Final answer:
True, multigenerational families include grandparents along with parents and children. This trend, declining post-World War II but increasing since 1980, signifies the rise of extended family structures in the U.S. that offer social and economic support during times of transition.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, multigenerational families do indeed include grandparents in addition to both parents and children. In historical context, the prevalence of such families in the United States decreased post-World War II, hitting a low around 1980. However, a resurgence has been observed with a record of 49 million people living in this family structure in 2010, according to Pew Research Center analysis of census data, and the number grew to 64 million by 2016. These family setups often emerge during times of transition such as economic hardship, job changes, or educational pursuits.
The extended family is a broader concept which may encompass multigenerational households, but it also includes other arrangements such as polygamous families, joint families, and households where siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins live together. This type of family has historically been associated with agricultural societies and can provide a strong social and economic support system.
In contemporary U.S society, family structures are diversifying, including single-parent households and expanded households where extended family members live together. The evolving nature of family is reflecting broader social changes and the increasing acceptance of various forms of kinship beyond the traditional nuclear family.