Adolescent Satisfaction in Family Rituals and Psychosocial Development: A Developmental Systems Theory Perspective

Adolescent satisfaction in family rituals and psychosocial development ( E. Greenberger & A. B. Sorenson, 1974 ) were explored in the context of adolescent personality characteristics ( International Personality Item Pool, 1999 ) and family environment characteristics ( S. M. Gavazzi, M. J. Reese, & R. M. Sabatelli, 1998 ; D. H. Olson et al., 1983 ). Data were collected from 159 female undergraduates with the Adolescent Satisfaction in Family Rituals Scale ( D. G. Eaker & L. H. Walters, 1999 ). Family ritual satisfaction was positively related to late adolescent psychosocial development and mediated the relation between family boundaries and psychosocial development. Furthermore, the relation between personality (measured as discontentedness, an aspect of neuroticism) and satisfaction with family rituals was found to be mediated by family boundaries in preliminary analyses. These results suggest that the relevance of family ritual experiences to adolescent psychosocial development is in part a function of an individual's personality and the family environment.