Description

Family is the basic and universal social structure of human society. It fulfill

requirements or desires and performs functions, which are obligatory for the

stability, integration and transformation in the social system (Badiger, 2015). The

Merriam-Webster dictionary (2016) defines "Family is a fundamental social

group which typically consists of one or two parents and their children." The forms

and functions of family have undergone adaptive changes in the scientific and

economic structure of the current civilization. It determines the growth and

development of individuals, in that; it is a major basis of nurturance, expressive

attachment and socialization (Bahadur & Dhawan, 2008). One of the most

prominent feature of modern societies is the occurrence of a range of family

variations, from the most customary, extended families with strict, gender based sex

roles to the modern dual occupation families based on liberal, equal sex roles and to

adults cohabiting without marriage. The term "alternative family patterns" suggests

those family patterns that result from personal situation outside one's control (death

of a partner, infertility) or from socio-economic conditions (male migration, work

participation of women). In Indian context, most family variations are a result of

personal or socio-economic circumstances. Experimental or selected lifestyles like

living without marrying, and being childless willingly are restricted to a

tremendously small group of people. These types of life styles are generally seen in

western societies. Rather, the most commonly observed family variations in India

include single parent families, female headed households, dual earner career

families, childless families and adoptive families (Mishra et al., 2012; Joseph &

James, 2017.