The national lesbian family study: 4. Interviews with the 10-year-old children.
This 4th report from a longitudinal study of U.S. lesbian families presents data from 78 families in which the children were conceived by donor insemination. Results indicate that the prevalence of physical and sexual abuse in these children was lower than national norms. In social and psychological development, the children were comparable to children raised in heterosexual families. Children of unknown donors were indistinguishable from those with known donors in psychological adjustment. In total, 57% of the children were completely out to their peers, and 43% had experienced homophobia. The children demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of diversity and tolerance.
Gartrell
Nanette
N
Center for Excellence in Women's Health, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA. ngartrell@nllfs.org
Deck
Amalia
A
Rodas
Carla
C
Peyser
Heidi
H
Banks
Amy
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007316:Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous / Q000523:psychology; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010553:Personality Development; D011247:Pregnancy; D011287:Prejudice; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012917:Social Adjustment