nuclear family

nuclear family

n.

A family unit consisting of a mother and father and their progeny.

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Nuclear family

The basic family unit, consisting of father, mother, and their biological children.

Mentioned in: Family Therapy

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nuclear family

[n(y)o̅o̅′kle·ər]

Etymology: L, nucleus, nut kernel, familia, household

a family unit consisting of the biologic parents and their offspring. The nuclear family is a relatively recent product of Western society. The nuclear family unit is less efficient than an extended family unit in providing information and vital services to family members, such as child rearing, child care, and care of older family members. Compare extended family, matrifocal family.

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family [fam´ĭ-le]

1. a group of people related by blood or marriage or a strong common bond, such as those descended from a common ancestor, or a husband, wife, and their children.

2. a taxonomic category below an order and above a genus.

blended family a family unit composed of a married couple and their offspring including some from previous marriages.

dysfunctional family one in which adult caregivers are unable to consistently fulfill their family responsibilities.

extended family a nuclear family and their close relatives, such as the children's grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

nuclear family a family consisting of a two-generation relationship of parents and children, living together and more or less isolated from their extended family.

nuclear dyad family a husband and wife with no children.

family of origin the family in which a person grew up.

family processes the psychosocial, physiological, and spiritual functions and relationships within the family unit; for nursing diagnoses, see under process.

single-parent family a lone parent and offspring living together as a family unit.

skewed family a family in which one spouse is severely dysfunctional and the other spouse assumes an acquiescent, peacemaking stance to maintain equilibrium.

family (omaha) in the omaha system, a problem modifier defined as a social unit or related group of individuals who live together and who experience a health-related problem.

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nuclear family,

n a family unit consisting of the biologic parents and their offspring. The nuclear family is less inclusive than the extended family. Although the nuclear family is a relatively recent product of Western society, it is threatened by the increasing dissolution of marriage.

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nuclear family

Social medicine The core family unit, which typically consists of heterosexually-oriented ♂and ♀ partners and their direct–usually unmarried genetic progeny. Cf Companionship, Extended family, Marriage bonus, Most significant other, Social isolation. Cf Single-parent family.