Same-sex Parent Families Research Articles

New Family Models and Their Influence on the Affective Development of Their Children

ABSTRACTThe authors analyzed affectivity in children from same-sex parent and single-parent families in comparison with children who live in heterosexual family structures. Data from 165 questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multivariate analysis. In the raw bivariate data, the highest positive affectivity was seen in children who live in the model formed by 2 mothers. By adjusting the multivariate analysis model, only the level of education of the parents remained an influencing variable, showing that the children of conventional families scored higher for negative affectivity.

Lesbian parents’ perceptions of children’s picture books featuring same-sex parented families

Children’s picture books featuring same-sex parented families have been suggested as a powerful resource in leading change in the struggle against heteronormativity in early childhood education. At present, little is known about lesbian parents’ perceptions of how picture books in their homes and in early childhood settings can influence children’s understandings about families. This study captured the voices of eleven lesbian parents as part of a larger project on their experiences with early childhood settings in Australia. Analysis of the interviews identified four key themes: silence, timing, struggle and limits. This discussion shows that whilst these books have some value in honouring diversity, more care is needed in considering their limitations. Queer Theory informed this study and offers important insights for educators to consider when making pedagogical decisions in resisting heteronormativity.

A Population‐Based Comparison of Female and Male Same‐Sex Parent and Different‐Sex Parent Households

This investigation compared Dutch same-sex parent and different-sex parent households on children's psychological well-being, parenting stress, and support in child rearing. It was also assessed whether associations among children's well-being, parenting stress, and support in child rearing were different in the two household types. Data were based on a nationally representative survey (N=25,250). Matching was used to enhance similarity in background characteristics between both types of families. Parental and child characteristics were matched for 43 female same-sex parent, 52 male same-sex parent, and 95 different-sex parent households with offspring between 5 and 18years old. No significant differences were found on children's well-being, problems in the parent-child relationship, being worried about the child, or the use of formal and informal support between mothers in same-sex and different-sex parent households or for fathers in same-sex and different-sex parent households. Regarding perceived confidence in child rearing, fathers in same-sex parent households and mothers in different-sex parent households felt less competent than their counterparts. Neither the associations between children's well-being and the predictors (parenting stress variables) nor those between support and the predictors (parenting stress and children's well-being) differed along household type. In this population-based study, the similarity in child outcomes regardless of household type confirms the results of prior investigations based on convenience samples. These findings are pertinent to family therapists, practitioners, court officials, and policymakers who seek information on parenting experiences and child outcomes in female and male same-sex parent families.

Parent Perspectives on Child Health and Wellbeing in Same-Sex Families: Heteronormative Conflict and Resilience Building

Measurable aspects of child health and wellbeing for children in same-sex parented families show that these children develop well, overall. Increasingly however, it is understood that stigma can have a negative impact on their health within a same sex family context. The aim of this study is to understand how child health in same-sex parented families is constructed by same-sex attracted parents and what this teaches us about the impact of stigma on child health in this context. Families from across Australia were sampled from a larger study of child health and wellbeing. We used family interviews, which took place between January and August 2013. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes. We report on the data from 11 parents with 10 children. Families presented stories of heteronormative conflict that arose from their position in society. Through family constructs, gender assumptions, discrimination and challenging interactions with institutions this heteronormative conflict had a significant influence on child health, sometimes through the generation of broader familial stress. Resilience building was used by parents to construct a positive environment for child health by combating the lack of understanding and discrimination seen at a societal level. Resilience that is developed to combat stigma provides significant benefits, particularly in a heteronormative world where traditional assumptions about families dominate. The anticipation of stigma, and heteronormative pressures, can stimulate same-sex attracted parents to prepare their children for potential negativity. This should be supported through appropriate school programs and considered political leadership.

Parent-school relationships and young adopted children’s psychological adjustment in lesbian-, gay-, and heterosexual-parent families

Almost no research has examined the role of parent-school relationships in relation to child psychological functioning in adoptive families or same-sex parent families, much less same-sex adoptive families. Yet adoptive families, and particularly same-sex adoptive families, may be vulnerable to marginalization in the school setting, which could have implications for child adjustment. Using parent reports, in a sample of 106 lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parent families with young children (Mage=3.38years at T1 and 5.42 years at T2), this study examined T1 parent-school relationships (school involvement, parent-teacher relationship quality, parent-school contact about child problems, and perceived acceptance by other parents) and adoption-specific school experiences at T1 (i.e., parent input about classroom inclusion and parent-teacher conflicts related to adoptive family status) in relation to children’s later (T2) internalizing and externalizing symptoms, controlling for T1 symptoms. Follow-up analyses assessed these predictors in relation to concurrent (T1) symptoms. Family context and demographic variables were included as controls. Parents’ school involvement was negatively related to later internalizing symptoms; providing input to teachers about inclusion, and parent-teacher conflicts related to adoption, were both positively related to later internalizing symptoms. Perceived acceptance by other parents was negatively related to later internalizing and externalizing symptoms. School-initiated contact about child problems more strongly predicted higher externalizing symptoms in same-sex parent families than heterosexual parent families. Cross-sectional analyses (T1 predictors in relation to T1 child outcomes) revealed a somewhat different set of findings: most notably, parents’ school involvement was negatively related to externalizing symptoms. Findings have implications for early childhood educators and school administrators who seek to improve diverse family-school partnerships to enhance children’s emotional and behavioral well-being.

The Influence of Parental Identification on Attitudes in Same-Sex Families

ABSTRACTWithout the ability to be legally married in most U.S. states until 2015, same-sex couples did not have the rights and privileges of married or once-married couples. Even with the changing legality and increasing social acceptance of same-sex marriage, the relationship between nonbirth parents and children in same-sex parented families is often not recognized as a legitimate child-parent bond. The focus of this article is to investigate how attitudes related to social networks and the language used to identify parental figures likely contribute to the binary gender-role structure of the family. Using data from a self-administered survey, I examine whether nonbirth and birth parents hold distinct attitudes about social concepts that are relevant to their lives.

Civic Competence of Dutch Children in Female Same-Sex Parent Families

This study examined whether Dutch children reared in families headed by female same-sex parents differ in civic competence from Dutch children reared by opposite-sex parents. The participants, drawn from a national sample, included 32 children (11-13 years old) parented by female same-sex couples who were matched on demographic characteristics with 32 same-aged children parented by opposite-sex couples. The comparison revealed that children raised by female same-sex parents scored significantly higher on several civic competencies, specifically on attitudes concerning acting democratically, dealing with conflicts, and dealing with differences. These results suggest that growing up in a nontraditional family may be associated with a greater appreciation of diversity and the development of good citizenship.

Same-sex parent families in Italy: Validation of the Coparenting Scale-Revised for lesbian mothers and gay fathers

Even though Italy is still struggling to establish equal rights and access to assisted reproduction techniques for sexual minorities, an increasing number of lesbian women and gay men are now becoming parents. There are only a few studies that have evaluated coparenting in same-sex couples. However, these addressed adoptive couples and not the lesbian and gay parent families through donor insemination or surrogacy, respectively. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Coparenting Scale-Revised and its relationship with dyadic adjustment, discipline management, and internalized sexual stigma in Italian same-sex-planned families. The factor structure showed a satisfactory internal consistency and criterion validity with correlates of coparenting behaviours. While Family Integrity factor was confirmed, Disparagement and Reprimand dimensions collapsed into Conflict factor. Non-genetic parents showed lower levels of conflict than genetic parents. Most importantly, coparenting emerged as a significant function not shaped by gender, but influenced by parental status and internalized sexual stigma.

Psychosocial Well-Being in Children of Same-Sex Parents: A Longitudinal Analysis of Familial Transitions

Families in the United States are increasingly diverse, which has given rise to questions about the consequences these new family forms have for children’s outcomes. This study uses a life course perspective to examine the association between family transitions, nontraditional family structures (with particular attention to same-sex parent families), and children’s psychosocial well-being. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten cohort was used to examine children’s externalizing well-being, internalizing well-being, and interpersonal skills. Results indicate that nontraditional family structures are associated with poorer psychosocial well-being, but this is largely accounted for by changes and transitions experienced in the creation of new families. The findings provide a critical look at the assumptions embedded in arguments focused solely on family structure, and joins other research in calling attention to the importance of family processes for understanding the well-being of children.

Impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in same-sex parent families: A cross-sectional survey.

Children with same-sex attracted parents develop well in terms of their health and wellbeing. There are many recognised factors that have an impact on child health, in general, including individual, family and wider social mediators. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in Australian same-sex parent families. A cross-sectional survey of self-identified same-sex attracted parents from across Australia was used to collect information on child health and wellbeing between May and December 2012. Mixed-effects multiple linear regression models were used to identify associations between family structure/socio-demographic characteristics and child wellbeing. Child health outcomes were measured using the Child Health Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. In same-sex parent families, biological relationships, parental gender and parental education were not significantly associated with health and wellbeing. Parental income, rurality and stable parental relationships were associated with health and wellbeing, and living in a single-parent household was associated with poorer wellbeing. Stable dual parent families offer good outcomes for children with same-sex attracted parents. Family processes are most important. This study does not support the assertion that children require both male and female parents, nor that biological relationships are essential to health and wellbeing. This study provides scientific data from a cross-sectional Australian-based study to describe and understand health determinants for children in family contexts that comprise same-sex parent and all family contexts. It recommends equitable, stigma-free family support.

Same-Sex Parented Families' Negotiation of Minority Social Identity in South Africa

ABSTRACTIn the past two decades, South Africa has made tremendous advancement in gay and lesbian rights. Despite this progress, many reports suggest that social attitudes have not kept up with legal progress, and gay and lesbian individuals in South Africa live in a society that is intolerant, oppressive, and even violent toward nonheterosexual citizens. The purpose of the current study was to explore same-sex parented families' interpretations of social attitudes toward gay/lesbian sexual orientation and the ways in which they negotiate their minority social identity status in their daily lives. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 21 parents and 12 children in South Africa's Gauteng and Western Cape provinces. Despite many reports of social nonacceptance of gay/lesbian sexual orientation, participants largely reported positive perceptions of South African attitudes toward gay/lesbian families. Importantly, as most participants were White and middle-class, many acknowledged that non-White, non-middle-class sexual minorities likely do not share in these positive experiences. Participants reported negotiating social attitudes through ignoring, creating safe spaces, and altering behavior while in public. These strategies are discussed through the lens of social identity theory.

Family Structure and Children’s Economic Well-Being: Incorporating Same-Sex Cohabiting Mother Families

Research on family structure and child well-being rarely includes children in same-sex parent families, a notable omission since 28 % of female–female couple households contain children. Using the 2010–2013 pooled current population survey (CPS), we examined children’s economic well-being by family structure. These data were ideal for this study because they included a sizeable number of children in same-sex cohabiting mother families and the CPS measured both official and supplemental poverty, incorporating the cohabiting partner. Using the official poverty measure, children in same-sex cohabiting mother families were more likely to be poor than their counterparts in either different-sex cohabiting or married parent families. Using the supplemental poverty measure, children in same-sex mother families were no more likely to be poor than children in all other types of different-sex two-parent families.

From Vatican II to Pope Francis: Charting a Catholic Future ed. by Paul Crowley, S.J. (review)

Reviewed by: From Vatican II to Pope Francis: Charting a Catholic Future ed. by Paul Crowley, S.J. Thomas P. Rausch S.J. From Vatican II to Pope Francis: Charting a Catholic Future. Edited by Paul Crowley, S.J. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2014. 190pp. $28.00. The papers in Crowley’s edited book were given in a ten week class at Stanford University, originally planned for a two day symposium marking the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. But just as they began preparing to publicize the course, Pope Benedict XVI resigned and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as Pope Francis. The first pope ordained after the council concluded, his language from the time he assumed the Chair of Peter led many to hope that the vision that marked Vatican II would be experienced again in the church. How might that vision be reclaimed? This is the concern of Crowley’s book. Three chapters put the council’s documents in a contemporary context, five apply them to contemporary issues, and the final three attempt to imagine some future directions. While all are thoughtful, some are particularly noteworthy. Thus, Stephen Schloesser argues that the council responded successfully to the centuries of change that preceded it, but its response to what he calls the “biopolitics” of the twentieth century – contraception, abortion, gay rights, and stem cell research as well as “companionate” marriage and the nuclear family as an emotional rather than an economic unity – was woefully inadequate. He comments that much of the church’s energies since the controversy over Humanae vitae has been spent trying to reconcile the lives of the non-celibate laity with a magisterial authority reserved to celibate males. Sally Vance-Trembath argues that the genius of the council lies more in its methods than in its texts. Its theological anthropology is ready to be forged into new ways of being church, while the church itself [End Page 71] cannot seem to let go of a preconciliar anthropology that defined women in terms of their capacity for motherhood. Jerome Baggett suggests that the council’s very openness to other faiths accounts at least in part for so many Catholics leaving the church. Similarly, many are reluctant to make judgments about religious matters; they are unsure about fundamental doctrines and their belonging or not is based on subjective reasons such as “feel comfortable with.” Archbishop John Quinn suggests that the council’s doctrine of collegiality means a decentralization that has not been realized, using the new translation of the English Sacramentary as an example. Kristin Heyer and Bryan Massingale note how Gaudium et spes challenged the church’s defensive stance towards the world and called Catholics to identify with the poor and the marginalized. But where the constitution stressed the limited competence of church leaders in church and society, such humility is lacking in the more recent church, where authority does not hesitate to teach moral truths on difficult subjects virtually in isolation from the laity. In reviewing issues like abortion, contraception, the treatment of divorced and remarried, and pastoral care of same-sex parented families, they quote Pope Francis that “Thinking with the Church does not mean thinking with the hierarchy of the Church.” In a particularly wise chapter, Catherine Cornille argues that Nostra aetate left open the question of the salvific efficacy of other religions. While she rejects the popular idea that there are equal ways to salvation, a popular approach that avoids the problem of conflicting truth claims and practices, she notes that the later church documents such as the Vatican’s Dialogue and Proclamation (1990) recognize the possibility of learning from other religions. Looking ahead, Paul Lakeland joins Pope Francis in viewing baptism as a call to mission; it cannot reduce church membership to liturgical celebration and an ethical life. In an Epilogue, Albert Gelpi and Barbara Charlesworth Gelpi reflect on Pope Francis’s efforts to extend the infallibility of the church to embrace the sensus fidelium, asking what kind of institutional structures might be needed to include the opinions of the laity. The ignoring of the laity is a theme running though the book. It will be helpful...

Measurement, methods, and divergent patterns: Reassessing the effects of same-sex parents

Scholars have noted that survey analysis of small subsamples—for example, same-sex parent families—is sensitive to researchers’ analytical decisions, and even small differences in coding can profoundly shape empirical patterns. As an illustration, we reassess the findings of a recent article by Regnerus regarding the implications of being raised by gay and lesbian parents. Taking a close look at the New Family Structures Study (NFSS), we demonstrate the potential for misclassifying a non-negligible number of respondents as having been raised by parents who had a same-sex romantic relationship. We assess the implications of these possible misclassifications, along with other methodological considerations, by reanalyzing the NFSS in seven steps. The reanalysis offers evidence that the empirical patterns showcased in the original Regnerus article are fragile—so fragile that they appear largely a function of these possible misclassifications and other methodological choices. Our replication and reanalysis of Regnerus’s study offer a cautionary illustration of the importance of double checking and critically assessing the implications of measurement and other methodological decisions in our and others’ research.

Building healthcare workers' confidence to work with same-sex parented families.

This article reports on a qualitative study of barriers and access to healthcare for same-sex attracted parents and their children. Focus groups were held with same-sex attracted parents to explore their experiences with healthcare providers and identify barriers and facilitators to access. Parents reported experiencing uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking encounters with healthcare workers who struggled to adopt inclusive or appropriate language to engage their family. Parents valued healthcare workers who were able to be open and honest and comfortably ask questions about their relationships and family. A separate set of focus groups were held with mainstream healthcare workers to identity their experiences and concerns about delivering equitable and quality care for same-sex parented families. Healthcare workers reported lacking confidence to actively engage with same-sex attracted parents and their children. This lack of confidence related to workers' unfamiliarity with same-sex parents, or lesbian, gay and bisexual culture, and limited opportunities to gain information or training in this area. Workers were seeking training and resources that offered information about appropriate language and terminology as well as concrete strategies for engaging with same-sex parented families. For instance, workers suggested they would find it useful to have a set of 'door opening' questions they could utilize to ask clients about their sexuality, relationship status or family make-up. This article outlines a set of guidelines for healthcare providers for working with same-sex parented families which was a key outcome of this study.

Does the Parents' Sex Really Matters On Children's Psychological Development? a Literature Review

More same-sex couples become parents by having children in previous heterosexual relationships, through donor insemination, adoption, fostering or surrogacy. Does the parents’ sex impact on the offspring's psychological development? Literature review on Pub-Med. Research shows that the warmth and closeness between parents and children –including adolescents- is what counts for the offspring's psychological development and not their parents’ sex. Children's cognitive abilities, sexual orientation and gender identity seem also unrelated to their parents’ sex. Positive outcomes have been observed both for gay and lesbian-parented families. Even though the children of gay and lesbian couples may be exposed to discriminatory sentiments against their parents, their influence on the children's long-term psychosocial adjustment appears debatable. They may even be more tolerant towards marginalized groups but they also describe concerns about becoming friendless and tend to conceal their parents’ sexual orientation. Furthermore, the children seem to be negatively influenced when their parents are not allowed to marry. Marriage could increase stability within a couple and also assist in lessening the stigma and social discrimination faced by many same-sex parents. Future research should address the weaknesses of the existing studies (small samples of white, well-educated and affluent gay and lesbians). Based on the available data, what counts for the children's normal psychological development seem to be the quality of parenting rather than their parents’ sex. Parenting stress appears to be more predictive of children's psychological problems. The social prejudice and legal discrimination against same-sex parented families seem to lack scientific validation.

Child Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorderv (ADHD) in Same-Sex Parent Families in the United States: Prevalence and Comorbidities

Aims: This paper presents the first population data on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children raised by same-sex parents with the aims 1) to test whether residence with same-sex parents is associated with higher ADHD prevalence, and 2) to observe and assess any clinically significant aggravators or comorbidities.Methodology: Aggregate data for 1997-2013 from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey yielded a representative sample of children from 207,007 households, including 512 with same-sex parents, permitting inferential comparisons.Results: ADHD was more than twice (OR 2.4, 95% CL 1.6-3.4) as prevalent among children with same-sex parents than in the general population, after controlling for age, sex, ethnicity and parent SES. Comorbidities with general emotional problems and defiance behavior were standard. ADHD risk with same-sex parents was reduced among adopted children (OR 0.54 95% CL .27-1.1), null in the presence of parent psychological distress, and substantially elevated in the presence of stigmatization (OR 7.3 95% CL 1.4-38.1). In same-sex families, children with ADHD were over seven times (OR 7.5 95% CL 1.2-46.8) more likely to suffer stigmatization due to impaired interpersonal coping skills.Conclusion: Diagnostic intake for ADHD should include parent sexual orientation, and treatment programs should include resources to bolster anti-victimization skills, particularly for children with same-sex parents. Results suggest the presence of shared genetic factors for same-sex attraction and ADHD, though more research is needed to confirm.

Child Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Same-Sex Parent Families in the United States: Prevalence and Comorbidities

Child Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Same-Sex Parent Families in the United States: Prevalence and Comorbidities

“The Contact Hypothesis” and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Parenting

“The contact hypothesis” refers to the value of heterosexuals’ interpersonal contact with gay men and lesbians in lowering negative attitudes toward them. With the increasing number of same-sex parented families worldwide, in spite of a generalized lack of appropriate social and legal protection, the issue of attitudes toward gay and lesbian parents gains special relevance. A sample of 1690 Portuguese heterosexual individuals were asked about their interpersonal contact experiences with gay men and lesbians, their attitudes toward them and toward same-sex parenting. Results revealed that women and non-religious participants were significantly more likely to have gay and lesbian acquaintances and friends, feel more comfortable in their company, and hold less negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians, and gay and lesbian parenting. A path analysis model revealed that interpersonal contact experiences were not directly linked to attitudes toward same-sex families, but were mediated by homonegativity and comfort with gay men and lesbians. These findings extend previous knowledge about the value of interpersonal contact, by highlighting the roles of homonegativity and positive affect as mediators of contact experiences on attitudes toward same-sex parented families.

Predictors of school engagement among same-sex and heterosexual adoptive parents of Kindergarteners

Little research has explored parental engagement in schools in the context of adoptive parent families or same-sex parent families. The current cross-sectional study explored predictors of parents' self-reported school involvement, relationships with teachers, and school satisfaction, in a sample of 103 female same-sex, male same-sex, and heterosexual adoptive parent couples (196 parents) of kindergarten-age children. Parents who reported more contact by teachers about positive or neutral topics (e.g., their child's good grades) reported more involvement and greater satisfaction with schools, regardless of family type. Parents who reported more contact by teachers about negative topics (e.g., their child's behavior problems) reported better relationships with teachers but lower school satisfaction, regardless of family type. Regarding the broader school context, across all family types, parents who felt more accepted by other parents reported more involvement and better parent–teacher relationships; socializing with other parents was related to greater involvement. Regarding the adoption-specific variables, parents who perceived their children's schools as more culturally sensitive were more involved and satisfied with the school, regardless of family type. Perceived cultural sensitivity mattered more for heterosexual adoptive parents' relationships with their teachers than it did for same-sex adoptive parents. Finally, heterosexual adoptive parents who perceived high levels of adoption stigma in their children's schools were less involved than those who perceived low levels of stigma, whereas same-sex adoptive parents who perceived high levels of stigma were more involved than those who perceived low levels of stigma. Our findings have implications for school professionals, such as school psychologists, who work with diverse families.