Most of the previous research focused on the increasing number of out-dining population; seldom concerned the lived meaning of out-dining for those who have to do so. The current research explored the out-dining phenomenon in Taiwan and examined the feelings regarding out-dining in the minds of Kaohsiung citizens. The current research applied both quantitative and qualitative research methods. To understand the basic ideas and investigate their experiences and feelings of out-dining, the researcher interviewed six subjects. In the stage of quantitative method, three meal-buffet stores were observed for three days, each and individually, where 241 respondents were acquired for brief questionnaires at the same time. The current research shifted out six dimensions of the lived meanings for out-dining: enjoyment, efficiency, powerless, expenditure, non-home, and out-of-home by demographic variables. Differences in the dimensions were scrutinized as well as by the data collected.

Assessing the functionality of family is a very current topic. The last survey of functionality of family according to Questionnaire of functionality of family was done by professor Dunovský in the 80th of the 20th century. The aim of this study is to determine what social workers in the South Bohemian region assess the functionality of the family according to. Partial research questions aim to answer the main research question: Which characteristics does a functional family have according to social workers? This study deals with the question whether the Questionnaire of functionality is still up to date or outdated. The study deals only with a few fields of the questionnaire. The research was qualitative; its main technique was a semi standardized interview. The structure of the interview took a form of broadly worded questions that were aimed at understanding the problem. The survey shows that the Questionnaire of functionality by Dunovský cannot be used in assessing the functionality of family without detailed history of a family, which will reflect particular variations in individual families on the basis of prolonged inquiry in the family. The categories of the Questionnaire themselves need to be updated with regard to the shift of social perception of family and the shift of social-economic situation of families in society.