Abstract

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of current changes in family structure in urban Colombia and their relationship to socio-demographic variables. Seven hundred and seventy Colombian families from the cities of Medellín, Bogotá, Cali, and Barranquilla participated in the study. In all of these Colombian cities, the nuclear family is predominant but coexists with other family structures, such as the extended nuclear, the female single-parent, and the extended female single-parent family. Women have abandoned the role of housewife to participate in the labor market. Similarly, there is evidence of a reduction in the number of children in family groups when compared to previous studies. Consistent with previous studies in Latin America, the results demonstrate the peak of the female single-parent family.

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