Project REAL (Relationships, Experiences, and Adaptation in daily Life) employs an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) burst design to capture, in real time, the day-to-day experiences of families and adolescents. After measurement and protocol refinement, data collection will begin in Spring 2025.
The sample will include 150 African American families, including parents and adolescents (mother–adolescent; father–adolescent). Study methods include survey measures, daily diary assessments, and mobile EMA designed to examine how family interactions and social experiences unfold in daily life. This study seeks to advance understanding of within-family and dynamic processes that underlie family functioning and promote adaptation and well-being for parents and youth. Research questions include: 1) How do contextual and demographic factors shape variability in these daily patterns? and 2) In what ways do parents’ and adolescents’ experiences co-vary across days, reflecting dynamic and reciprocal processes?
