Why Routines Matter: The Nature and Meaning of Family Routines in the Context of Adolescent Mental Illness

This qualitative descriptive study provides new understandings of family routines in families dealing with adolescent mental illness. Seven parent and adolescent participants recruited from a community child and adolescent mental health service contributed data through individual, semi-structured interviews. Inductive analysis revealed two groups of inter-related themes. The first group focused on the nature of routines and comprised four themes, which revealed that routines function as an indicator of well-being of the adolescent and provide stability and continuity in family life in times of stress. The second group also encompassed four themes and explored the meaning of routines, showing that significance is attributed to routines when they facilitate control, protect well-being, facilitate occupational balance, and support the expression of identity. The findings highlight the importance of supporting families and adolescents with mental illness to recognise, adapt, and maintain routines that promote well-being.