Nov 19 2004
The debate over Gay marriage often hinges on the welfare of children. A recent study has found that teenagers of same-sex female parents are developing as well as the children of opposite-sex parents. The study found that good quality family relationships are more important contributors to successful development than family type. Adolescents raised by same-sex couples have similar dating and romantic relationship behaviors as children of opposite-sex couples.
Charlotte Patterson, co-author of the study is quoted in a University of Virginia press release as stating that "the best predictor of teens' adjustment is the quality of their relationship with parents. If parents are supportive and maintain close relationships with them, teenagers are more likely to be successful and happy at home and at school."
Patterson and her colleagues studied 12- to 18-year-old adolescents from 88 families. The sample was part of a large national survey of American adolescents, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Half of the study participants were parented by same-sex female couples and half were parented by opposite-sex couples. The two groups were matched on demographic characteristics.
Both groups had comparible scores on measures of psychosocial adjustment and school results including grades and test scores. The teens' adjustment was not affected by whether thay had same sex or opposite sex parents.
This study was especially well-designed in several ways. Participating families came from various parts of the United States, instead of from a single geographical area. The sample included participants from different racial and socioeconomic groups, and was more diverse than samples in most previous studies. Because the data were originally collected for other reasons, any possibility of bias has been minimized.
Source: Patterson, Wainright & Russell. Child DevelopmentNovember/December 2004
