Bentuk Keluarga
Published on September 25, 2026
Category | Details |
|---|---|
Legal Basis (Indonesia) | UU No. 1/1974 (Marriage Law), UU No. 52/2009 (Population Development and Family Building), PP No. 21/1994 (Family Welfare Development) |
Definition of Family (Indonesian Law) | The smallest unit in society consisting of husband-wife, or husband-wife and child(ren), or father and child(ren), or mother and child(ren) |
Core Concept | The family is the fundamental social unit that determines the health, development, and welfare of its members. All primary care and public health assessments start with understanding the family structure. |
Key Family Types | Nuclear, Extended, Single-Parent, Blended (Reconstituted), Serial (Berantai), Composite, Communal (Cohabitation), Dyadic, Binuclear |
Eight Functions of the Family (BKKBN/PP 21/1994) | Religion, Sociocultural, Affection, Protection, Reproduction, Socialization & Education, Economic, Environmental Stewardship |
Family Assessment Tool | Family APGAR (Smilkstein, 1978): Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve |
Family Developmental Framework | Duvall's 8-Stage Family Life Cycle |
Keywords | Nuclear family, extended family, blended family, single-parent, dyadic family, Family APGAR, Duvall's stages, 8 fungsi keluarga, UU 52/2009, keluarga inti |
01Legal Foundation and Definition of Family in Indonesia
Understanding the legal basis is critical because exam vignettes set in an Indonesian context will use definitions derived from national legislation. Under UU No. 4/1979, the family is defined as the smallest unit of society consisting of a father and/or mother and child. A broader and more contemporary definition comes from UU No. 52/2009, which defines the family as the smallest unit in society consisting of husband-wife, or husband-wife and child(ren), or father and child(ren), or mother and child(ren). Notice that this legal definition already accounts for single-parent families.
The Indonesian Marriage Law (UU No. 1/1974) serves as the primary reference for family law. It enshrines the principle of monogamy (one husband, one wife), the principle of consensus (marriage requires agreement of both parties), and the principle of proportionality (equal rights and standing between husband and wife in household and social life). Polygamy is permitted under strict judicial oversight and religious law provisions, but the default legal standard remains monogamous marriage. This is relevant because composite families (polygamous households) do exist in Indonesia despite the legal default.
PP No. 21/1994 on Family Welfare Development and the subsequent BKKBN (National Population and Family Planning Board) framework introduced the Eight Functions of the Family, which form the backbone of exam questions on family function assessment. These eight functions are: (1) Religion, (2) Sociocultural, (3) Affection, (4) Protection, (5) Reproduction, (6) Socialization and Education, (7) Economic, and (8) Environmental Stewardship.
02Classification of Family Types
This is the highest-yield section. You must be able to identify the family type from a vignette description and understand the health implications of each structure.
Nuclear Family (Keluarga Inti)
Definition
A husband, wife, and their biological or adopted unmarried children living as an independent unit
Example Vignette
A 30-year-old woman lives with her husband and their two children, ages 3 and 5
Dyadic Family (Keluarga Diad)
Definition
A married couple without children
Example Vignette
A newly married couple, both age 27, living alone with no children
Extended Family (Keluarga Besar)
Definition
A nuclear family plus blood relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) from the paternal or maternal line, living together
Example Vignette
A couple with their child lives with the husband's mother and father in the same household
Single-Parent Family (Keluarga Orangtua Tunggal)
Definition
One parent (biological or adoptive) raising child(ren) alone, due to divorce, death, or choice
Example Vignette
A 35-year-old widow raises her 8-year-old son alone
Blended / Reconstituted Family (Keluarga Campuran)
Definition
Formed when one or both partners bring children from a previous relationship into a new marriage
Example Vignette
A woman with two children from her first marriage marries a man who has one child from his previous marriage; they all live together
Binuclear Family
Definition
A family structure in which divorced parents both remarry, and the child alternates between two households under joint custody
Example Vignette
A child spends weekdays at his mother's new household and weekends with his father's new family
Serial Family (Keluarga Berantai)
Definition
A man or woman who has been married more than once, forming a new nuclear family unit each time
Example Vignette
A woman on her third marriage currently lives with her present husband and their child
Composite Family (Keluarga Berkomposisi)
Definition
A polygamous marriage in which multiple spouses and their children live together as one household
Example Vignette
A man lives with his two wives and their respective children in one compound
Communal / Cohabitation Family (Keluarga Kabitas)
Definition
Two individuals living together as a family unit without legal marriage
Example Vignette
An unmarried couple lives together and raises their child without being legally married
Common-Law Family
Definition
A couple recognized as married by prolonged cohabitation and public acknowledgment, without formal legal ceremony (note: not formally recognized under Indonesian UU 1/1974)
Example Vignette
A couple has lived together for 15 years and are publicly known as husband and wife but never had a formal ceremony
Family Type | Definition | Example Vignette |
|---|---|---|
Nuclear Family (Keluarga Inti) | A husband, wife, and their biological or adopted unmarried children living as an independent unit | A 30-year-old woman lives with her husband and their two children, ages 3 and 5 |
Dyadic Family (Keluarga Diad) | A married couple without children | A newly married couple, both age 27, living alone with no children |
Extended Family (Keluarga Besar) | A nuclear family plus blood relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) from the paternal or maternal line, living together | A couple with their child lives with the husband's mother and father in the same household |
Single-Parent Family (Keluarga Orangtua Tunggal) | One parent (biological or adoptive) raising child(ren) alone, due to divorce, death, or choice | A 35-year-old widow raises her 8-year-old son alone |
Blended / Reconstituted Family (Keluarga Campuran) | Formed when one or both partners bring children from a previous relationship into a new marriage | A woman with two children from her first marriage marries a man who has one child from his previous marriage; they all live together |
Binuclear Family | A family structure in which divorced parents both remarry, and the child alternates between two households under joint custody | A child spends weekdays at his mother's new household and weekends with his father's new family |
Serial Family (Keluarga Berantai) | A man or woman who has been married more than once, forming a new nuclear family unit each time | A woman on her third marriage currently lives with her present husband and their child |
Composite Family (Keluarga Berkomposisi) | A polygamous marriage in which multiple spouses and their children live together as one household | A man lives with his two wives and their respective children in one compound |
Communal / Cohabitation Family (Keluarga Kabitas) | Two individuals living together as a family unit without legal marriage | An unmarried couple lives together and raises their child without being legally married |
Common-Law Family | A couple recognized as married by prolonged cohabitation and public acknowledgment, without formal legal ceremony (note: not formally recognized under Indonesian UU 1/1974) | A couple has lived together for 15 years and are publicly known as husband and wife but never had a formal ceremony |
Key distinction to remember: The deciding factor between a nuclear family and an extended family is the presence of blood relatives beyond the parent-child unit. An extended family has members from three or more generations living together. If a grandmother moves in with a nuclear family, the classification changes to extended. If a stepchild is present, it becomes blended, not nuclear.
Indonesian cultural context: Within the Indonesian framework, the matrilineal variant of the consanguine (blood-related) family is recognized. In this model, the family includes the group of female siblings and male siblings along with the children of the female siblings. This is particularly relevant in Minangkabau culture (West Sumatra), where the matrilineal system means that men who are married essentially belong to the wife's family, and inheritance follows the maternal line. Exam writers may present a Minangkabau family scenario to test whether you can identify the kinship pattern.
03Eight Functions of the Family (BKKBN Framework)
This table is a staple of community medicine questions. You will be asked to identify which family function is dysfunctional in a given vignette.
1
Function
Religion (Fungsi Agama)
Core Meaning
The family is the first place where religious values such as faith, honesty, tolerance, discipline, and compassion are instilled.
Example of Dysfunction
A child never receives religious education at home and has no moral foundation from family
2
Function
Sociocultural (Fungsi Sosial Budaya)
Core Meaning
Teaching norms, ethics, tolerance, mutual respect (gotong royong), and preserving positive cultural traditions.
Example of Dysfunction
A family does not teach the child social norms, resulting in poor social behavior
3
Function
Affection (Fungsi Cinta Kasih)
Core Meaning
The family is the foundation for nurturing love and emotional bonding between all members
Example of Dysfunction
A child grows up without emotional warmth; parents are emotionally distant
4
Function
Protection (Fungsi Perlindungan)
Core Meaning
Protecting family members physically and emotionally from harm and providing a safe refuge where members can bring their problems.
Example of Dysfunction
A child experiences domestic violence at home
5
Function
Reproduction (Fungsi Reproduksi)
Core Meaning
Continuing lineage, planning birth spacing, and maintaining reproductive health. Also includes reproductive health education
Example of Dysfunction
A family has no birth spacing, resulting in maternal and infant health complications
6
Function
Socialization & Education (Fungsi Sosialisasi & Pendidikan)
Core Meaning
The family is the first place a child receives education, learning to socialize, communicate well, and respect others according to social values and norms.
Example of Dysfunction
A child is never taught to interact with others; parents provide no guidance on communication
7
Function
Economic (Fungsi Ekonomi)
Core Meaning
The family teaches all members to be independent, frugal, and careful in managing finances to meet life needs.
Example of Dysfunction
Family income is mismanaged; children are malnourished due to economic dysfunction
8
Function
Environmental Stewardship (Fungsi Pembinaan Lingkungan)
Core Meaning
Maintaining harmony between family and environment, preserving ecological balance for family welfare. Includes discipline, management, and conservation of the surroundings
Example of Dysfunction
Family household waste is improperly disposed of, leading to environmental and health hazards
No. | Function | Core Meaning | Example of Dysfunction |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Religion (Fungsi Agama) | The family is the first place where religious values such as faith, honesty, tolerance, discipline, and compassion are instilled. | A child never receives religious education at home and has no moral foundation from family |
2 | Sociocultural (Fungsi Sosial Budaya) | Teaching norms, ethics, tolerance, mutual respect (gotong royong), and preserving positive cultural traditions. | A family does not teach the child social norms, resulting in poor social behavior |
3 | Affection (Fungsi Cinta Kasih) | The family is the foundation for nurturing love and emotional bonding between all members | A child grows up without emotional warmth; parents are emotionally distant |
4 | Protection (Fungsi Perlindungan) | Protecting family members physically and emotionally from harm and providing a safe refuge where members can bring their problems. | A child experiences domestic violence at home |
5 | Reproduction (Fungsi Reproduksi) | Continuing lineage, planning birth spacing, and maintaining reproductive health. Also includes reproductive health education | A family has no birth spacing, resulting in maternal and infant health complications |
6 | Socialization & Education (Fungsi Sosialisasi & Pendidikan) | The family is the first place a child receives education, learning to socialize, communicate well, and respect others according to social values and norms. | A child is never taught to interact with others; parents provide no guidance on communication |
7 | Economic (Fungsi Ekonomi) | The family teaches all members to be independent, frugal, and careful in managing finances to meet life needs. | Family income is mismanaged; children are malnourished due to economic dysfunction |
8 | Environmental Stewardship (Fungsi Pembinaan Lingkungan) | Maintaining harmony between family and environment, preserving ecological balance for family welfare. Includes discipline, management, and conservation of the surroundings | Family household waste is improperly disposed of, leading to environmental and health hazards |
Exam tip: When a vignette describes a child with behavioral problems, poor school performance, or social maladjustment, think about which family function is failing. The question typically asks you to identify the dysfunctional function, not to diagnose a medical condition.
04Family Life Cycle (Duvall's 8-Stage Model)
Duvall's Family Life Cycle is the most frequently tested developmental framework. Duvall's stages are: (1) married couple, (2) childbearing, (3) preschool children, (4) school-age children, (5) teenage children, (6) launching children, (7) middle-aged parents, (8) aging parents. Each stage carries distinct developmental tasks and health concerns.
I. Beginning Family
Description
Married couple, no children
Age of Oldest Child
N/A
Key Developmental Task
Establishing a mutually satisfying marriage; family planning decisions
Primary Health Concern
Family planning education, premarital counseling, reproductive health
II. Childbearing
Description
Oldest child is infant to 30 months
Age of Oldest Child
Birth to 2.5 years
Key Developmental Task
Adjusting to the demands of a new infant; establishing a stable family unit
Primary Health Concern
Prenatal/postnatal care, immunization, breastfeeding, child development monitoring
III. Preschool
Description
Oldest child is 2.5 to 6 years
Age of Oldest Child
2.5 to 6 years
Key Developmental Task
Adapting to the needs of preschool children; coping with parental energy demands
Primary Health Concern
Childhood immunization schedule, accident prevention, developmental screening
IV. School-Age
Description
Oldest child is 6 to 13 years
Age of Oldest Child
6 to 13 years
Key Developmental Task
Fitting into the community through school and peer group involvement
Primary Health Concern
School health programs, dental health, nutritional education
V. Teenage
Description
Oldest child is 13 to 20 years
Age of Oldest Child
13 to 20 years
Key Developmental Task
Balancing freedom with responsibility; managing adolescent identity development
Primary Health Concern
Reproductive health education, substance abuse prevention, mental health screening
VI. Launching Center
Description
First child leaves home through last child leaving
Age of Oldest Child
Young adult
Key Developmental Task
Releasing children into adult roles; maintaining a supportive home base
Primary Health Concern
Young adult health screening, family adjustment counseling
VII. Middle-Aged Parents
Description
Empty nest through retirement
Age of Oldest Child
N/A
Key Developmental Task
Rebuilding the couple relationship; adjusting to aging
Primary Health Concern
Chronic disease screening (hypertension, diabetes, cancer), menopause management
VIII. Aging Family
Description
Retirement to death of both spouses
Age of Oldest Child
N/A
Key Developmental Task
Adjusting to retirement, loss of spouse, aging and declining health
Primary Health Concern
Geriatric assessment, palliative care, fall prevention, grief and bereavement
Stage | Description | Age of Oldest Child | Key Developmental Task | Primary Health Concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
I. Beginning Family | Married couple, no children | N/A | Establishing a mutually satisfying marriage; family planning decisions | Family planning education, premarital counseling, reproductive health |
II. Childbearing | Oldest child is infant to 30 months | Birth to 2.5 years | Adjusting to the demands of a new infant; establishing a stable family unit | Prenatal/postnatal care, immunization, breastfeeding, child development monitoring |
III. Preschool | Oldest child is 2.5 to 6 years | 2.5 to 6 years | Adapting to the needs of preschool children; coping with parental energy demands | Childhood immunization schedule, accident prevention, developmental screening |
IV. School-Age | Oldest child is 6 to 13 years | 6 to 13 years | Fitting into the community through school and peer group involvement | School health programs, dental health, nutritional education |
V. Teenage | Oldest child is 13 to 20 years | 13 to 20 years | Balancing freedom with responsibility; managing adolescent identity development | Reproductive health education, substance abuse prevention, mental health screening |
VI. Launching Center | First child leaves home through last child leaving | Young adult | Releasing children into adult roles; maintaining a supportive home base | Young adult health screening, family adjustment counseling |
VII. Middle-Aged Parents | Empty nest through retirement | N/A | Rebuilding the couple relationship; adjusting to aging | Chronic disease screening (hypertension, diabetes, cancer), menopause management |
VIII. Aging Family | Retirement to death of both spouses | N/A | Adjusting to retirement, loss of spouse, aging and declining health | Geriatric assessment, palliative care, fall prevention, grief and bereavement |
Why this matters clinically: Different individual stages of development occur simultaneously in different family members. For example, the onset of adolescence in a child and midlife crisis in a parent can overlap. Understanding which stage the family is in helps the physician anticipate the developmental tasks and health risks that are most likely to appear.
Limitation to know for the exam: These family life cycle stages portray the intact nuclear family but are limited in their applicability to single, divorced, and stepparent families. If the vignette presents a blended or single-parent family, acknowledge that Duvall's model does not perfectly apply.
05Distinguishing Family Types in a Vignette
A couple and their two children live with the wife's mother
Looks Like...
Nuclear family
But Actually Is...
Extended family
Key Discriminator
Presence of the grandmother (three generations) makes it extended, not nuclear
A married couple has two biological children and one child from the wife's previous marriage
Looks Like...
Nuclear family
But Actually Is...
Blended (Reconstituted) family
Key Discriminator
The stepchild from a prior marriage is the key feature that changes it to blended
A divorced mother raises her child alone; her own father lives in a nursing home nearby
Looks Like...
Extended family (grandfather is family)
But Actually Is...
Single-parent family
Key Discriminator
The grandfather does not live in the same household. Living nearby does not count as extended.
A child spends weekdays with mother (remarried) and weekends with father (remarried)
Looks Like...
Blended family
But Actually Is...
Binuclear family
Key Discriminator
The child alternating between two separate households under co-parenting is the defining feature of a binuclear arrangement
A man lives with two wives and their children
Looks Like...
Extended family
But Actually Is...
Composite family
Key Discriminator
Polygamous marriage structure is the discriminator. Extended family involves blood relatives, not multiple spouses.
An unmarried couple raises their child together
Looks Like...
Single-parent family
But Actually Is...
Cohabitation (Communal/Kabitas) family
Key Discriminator
Both partners are present and active. It is not single-parent. The absence of legal marriage is the discriminator.
A woman is on her third marriage, now living with current husband and their baby
Looks Like...
Blended family
But Actually Is...
Serial family
Key Discriminator
Serial family is defined by sequential marriages forming new nuclear units. It becomes blended only if children from prior marriages also live in the current household.
Scenario | Looks Like... | But Actually Is... | Key Discriminator |
|---|---|---|---|
A couple and their two children live with the wife's mother | Nuclear family | Extended family | Presence of the grandmother (three generations) makes it extended, not nuclear |
A married couple has two biological children and one child from the wife's previous marriage | Nuclear family | Blended (Reconstituted) family | The stepchild from a prior marriage is the key feature that changes it to blended |
A divorced mother raises her child alone; her own father lives in a nursing home nearby | Extended family (grandfather is family) | Single-parent family | The grandfather does not live in the same household. Living nearby does not count as extended. |
A child spends weekdays with mother (remarried) and weekends with father (remarried) | Blended family | Binuclear family | The child alternating between two separate households under co-parenting is the defining feature of a binuclear arrangement |
A man lives with two wives and their children | Extended family | Composite family | Polygamous marriage structure is the discriminator. Extended family involves blood relatives, not multiple spouses. |
An unmarried couple raises their child together | Single-parent family | Cohabitation (Communal/Kabitas) family | Both partners are present and active. It is not single-parent. The absence of legal marriage is the discriminator. |
A woman is on her third marriage, now living with current husband and their baby | Blended family | Serial family | Serial family is defined by sequential marriages forming new nuclear units. It becomes blended only if children from prior marriages also live in the current household. |
06Traps and High-Yield Pearls
The most common way students get questions on family types wrong is confusing extended and blended families. Extended family adds blood relatives across generations. Blended family adds non-biologically related children through remarriage. Both result in larger households, but the composition is fundamentally different. If the vignette mentions a "stepchild," it is blended. If it mentions a "grandmother" or "uncle" living together, it is extended.
A second frequent error is misidentifying a single-parent family when other adults are nearby but not living together. A lone parent of either gender with a child is defined as a single-parent family. A relative living nearby in a separate household does not change the classification. The key question is always: who lives under the same roof?
For questions on family function, students often confuse the Protection function with the Affection function. Protection is about physical and emotional safety. Affection is about emotional warmth and love. A vignette describing a child who does not feel safe at home points to a Protection dysfunction. A child who feels unloved despite being safe points to an Affection dysfunction.
On Family APGAR, the trap is treating it as a diagnostic test rather than a screening instrument. A low score does not diagnose dysfunction; it signals the need for further evaluation. The "next best step" after a low APGAR score is a detailed family assessment (genogram, family conference), not a psychiatric referral.
Finally, remember that Duvall's model applies to the traditional nuclear family. When the exam presents a single-parent or blended family, note the limitation. The core competency being tested is whether you can match the right family structure to the right classification, identify the dysfunctional family function, and understand that family type directly influences health outcomes and disease risk.