Because it is the responsibility of the family environment to prepare developing members to adapt to other environments, routines prepare individuals with coping mechanisms for daily life, which has been linked to increased tolerance for uncertainty and resistance to rumination. 

Chaotic, disorganized, and uncertain family environments that did not establish routines, on the other hand, are associated with the incidence of depression even into adulthood.

Family Routine's Role in the Etiology of Depression

Smith et al's (2017) model of family health links the function of daily routines with maintaining health behaviors long term and describes maintaining balance as a process mediated by awareness and adaptability. Healthy routines encourage balance, purposefulness, and inclusion.

Findings from Exploring Families' Experiences of Health

In the discipline of psychology, routines are defined as organized, predictable, and intentional sets of behaviors repeated frequently in day to day life. Routines can include physical and mental components and can involve some or all family members. 
Routines can provide environmental and emotional stability within households.

Grand Valley State University

Introduced by Murray Bowen in the 1950s, family systems theory views households as emotional units with family members having interconnected lives and behavioral processes. Family environments, structures, routines, and relationships influence the development of each individual.

Family Systems Theory

Yan, Y., Zhang, J., & Dong, S. (2021). Influence of childhood family routines on adult depression: A cross sectional study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654433

 Influence of childhood family routines on adult depression: A cross sectional study

Not to be conflated with the family structure/unit, the environment is the conditions, circumstances, norms, and resources surrounding a family. The interaction between family and environment is bidirectional, and individual family members may perceive the same environmental stimuli differently. 


Family Environment

Consisting of conversational and conformity dimensions, family communication patterns theory conceptualizes the way family heirarchies make decisions, transmit attitudes and beliefs, relate to one another, and elicit support. 

Family Communication Patterns Theory

Family Routines

Family dynamics encompass the ways in which individual members interact with each other based on their hierarchies, roles, and identities, and how familial relationships are perceived. Elements of family dynamics include:

• Structure

• Cohesion 

• Conflict style 

• Parenting style 

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