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The Family Routines and Activities Project is a pilot study conducted by Dr. Michael P. Marshal,
Dr. Brooke Molina, and Jason Duin. The main goal of this study is to learn more from families about the
kinds of family activities and routines that they engage in on a regular basis. This project was inspired by the
"Dinner Table Ritual," which refers to a growing body of literature showing that children in families that have
dinner together at least a couple of times a week are healthier than children in other families.   

This study consists of in-depth qualitative interviews with adolescents and their parents about the kinds of
routines and rituals the families engage in, including things like eating dinner together, going on family
vacations, participating in weekend sports activities, and more. The interviews are recorded and
transcribed and evaluated to look for common themes among families and also for unique family
routines. When the study is completed we plan to use the information we gain to design a questionnaire that
will be administered on a larger scale to families in order to see how the quality and quantity of family rituals
is related to long-term health outcomes in teenagers.  

For more information about the Family Activities Project, please contact the Principal Investigator,
Michael P. Marshal, at 412-246-5663 or by email at marshalmp@upmc.edu. 

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