title: Predictors of relationship dissolution in lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents.
abstract: Little work has examined relationship dissolution or divorce in adoptive parents or same-sex parent couples. The current study examined predictors of relationship dissolution across the first 5 years of parenthood among a sample of heterosexual, lesbian, and gay male adoptive couples. Of the 190 couples in the study, 15 (7.9%) dissolved their relationships during the first 5 years of adoptive parenthood. Specifically, 7 of 57 lesbian couples (12.3%), 1 of 49 gay male couples (2.0%), and 7 of 84 heterosexual couples (8.3%) dissolved their unions. Results of our logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of relationship dissolution were significantly higher for (a) couples who adopted a noninfant (i.e., older child); (b) participants who reported feeling less prepared for the adoption, 3 months postadoptive placement; and (c) couples in which both partners reported very low or very high preadoption levels of relationship maintenance behaviors. Findings have implications for adoption professionals seeking to support same-sex and heterosexual prospective adopters, as well as societal debates and policy regarding same-sex relationships and parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Clark University.
authors.forename: Abbie E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Clark University.
authors.forename: Randi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000300:Adoption / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*