There has been considerable controversy and debate in South Africa (and elsewhere) in recent years over an apparent crisis of the family, including appeals for a return to "traditional" family values. To promote a better understanding of this supposed crisis, Family Matters draws on public opinion data to explore the diverse realities of contemporary family life in South Africa and support appropriate policy responses. CONTENTS: Introduction. FAMILY COHESION. Satisfaction with Family Relationships and Overall Quality of Family Life. Family Functioning and Economic Status. Intergenerational Consensus Within Families. Patterns of Alcohol Consumption: Implications of Harmful Drinking for Families.

Intimate Partner Violence and Family Cohesion Among Ever Married Women and Men. FAMILY VALUES AND THE PROMOTION OF FAMILY LIFE. South African Public Opinion on Family Rights for Lesbians and Gay Men: Entry Points for Activism and Interventions. Embracing the Child: The Acceptability of Adoption. Attitudes Towards Marriage. Is a Woman's Place Still in the Home? Gender Role Attitudes and Women's Position in the Labor Market. Regarding Baba: Perceptions About Fathers and Fatherhood. Filial Responsibility and Caring for the Aging.

FAMILY STRENGTHENING. Social Determinants of Self-Rated Health and Social Inequalities. Views on Work-Family Balance. Child Poverty: Social Perceived Necessities. Lone Mothers' Accounts of the Impact of Poverty on Their Dignity.