Towards an Experiential Model of Occupational Balance: An Alternative Perspective on Flow Theory Analysis

Abstract

The Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) being elaborated within flow theory provides a unique opportunity to collect data about occupational experiences. Both four‐ and eight‐channel models have been developed, to capture various dimensions of people's lived experience. However neither of these models seems suitable for analysis and discussion of balance within everyday life and its relationship to other factors such as well‐being. The purpose of this study was to analyse balance of everyday occupations from a novel experiential viewpoint, using an alternative model in which the eight channels are condensed into three dimensions; High Matched Experiences, High Not Matched Experiences and Low Challenge Experiences. A secondary analysis of published data from four cross‐cultural ESM‐studies with a total of 159 participants from three countries was conducted. The results show a similar pattern in all samples, with Low Challenge Experiences comprising barely half of the pattern and the other two dimensions relatively evenly distributed. Analyses of three case examples indicate possible problems regarding balance conditions between the different dimensions. The analysis supports the condensed model as a framework to understand and analyse occupational balance and patterns from an experiential perspective. This dynamic model has the potential to explain the relationship between everyday dimensions of occupations as a health promoting balance as well as potentially dysfunctional patterns causing occupational deprivation or risk of overload and burnout.