Minor Adjustment A study in the journal Child Development concludes that teenagers raised by lesbian couples appear to be as well-adjusted as those raised by opposite-sex parents. The study was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers, including several from the University of Virginia.
The Study Using data from the federally funded 1995 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and other surveys, researchers identified the responses of 23 girls and 21 boys, ages 12 to 18, from families with parents reporting to be in a marriage or marriage-like relationship with a person of the same sex. The responses were matched with data from adolescents raised by opposite-sex parents.
The Findings Researchers identified no differences in psychosocial adjustment, including depressive symptoms, self-esteem and anxiety between the two groups. A search for differences in the two groups' responses regarding parental warmth, care from others and personal autonomy came up blank. Responses suggested that neither group was more likely than the other to have had sexual intercourse. Earlier studies comparing gay and straight parents also failed to show differences in the kids' well-being.
Conclusions According to the study authors, the findings could have implications for policy regarding issues like adoption, child custody and visitation by lesbian mothers. "Our study does not provide any justification for discrimination against lesbian mothers in the legal system," says lead researcher Jennifer Wainright, a doctoral student in developmental psychology at U-Va. The study draws no conclusions about gay male parents. Their representation in the study sample was too small, she said.
-- Rita Zeidner
