Learning about Responsibility, Halloween style

‘Responsibility’: how many of us relate to this loaded idea as a heavy ‘weight of the world’ burden or with some guilt that we didn’t do what we were ‘supposed to do’?

How many times do we ask our students or children to ‘take responsibility’ when life goes pear-shaped? But what does this core life concept even mean? As it turns out, according to our clinical case-study research, most adults are not quite sure, even if they are highly conscientious themselves. For the past five years, we have been testing what happens when we take a fuzzy developmental concept, such as Responsibility, and aim to make it ‘real’ so people can better apply it in their daily lives. We have been curious to see what happens when we use concrete, hands-on, creative methods to teach big, abstract life ideas in the same enjoyable way we might introduce the concept of a ‘dog’ and how to play with one.

The emerging answer is yes - it helps, significantly, as we reported to the recent APS Clinical Psychology Conference in Brisbane. Our participants are better able to take age-appropriate responsibility, to manage what is theirs and also let go of what belongs to someone else to do.

With greater conceptual clarity, we are seeing firmer interpersonal boundaries and reduced social and general anxiety. And the coolest part of tackling this question - in our trial of the Davis Life Concepts approach for Autistic and perfectionistic/obsessive traits - has been getting out of the therapy chair and ‘rolling up our sleeves’ to work alongside our young research participants as they share their unique expertise and passions with us.

So, instead of a heavy-duty, emotionally ‘hot’ conversation about Responsibility, we got to explore the concept using nature, pumpkins, candles, artistic vision, design skills, and a love of Halloween.

By Dr Jacinta Ryan