Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

Family Rituals

Bibliographic Data

ID5776845
AuthorsSteven J Wolin (Washington University Medical Center), Linda A Bennett (0009-0001-3364-3024, Washington University Medical Center)
Year1984
Volume23
Issue3
Pages401-420
Publication date1984-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamily Process (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0014-7370 • E-ISSN: 1545-5300
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1545-5300.1984.00401.x
PMID6479303
OpenAlexW4241476630
LanguageEN
Citations received90
References cited6

Family rituals, consisting of celebrations, traditions, and patterned family interactions, are defined and illustrated in this paper. The power of ritual practice in families is explained by three underlying processes - transformation, communication, and stabilization - concepts whose roots lie in anthropology and ethology. We propose that all families struggle with finding a suitable role for rituals in their collective lives but their actual achievement varies greatly. Commitment to ritual and adaptability of ritual practice throughout the family life cycle are important considerations. The utility of these concepts in the assessment and treatment of families is discussed

Adaptability · Ethology · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices · Study and Philosophy of Religion

  • Using Rituals for Intervention Refinement

    Open Access•Colleen Keller, Kathryn Coe et al.•Health Culture and Society•2015

  • The Impact of Family Bonding Activity Type and Time on Young Children's Social–Emotional Development

    Open Access•Rosa Kim, Megan Foster et al.•Children & Society•2025

  • Meaning in the Context of Stress and Coping

    Open Access•Crystal L Park, Susan Folkman•Review of General Psychology•1997

  • Adolescent and Parent Views of Family Meals

    Open Access•Jayne A Fulkerson, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer et al.•Journal of the American Dietetic…•2006

  • Family Routines and Rituals

    Mary Spagnola, Barbara H Fiese•Infants & Young Children•2007

  • A review of 50 years of research on naturally occurring family routines and rituals

    Barbara H Fiese, Thomas J Tomcho et al.•Journal of Family Psychology•2002

  • Integrating Different Perspectives on Socialization Theory and Research

    Open Access•Joan E Grusec, Maayan Davidov•Child Development•2010

  • Family Dinner Meal Frequency and Adolescent Development

    Open Access•Jayne A Fulkerson, Mary Story et al.•Journal of Adolescent Health•2006

  • Social Perspective for Family Functions in Society

    Open Access•Tijen ZEYBEK, Fevzi Kasap•Revista de Cercetare si…•2020

  • Family meals are associated with lower substance use in female adolescents

    Open Access•Danny Rahal, Michael R Irwin et al.•Family Process•2025

  • Economic strain and quality of life among families with emerging adult children

    Open Access•Giovanni Fonseca, Bruno de Sousa et al.•Family Process•2024

  • Predictability Can Reduce the Burden of Adverse Childhood Experiences

    Open Access•Laura M Glynn•Policy Insights from the…•2025

  • It’s the Best Day of Your Life

    Open Access•Laura Stafford, L Faulkner et al.•Communication Studies•2020

  • Research on the effects of family rituals on subjective well-being of Chinese college students

    Open Access•Yuchen Yang, Wang Chun-lei•Current Psychology•2023

  • Contemporary parenting norms and coparenting coordination

    Open Access•Gaëlle Venard, Elli‐Anastasia Lamprianidou et al.•Family Relations•2026

  • Annual Research Review

    Open Access•E P Davis, Laura M Glynn•Journal of Child Psychology and…•2024

  • Families as Contexts for Attachment

    Open Access•Carla Crespo•Journal of Family Theory & Review•2012

  • Rituale

    Kathrin Audehm, Christoph Wulf et al.•Familie•2008

  • The effects of social media based brand communities on brand community markers, value creation practices, brand trust and brand loyalty

    Open Access•Michel Laroche, Mohammad Reza Habibi et al.•Computers in Human Behavior•2012

  • The Family that Plays Together Fares Better

    Susan L Hutchinson, T D Afifi et al.•Journal of Divorce & Remarriage•2007

  • Os funerais são para os vivos. Apontamentos sobre o lugar do investigador-autor na construção da morte em perspectiva socio-antropológica

    Francisco Ramos, Rosalina Pisco Costa et al.•Revista Angolana de Sociologia•2014

  • Family rituals in married couples

    Open Access•Carla Crespo, Isabel N Davide et al.•Personal Relationships•2008

  • A Symbolic and Ritualistic Exposition of Purification Rites in the Old Testament

    Open Access•Mlamli Diko•Journal for Semitics•2024

  • Reliability and Validity of a Daily Activity Evaluation Questionnaire for Adolescents

    Open Access•Ayşe Göktaş, Volkan Türkmen•SAGE Open•2025

  • I Discovered I Love to Pray Alone Too”

    Open Access•Anna Piela, Joanna Krotofil•Religions•2021

  • Routines and child development

    Open Access•Saliha B Selman, Janean E Dilworth‐Bart•Journal of Family Theory & Review•2024

  • Operative death and pediatric neurosurgery missions

    Rahul Jandial•Mortality•2013

  • Mediated Human-Food Interaction for Remote Presence in Adult Family Relationships

    Open Access•Aswati Panicker, Kavya Basu et al.•Computer Supported Cooperative…•2025

  • An overview of rituals in Western therapies and intervention

    Open Access•Alean Al-Krenawi•International Journal for the…•1999

  • The Use of Family Rituals in Eating Behaviors in Hispanic Mothers

    Kathryn Coe, Tanya J Benitez et al.•Family & Community Health•2017

  • We’re not only here but we’re there in spirit”

    Open Access•Earvin Charles Cabalquinto•Mobile Media & Communication•2017

  • Choreographies of Emotion

    Open Access•Rosalina Pisco Costa•Global Studies of Childhood•2012

  • Theorizing Family‐Based Nature Activities and Family Functioning

    Open Access•Dina Izenstark, Aaron T Ebata•Journal of Family Theory & Review•2016

  • Theory and Research From the Communication Field

    Open Access•Kathleen M Galvin, Dawn O Braithwaite•Journal of Family Theory & Review•2014

  • Integrating Family Ritual and Sociocultural Theories as a Framework for Understanding Mealtimes of Families With Children on the Autism Spectrum

    Open Access•Sarah Louise Curti•Journal of Family Theory & Review•2018

  • Discursive Struggles of Tradition and Nontradition in the Retrospective Accounts of Married Couples Who Cohabited Before Engagement

    Julia Moore, Jennifer Kienzle et al.•Journal of Family Communication•2015

  • Feeling Warmth and Close to Her”

    Dawn O Braithwaite, Vincent R Waldron et al.•Journal of Family Communication•2018

  • About as Solid as a Fish Net

    Karla Mason Bergen, Elizabeth A Suter et al.•Journal of Family Communication•2006

  • We Can ‘Break Bread’ Virtually

    Merin Oleschuk, Christopher R Maniotes•Journal of Family Communication•2023

  • Social media, rituals, and long-distance family relationship maintenance

    Open Access•Susan Abel, Tanya Machin et al.•New Media & Society•2020

  • The task of taking care of children

    Open Access•Agnes Andenaes•Child & Family Social Work•2012

  • Doing intimate family work through ICTs in the time of networked individualism

    Open Access•L Eklund, Helga Sadowski•Journal of Family Studies•2021

  • Examining family-based nature activities among Latinx students

    Dina Izenstark, Kimberly A Crossman et al.•Annals of Leisure Research•2021

  • Ritual experience and its emergence with story

    Open Access•Leslye King Mize•Contemporary Family Therapy•1995

  • Healing Rituals for Couples Recovering from Adultery

    Open Access•Jon L Winek, Patricia A Craven•Contemporary Family Therapy•2003

  • The role of theory in treating adolescent substance abuse

    Open Access•Ronald B Cox, Wendel A Ray•Contemporary Family Therapy•1994

  • The show must go on”

    Open Access•Liora Navon, Nurit Weinblatt•Journal of Aging Studies•1996

  • Interpersonal rituals in marriage and adult friendship

    Carol J Bruess, Carol J S Bruess et al.•Communication Monographs•1997

  • Attitudes Toward the Continuation of Family Rituals Among Emerging Adults

    Open Access•Stacey R Friedman, Stacey Friedman et al.•Sex Roles•2004

  • Externalizing and Internalizing Problems in Low-Income Latino Early Adolescents

    Open Access•Alexandra Loukas, Hazel M Prelow•The Journal of Early Adolescence•2004

  • Irregular breakfast consumption in adolescence and the family environment

    Open Access•Kate Levin, Kate A Levin et al.•Appetite•2012

  • Eating routines. Embedded, value based, modifiable, and reflective

    Open Access•Margaret Jastran, Margaret M Jastran et al.•Appetite•2009

  • Applying the Family Stress Model to responsive feeding and early obesity prevention

    Open Access•Cara F Ruggiero, Kaitlin M Trexberg et al.•Appetite•2024

  • Home on the move

    Open Access•Earvin Charles Cabalquinto•Media Culture & Society•2018

  • The Real Book of Mormon Musical

    Loren D Marks, David C Dollahite et al.•Marriage & Family Review•2020

  • Family Dinners and Family Relationships following the Initial Onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic

    Loren D Marks, Harold H Kelley et al.•Marriage & Family Review•2023

  • Rituals and Relationships

    Melissa Monell Homer, Patti A Freeman et al.•Marriage & Family Review•2007

  • Why Families Go Outside

    Dina Izenstark, Aaron T Ebata•Leisure Sciences•2022

  • Doing things together

    E Compañ, J Moreno et al.•Journal of Epidemiology and…•2002

  • Ritual practice in a social model recovery home

    Open Access•Abigail A Kohn, Abigail Kohn et al.•Contemporary Drug Problems•1998

  • Infant Baptism as a Family Rite of Passage

    Open Access•Gary Pence•Pastoral Psychology•1998

  • Psychosocial Debriefing After Operation Desert Storm

    Open Access•Julián D Ford, David Shaw et al.•Journal of Social Issues•1993

  • Social work and Koranic mental health healers

    Open Access•Alean Al-Krenawi, John R Graham•International Social Work•1999

  • Popular Scottish Song Traditions at Home (and Away)

    Josephine Dougal•Folklore•2011

  • An Exploration of the Environmental Setting Mothers and Early Adolescent Youth Prefer to Have Conversations About Daily Stressors

    Open Access•Dina Izenstark, Janet Y Bang et al.•The Journal of Early Adolescence•2024

  • Rituals in Unmarried Couple Relationships

    Open Access•Kelly Campbell, Luciana C Silva et al.•Family and Consumer Sciences…•2011

  • Work Interference with Dinnertime as a Mediator and Moderator Between Work Hours and Work and Family Outcomes

    Open Access•Jenet I Jacob, Suzanne M Allen et al.•Family and Consumer Sciences…•2008

  • Maintaining Ties and Reaffirming Unity

    Meng Li•Journal of Family Communication•2018

  • Reunion Between Elderly Parents and Their Distant Children

    Open Access•Miriam S Mo, Miriam S Moss et al.•American Behavioral Scientist•1988

  • "High functioning autistic children and the construction of "normal family life

    Open Access•David E Gray, Stacy W Gray•Social Science & Medicine•1997

  • The Integration of Genetic Propensities into Social-Control Models of Delinquency and Violence among Male Youths

    Open Access•G Guo, Michael E Roettger et al.•American Sociological Review•2008

  • Conjuring up Traditions

    Open Access•Jennifer Mason, Stewart Muir•The Sociological Review•2013

  • This Powerful Opening of the Heart

    Chiara Manodori•Journal of Homosexuality•1998

  • Founding the New 'Family Studies

    Open Access•Jon Bernardes•The Sociological Review•1988

  • Empty ritual

    Open Access•Leslie A Baxter, Dawn O Braithwaite et al.•Journal of Social and Personal…•2009

  • Lesbian couples' management of public-private dialectical contradictions

    Open Access•Elizabeth A Suter, Karla Mason Bergen et al.•Journal of Social and Personal…•2006

  • Turning Points in the Development of Blended Families

    Open Access•Leslie A Baxter, Dawn O Braithwaite et al.•Journal of Social and Personal…•1999

  • Destination marriage? The diagnostic role of rituals in dating relationships

    Open Access•Christopher R Maniotes, Brian Ogolsky et al.•Journal of Social and Personal…•2020

  • Unscripted motherhood

    Open Access•Amy Hequembourg•Journal of Social and Personal…•2004

  • Exploring the Relationship Between Mobile Facebook and Social Capital

    Open Access•Andrew Schrock, Andrew R Schrock•Social Media + Society•2016

  • Family Therapy and Transcultural Psychiatry

    Open Access•Vincenzo F Dinicola•Transcultural Psychiatric…•1985

  • The Value of Family Routines for the Academic Success of Vulnerable Adolescents

    Open Access•Kathleen M Roche, Sharon R Ghazarian•Journal of Family Issues•2012

  • Children's Birthday Celebrations From the Lived Experiences of Low-Income Rural Mothers

    Open Access•Jaerim Lee, Mary Jo Katras et al.•Journal of Family Issues•2009

  • Negotiating Lesbian Family Identity via Symbols and Rituals

    Open Access•Elizabeth A Suter, Karen L Daas et al.•Journal of Family Issues•2008

  • Heterosexist Inclusion and Exclusion during Ritual

    Open Access•Ramona Faith Oswald, Elizabeth A Suter•Journal of Family Issues•2004

  • Who am I in Relation to Them

    Open Access•Ramona Faith Oswald•Journal of Family Issues•2002

  • Late-Life Divorce

    Open Access•Marjorie A Pett, Nancy Lang et al.•Journal of Family Issues•1992

  • Upward transfer in Southeast China and Taiwan

    Open Access•M C Tsai, Chin‐han Chan et al.•Journal of Marriage and the Family•2025

  • Resilience Within the Family Networks of Lesbians and Gay Men

    Open Access•Ramona Faith Oswald•Journal of Marriage and the Family•2002

  • Family Identity

    Amber M Epp, Lisa Leimar Price et al.•Journal of Consumer Research•2008

  • The ritual process

    Victor Witter Turner•The ritual process•1977

  • The Psychosocial Interior of the Family

    Gerald Handel•Psychosocial Interior of the Family•2018

  • Ritual in Family Living

    James H S Bossard, Eleanor S Boll•Ritual in Family Living•1950

  • The Elementary Forms of Religious Life

    Emile Durkheim, Carol Cosman et al.•The Elementary Forms Of Religious…•2009

Unique citing works90
Citations per year2,2
Citation span1985 - 2026 (42)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 88

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae