Sociological Study of the Social, Economic, and Cultural Losses Caused by the Decline of Joint Families in Patna

Abstract

This research paper presents a detailed and evidence-based study of the adverse social, economic, and cultural impacts on society resulting from the disintegration of the joint family system and the rise of nuclear families in Patna, the capital of Bihar, driven by rapid urbanization, Westernization, migration, and industrial development.
Through a primary survey (interviews of 200 families) and secondary data (Census, NFHS-5), this study demonstrates that the breakup of joint families in Patna is not merely a structural or residential change; it has led to the neglect of senior citizens, a security crisis, a decline in children's mental health, legal property disputes, the commercialization of caregiving services, and the erosion of collective cultural heritage such as the Chhath Puja festival.