Interview | John Kavanagh
LGBT Adoptive Parents Do Just As Well As Heterosexual Parents A study published in the Journal of Family Psychology, Vol.27 (3) has found that children adopted by LGBT parents, do just as well in terms of psychological adjustment, as those adopted by heterosexual couples. The authors say an estimated 16,000 same-sex couples are raising more than 22,000 adopted children in the U.S. at present. The study, published in June of this year, was carried out by Abbie E. Goldberg, Visiting Scholar at the Williams Institute, and JuliAnna Z. Smith, of the University of Massachusetts, and was titled Predictors of psychological adjustment in early placed adopted children with lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents. In a press release, dated 9th July, Goldberg stated: “The emotional and behavioral outcomes of children adopted and raised by same-sex couples do not differ from those of children adopted and raised by different-sex couples… Our findings lend support for arguments that prospective adopters should not be discriminated against, in policy or practice, based on sexual orientation.” In the abstract, the authors give an account of how many families, and what type, were involved in the study:
Family type is not a predictor of a child’s psychological adjustment among early placed adopted children with lesbian, gay or heterosexual parents. An estimated 16,000 same-sex couples are raising more than 22,000 adopted children in the U.S., and these findings indicate that these children will likely fare no differently, as a result of their family type, than those being raised by heterosexual parents. This study examines aspects of the preand post-adoptive contexts in relation to child adjustment in 120 two-parent adoptive families (i.e., 40 female same-sex, 35 male same-sex, and 45 different-sex couples who adopted their children). All 120 couples were adopting their first child, and in all cases it was a single child under the age of 1.5 years. The study is also one of the first to investigate the role of both pre- and post-adoptive contexts. “By emphasizing the importance of parents’ adoption preparedness, positive well-being, and strong relationships, this study provides insights into the types of early environmental factors that do make a difference for adopted children,” said Goldberg. MKB/Eile
The current study examined 40 female same-sex, 35 male same-sex, and 45 different-sex parent families with adopted children, all of whom were placed in their adoptive homes under the age of 18 months. Their main findings were that children’s adjustment outcomes did not differ by family type. Across all family types, however, the authors found that a lack of preparedness for the adoption, and parent and partner conflict did affect the adopted child’s adjustment. On the Williams Institute website Goldberg says: EILE Magazine 21