A comparative study of changing Family Composition, Structure and Practices in urban area of Kanpur City (U.P.)

The present study was conducted in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. The aim of research study was to assess the changing Family Composition, Structure and Practices in urban area of Kanpur City. Purposively 80 families of middle socioeconomic strata were selected for the study. A survey was conducted using a selfstructured questionnaire with close ended questions, to collect the data regarding changing Family Composition, Structure (Changing role, power and status, Changes relationships and Practices (Changing marriage patterns and other family practices). Data was analyzed in terms of mean, frequency and percentage. Findings reveals that 81.25% families were nuclear , Role, power and status was given according to age of person in family (86.25). There were families having normal ( 37.50%), good (31.25%), very good (8.75% %), poor (22.50%) dyadic relationship with their extended families, Families having good (25.00%), average (46.25%), very good (5.00%), poor (23.75%) dyadic relationship with their kinship reference group, Families with monogamy (100.00%) , endogamy (73.25%), exogamy (26.25%) marriage practices, families were in favor of arranged (41.25%) , arranged love (28.75 %) and love (30.00%) marriages, families in favor of marriage after 25 years (51.25%) , marriage between 21-25 years (40.00%), marriage between 1821 years (8.75%), families following marriage rituals of marriage (100.00%), families in favor of financial exchange during marriage (96.25%) and families against of financial exchange during marriage (3.75%), Families having their own residence and linage system (100.00%), families following democratic (61.25%), authoritative (33.75%), permissive (5.00%) disciplinary system, families giving preference to their family member for Guardianship and custody of their children ((86.25%) and families, taking help of neighbor, community center for Guardianship and custody of their children (13.75%), families, taking the responsibilities of rearing and bearing of their own children ((100.00%), families able to fulfill (91.25%) and families unable fulfill their familial needs sometimes(8.75%), families very careful about health and hygiene of their family members(90.00%), were less caring about health and hygiene of their family members (10.00%), families planned regular saving for present and future of their family members (85.00%), families irregular in saving for present and future of their family members (15.00%). families were supporting their working/ non working members of their family (100.00%)