What's in a Family? Family Conceptualizations of Flemish College‐Aged Students (1997–2018)

Abstract

ObjectiveInspired by previous research, we investigated how perceptions about family have changed among first‐year university students at KU Leuven (Flanders, Belgium) between 1997 and 2018.BackgroundThe question of what constitutes a family has puzzled scholars for years, yet empirical information on this topic, especially from young adults, is limited. The perceptions are important because studies have found a link between perceptions about families and family behavior.MethodWe collected a convenience sample of first‐year university students at KU Leuven in 1997 (n = 674) and 2018 (n = 471) via online and offline questionnaires. Using cross‐tabulation analysis, we compared the data to consider changes in perceptions about families and investigate differences.DiscussionWe found that students in 2018 are more receptive to postdivorce arrangements, pets, and deceased family members in their conceptualizations of family. Also, we noted that the conceptualization of families including friends was not widespread, indicating that the “framily” is not yet established among the university students in this group. We found that women, students who report their parents as having a lower socioeconomic status, and students from nonintact families held more inclusive family views.ImplicationsOur findings contribute to a better understanding of how Flemish college‐age students perceive families. This information, however limited, can provide valuable information for policymakers, opinion leaders, and (family) therapists.