfully t...

Background Harmful gambling is a complex issue with diverse antecedents and resulting harms that have been studied from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Although previous bibliometric reviews of gambling studies have found a dominance of judgement and decision-making research, no bibliometric review has examined the concept of “harm” in the gambling literature, and little work has quantitatively assessed how gambling research priorities differ between countries. Methods Guided by the Conceptual Framework of Harmful Gambling (CFHG), an internationally relevant framework of antecedents to harmful gambling, we conducted a bibliometric analysis focusing on research outputs from three countries with different gambling regulatory environments: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Using a Web of Science database search, 1424 articles published from 2008 to 2017 were retrieved that could be mapped to the eight CFHG factors. A subsample of articles (n = 171) containing the word “harm” in the title, abstract, or keywords was then drawn. Descriptive statistics were used to examine differences between countries and trends over time with regard to CFHG factor and harm focus. Results Psychological and biological factors dominate gambling research in Canada whereas resources and treatment have received more attention in New Zealand. A greater percentage of Australia and New Zealand publications address the gambling environment and exposure to gambling than in Canada. The subset of articles focused on harm showed a stronger harms focus among New Zealand and Australian researchers compared to Canadian-authored publications. Conclusions The findings provide preliminary bibliometric evidence that gambling research foci may be shaped by jurisdictional regulation of gambling. Countries with privately operated gambling focused on harm factors that are the operators’ responsibility, whereas jurisdictions with a public health model focused on treatment and harm reduction resources. In the absence of a legislated requirement for public health or harm minimisation focus, researchers in jurisdictions with government-operated gambling tend to focus research on factors that are the individual’s responsibility and less on the harms they experience. Given increased international attention to gambling-related harm, regulatory and research environments could promote and support more diverse research in this area.

The article examines well-being and social implications of “enforced leisure” resulting from unemployment and underemployment. The first part of the article reviews statistical and research evidence about social and well-being implications of unemployment and underemployment in the context of “technological unemployment” and globalization. The second part examines well-being implications of enforced leisure (due to being unemployed or working part time because the respondent “could not find a full-time job”) based on time use and well-being data collected as part of 2005, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Canadian General Social Surveys. Indicators used in the analyses of social and well-being correlates of “enforced leisure” include respondents’ time use, levels of perceived happiness, life satisfaction, satisfaction with work–family balance, satisfaction with the use of time, self-assessed health, perceived stress, and indices of social integration such as sense of belonging to the community, trusting people, or exposure to socially destabilizing behavior.

This study examines the association between underemployment and quality of life, with a focus the explanatory power of community and leisure factors. Using survey data collected by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing in four mid-size communities (N = 5561), a subsample of participants was selected who indicated that they worked for pay (n = 2845). About one-fifth of workers were underemployed, based on a perceived mismatch between their job and their education and training. Guided by a modified perspective of the Leisure Constraints Model that includes intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural level constraints and/or facilitators to participation, data were analyzed using two linear regression models examining overall wellbeing and self-assessed mental health. After controlling for socio-demographic characteristics in each model, mediators were introduced and then further probed to determine significant pathways in the relationships. In both cases, the direct effect of underemployment was negative. Wellbeing among underemployed workers was partially mediated by two structural, and one interpersonal factors: time for self, perceived access to recreation and cultural opportunities, and sense of community. Mental health was fully mediated by time for self and sense of community. In a test of contrast between significant pathways, there were no differences in either model, suggesting that each of the significant leisure moderators contributed equally to the relationship between underemployment and quality of life. Community and leisure factors have been relatively unexamined to date, but results show that they should be considered for inclusion in future research on personal outcomes of underemployment.

Vacations provide an opportunity to relax, recover from the demands of work, and spend time with family and friends. Recently, however, concerns have been expressed regarding the low uptake of paid vacation time among Canadian workers and its potential impact on their quality of life. Guided by the conservation of resources theory, we examined the extent to which Canadian employees use their paid vacation allotment and how the amount of paid vacation time is related to feelings of wellbeing. A subsample of 3,451 people who worked full-time at a paid job or business was drawn from Statistics Canada’s 2010 General Social Survey. More than one-third of Canadian employees reported taking less than the minimum amount of federally mandated paid vacation time (10 days) during the previous year. This included 19.3% who reported taking no paid vacation days at all. Factors significantly associated with uptake of vacation days were age, socio-economic status, having younger children in the household, flexib...

Leisure research on adolescent females’ holiday experiences, and how these experiences may contribute to their happiness is scarce. Recent work in the area of positive psychology has suggested that novelty within an experience may enhance positive emotions and life satisfaction which together comprise subjective well-being (SWB), a common conceptualization of happiness. The purpose of this paper was to test the direct influence of activity novelty and the mediating influence of emotion balance (the balance between positive and negative emotions) on life satisfaction for a group of adolescent females on a winter holiday. As part of a larger study, participants (n = 74) were German girls aged 12–17 years who completed a diary-based questionnaire for 21 consecutive days (before, during, and after their holiday). A conditional process analysis indicated that activity novelty may have a positive or negative influence on emotion balance depending on pre-vacation activity novelty patterns. Furthermore, while novelty does not have a direct influence on life satisfaction, it has a positive indirect influence through emotion balance. This study provides evidence that holiday experiences can contribute to young women’s SWB and highlights the important role of emotions during such experiences. In addition, results support the use of a positive psychology framework to understand adolescent vacationers’ experiences.

Using a life course lens with a focus on linked lives, this study explores experiences and perceptions of support through in-depth interviews with 22 self-employed men and women with children. Experiences of informal support were varied and complex, with multiple layers of support often operating simultaneously. With few exceptions, gender differences in perceived support reflected traditional role expectations. While men and women both spoke of the importance of emotional support, women more often identified spouses' financial support as essential to operating a business, whereas men valued instrumental support in the form of childcare and domestic activities. Informal communities of support comprised of other self-employed people were valued for mentoring, assistance, and friendship, and were less emotionally intense compared to experiences of support from family members. Parents generally misunderstood or were unaware of the potential for formal government support through the Canadian government's Empl...

This study examines factors associated with work–life fit and sense of geographic community as mediators of the negative association between caregiving demands and well-being among employed informal caregivers. Data were drawn from a larger project assessing well-being among residents of three mid-size cities in Ontario, Canada. A subsample was selected of informal caregivers who worked for pay for at least eight hours/week (n = 276). Caregiving demands were measured by time spent caring for an adult who was a relative, friend, or neighbour. Well-being followed a holistic conceptualization advanced by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing. The more time spent caregiving, the lower participants’ well-being ratings were. This association was mediated by perceived time adequacy, income adequacy, and sense of community, such that the more time participants spent caregiving, the lower their ratings of these three resources. This explained the initial association of caregiving hours with reduced well-being. E...

The current research examines leisure facility use as a moderator of the negative association of caregiving demands with wellbeing among informal caregivers. In accordance with the leisure constraints model, the study also explores the role of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural factors that may constrain or facilitate caregivers' use of leisure infrastructure. Data were collected as part of a survey conducted by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing in three communities. Results showed that greater use of leisure facilities buffered the association of greater hours of care with lower levels of mental and physical wellbeing for informal caregivers. Attitudes toward leisure, sense of community, and facility accessibility all positively predicted caregivers' use of leisure facilities. The results suggest that leisure infrastructure plays an important role in supporting wellbeing among caregivers and identify three types of constraints to consider when supporting caregivers' use of leisure facilities in t...

This paper examines commute time, time spent in activities benefical to well-being, and the relationship to self-assessed well-being. Using cross-sectional data from the 2010 Canadian General Social Survey, Cycle 24, time use patterns and feelings of well-being are assessed for a subsample of 3409 men and women who regularly commute to work by car. Drawing upon a resource drain model, daily activities known to affect well-being were selected for analysis, and well-being was measured by life satisfaction and time pressure. Time spent commuting is associated with lower levels of life satisfaction and an increased sense of time pressure. Reduced time for physically active leisure and experiences of traffic congestion mediate the association of commute time with well-being, consistent with a resource drain model. Results suggest workplace practices aimed at increasing opportunities for physical activity and government-led efforts towards more integrated solutions to reduce traffic congestion may help increase...

Using nationally representative Canadian data (n = 92,362), we examined potential racial diversity in the association of physically active leisure participation with well-being. Although there was a direct association of physically active leisure participation with both physical health and mental health, the nature of these associations differed for the White racial group compared to several other racial groups. More specifically, greater physically active leisure participation was associated with better self-rated health for White Canadians, but this association was weaker for Chinese, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Asian Canadians, and those who identified as other or multiple racial identity. Similarly, greater physically active leisure participation was associated with better mental health for White Canadians, but this association was weaker for those who identified as Black, Chinese, South Asian and Pacific Asian Canadians. Results are discussed in terms of leisure constraints and a potenti...

This paper explores whether and in what ways telework is associated with a reconfiguration or remixing of daily work, family and leisure activities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 teleworkers employed in a financial organisation in Canada. For some, telework was a condition of employment, while others negotiated part-time telework arrangements with managers. Using interpretive thematic analysis techniques, intersections and inter-relationships between experiences of work, family and leisure were identified. Three main themes emerged, including the need to not only protect, but also containing work time and space; the significance of family and being available for children; and, the relative devaluation of leisure. Although it was anticipated that differences between involuntary and voluntary teleworkers would be evident, gender and family stage were more influential in structuring daily life. The flexibility of telework was valued, but there was little evidence of a reconfiguration of life spheres except for women with children at home.

The Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) measures stability and change in the well-being of Canadians over time. Developed through a collaborative process and drawing upon valid and reliable data sources, the CIW monitors trends in well-being that allows citizens to advocate for change and for policy shapers to make informed, evidence-based decisions. Although originally intended to measure well-being at the national level, many communities have expressed considerable interest in assessing well-being locally. This chapter describes collaborative work with community partners to measure quality of life by using a Community Survey based on the CIW conceptual framework. We begin by describing the development of the CIW conceptual framework and measurement process. Then, we outline how the CIW framework has guided the development of a community well-being survey that provides timely, relevant, and locally accessible data where few such sources exist. Examples from survey results in three communities demonstrate how citizens’ well-being is affected by selected perceptual and situational factors identified by community partners. A discussion follows on how the survey has been used to initiate social change to promote well-being locally. The chapter concludes with some considerations of the limitations and possibilities of the community well-being survey approach along with future avenues for promoting policy change.

With a population-based sample of dual-earner parents (951 women and 1059 men), we examined the association of paid work hours and perceived time-stress with two forms of leisure participation and the ways gender may shape the social context of that participation. We expected that although work hours and time-stress would be associated with a lower likelihood of leisure participation, the typically gendered nature of childcare would mean women would be unlikely to reduce time spent with children, but men would. The two forms of leisure, watching TV and walking or jogging, were selected based on the nature and frequency of participation in these activities and the opportunity to do so in a variety of social contexts, namely alone, with another adult or with a child present. In bivariate and multivariate analyses, results showed greater paid work hours were associated with a lower likelihood of leisure participation, but the association of time-stress with likelihood of leisure participation was less consis...

This study explores the experience of time flexibility and its relationship to work–life balance among married female teleworkers with school-aged children. Drawing from a larger study of teleworkers from a Canadian financial corporation, 18 mothers employed in professional positions discussed work, leisure and their perceptions of work–life balance in in-depth interviews. Telework was viewed positively because flexible scheduling facilitated optimal time management. A key factor was the pervasiveness of caregiving, which could result in ongoing tensions and contradictions between the ethic of care and their employment responsibilities. The ideology of ‘intensive mothering’ meant that work schedules were closely tied to the rhythms of children's school and leisure activities. The different temporal demands of motherhood and employment resulted in little opportunity for personal leisure. Time ‘saved’ from not having to commute to an office was reallocated to caregiving, housework or paid employment rather than to time for their self. The women also experienced a traditional gendered division of household labour and viewed telework as a helpful tool for combining their dual roles. Time flexibility enhanced their sense of balancing work and life and their perceived quality of life. At the same time, they did not question whether having the primary responsibility for caregiving while engaged in paid employment at home was fair or whether it was a form of exploitation.

Previous research on family vacations has emphasized tourism and marketing but largely ignored lived experiences. As part of a larger project exploring the meanings of family vacations to all family members, this study focuses on children's perspectives through analysis of in‐depth interviews of 24 school‐age children from 15 different families. Throughout the many different types of vacations, activities were central and created a context from which three main themes emerged. The first was a focus on having fun as an important vacation outcome. The second, newness and familiarity, conveyed the importance of adventure, new experiences, and other possibilities within a secure and stable social environment. The third theme was the centrality of social connections to reaffirm and strengthen relationships with family and friends. Children's experiences did not neatly fit into previously established family leisure models, thereby reinforcing the importance of considering all family members’ perspectiv...

Using a stratified sample of Canadian adolescents residing in Ontario (n = 2,154) time use patterns and perceptions of time pressure are explored to determine gender differences among younger (12–14 years) and older adolescents (15–19 years). For both age groups, girls report a higher total workload of schoolwork, domestic activities and paid employment and spend more time on personal care while boys have more free time, especially during early adolescence. Feelings of time pressure for teens increase with age and are significantly higher for girls in both age categories. Gender differences are less pronounced on school days when time is fairly structured, but become more consistent with traditional gender schema on the weekend when time use is more discretionary.

In this paper, selected theories and research on the work–leisure relationship are reviewed and approaches that might be developed further in relation to changing workplace cultures and socio‐economic trends are discussed, with a particular focus on Canada. Key concerns in studying and theorising about work and leisure are highlighted and potential areas for development are discussed. Beginning with foundational work–leisure theories based on a manufacturing economy, selected theories of advanced capitalism are introduced along with contemporary theorising about the work–leisure relationship in response to social and structural changes. The varied nature of employment experiences suggests that it is unlikely a grand, overarching theory of the work–leisure relationship is desirable, or even possible. While globalisation will lead to some shared experiences, other factors that influence experiences of work and leisure such as cultural differences, geographic variability, and gender relations should...

Rising obesity rates among Canadian adolescents have created concerns about population health and implications for the health care system. As part of the Ontario Adolescent Time Use Study (OATUS) 2001/03, 2,113 students aged 12 to 19 reported on time use, physical health, well-being, social relationships, and academic performance. Students were classified by Body Mass Index into weight categories of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Significant positive relationships were found between obesity and skipping breakfast, and watching television during family meals. Obese adolescents spent more time engaged in computer activities and watching television, and less time in physically active and social leisure. As well, they were bullied more frequently, reported having fewer friends, decreased popularity, and lower levels of self-worth. Normal weight adolescents reported significantly higher levels of self-assessed fitness, health, and had a more positive outlook for continued good health...

Cadre de recherche : L’écart générationnel grandissant entre les parents et adolescents a retenu l’attention des chercheurs depuis les années 1920. L’augmentation de cet écart a souvent été attribuée au rôle croissant des médias et des pairs dans la vie des adolescents.Objectifs : Les changements dans le rôle joué par les parents, les médias et les pairs dans la vie des adolescents sont examinés à la lumière de leur gestion du temps. Les données sur l’emploi du temps documentent le rôle déclinant des parents, mais montrent également que des stratégies constructives de la gestion du temps peuvent aider les parents à conserver et à renforcer leur rôle dans le développement intellectuel et affectif de leurs adolescents.Méthodologie : Les données proviennent de l’Enquête sociale générale menée par Statistique Canada (ESG) (1986 à 2005) et de l’Enquête ontarienne sur l’emploi du temps et le bien-être des adolescents de 2003 (OATUS). Les relations entre l’utilisation du temps des adolescents et le bien-être émotionnel sont contrôlées pour l’âge, le sexe et les antécédents familiaux.Résultats : Malgré l’élargissement de l’écart de communication et d’attitude entre les adolescents et les parents au cours des dernières décennies, la situation n’est pas irrémédiable. Les analyses des données d’OATUS suggèrent que les stratégies indirectes, soulignant l’importance des routines et des relations familiales, ont des impacts plus importants sur les performances scolaires et la qualité de vie des adolescents que les règles domestiques, les interventions verbales ou les contrôles comportementaux sporadiques.Conclusions : La conservation de l’influence parentale sur les adolescents s’effectue peut-être davantage par « osmose » des valeurs et des habitudes. En effet, le partage des valeurs familiales, des activités communes et la capacité parentale à servir de modèle joue un rôle important dans l’influence des structures de motivation des adolescents.Contribution : Les résultats de cette recherche appuient le fait que les performances scolaires et le bien-être émotionnel des adolescents sont fondés sur leurs routines comportementales et l’efficacité des interventions des parents., Research framework : The widening generation gap between parents and teens has occupied researchers’ attention since the 1920s. The expansion of this gap has been often attributed to the growing roles of mass media and peers in teens’ lives. Objectives : Changes in the role played by parents, mass media and peers in the lives of teens are examined through the lens of time use. Time use data document the declining role of parents, but also show that constructive time use strategies can help parents to retain and enforce their role in teens’ intellectual and emotional development. Methodology : Data are taken from the Canadian General Social Surveys (1986 to 2005) and the 2003 Ontario Experience Sampling Survey of Adolescents’ Time Use and Well-Being. Relationships between teens’ time use and emotional well-being are controlled for age, gender, and family background.Results : Although the communication and attitudinal gap between teens and parents widened during the past decades, the situation is not irremediable. Analyses of OATUS data suggest that indirect strategies, emphasising the importance of time use routines and habitual inter-family relationships, affect teens’ academic performance and quality of life more profoundly than household rules, verbal interventions, or sporadic behavioural controls. Conclusion : Perhaps the most powerful but underestimated leverage that parents have to protect their share of influence on teens is the social ‘osmosis’ of family values and practices. The seemingly imperceptible sharing of family values, joint activities, and parental ability to serve as a model play an important role in affecting teens’ motivational structures.Contribution : The proposition that teens’ academic performance and emotional well-being are grounded in their behavioural routines, and that the effectiveness of parents’ interventions depends to a large extent on their ability to redress these routines or habits is supported by research findings.