Family rituals consisting of ceremonial acts, traditions and patterned interactions serve as a basis of communication, collective identity, and stabilizing relationships. Therefore, the measurement of rituals in a schizophrenic family is an objectification of the family's symbolic communication and integration. Based upon this, the relationship between family rituals practice in 138 families both with a schizophrenic member (71) and without (67) was examined by the use of an originally developed instrument, the “Family Rituals Scale” (FRS). The psychometric properties of this instrument were tested and proved to be reliable. Families with a schizophrenic member were less ritualizing than the “normal” families. The correlation between FRS scores and Global Assessment Scale scores in schizophrenic patients was negative (the higher the psychosocial functioning level, the lower FRS scores), which means a higher performance of family rituals. The effect of other factors on FRS scores and the therapeutic implications are discussed.
