Wölfin
06-11-2010, 02:33 PM
After 25 years of observing 78 lesbian couples and their kids, who were conceived by using sperm donors, researchers found that compared to non-lesbian households, these kids were "psychologically well-adjusted and had fewer behavioral problems than their peers."
Through interviews and questionnaires, researchers discovered that the children, who were studied from the time of insemination up until now, rated higher than peers in social, academic, and total competence, in addition to lower rates of rule-breaking and "aggressive problem behavior."
Possible theories from Dr. Nanette Gartrell and his team include greater involvement with two mothers, the almost guaranteed likelihood of planned pregnancies, and kids being encouraged to talk about sexuality and discrimination from a young age, as their families were different from the "norm" on TV or friends' families.
Original source (http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/07/lesbian.children.adjustment/?hpt=T2).
Blog I found the above on. (http://www.afterellen.com/blwe/06-11-10?page=0%2C1)
As Dr. Gartrell I was surprised the kids did better than average. I expected them to be about the same. I think its important to read the second source I linked, because it talks more about the study. I also think it is very important to highlight the fact that the sample was not about kids in general raised by lesbians, but specifically lesbian mothers who were artificially inseminated. I think that is a very important factor, because as we all know planned parenthood usually turns out better than the contrary. I'm pretty sure the results would be different for, say, a young adult woman who fucked around, got pregnant and finally discovered or settled on the idea she was a lesbian. Or a mother with a child born out of wedlock who gets with a woman after the kid is born etc. etc. etc. There many different possible scenarii.
Finally an other factor that could've come in to play as suggested by Dr. Gartell, is the fact two mothers might on average be more involved than a father and a mother. But this needs to be verified.
I'm still intrigued. I'm also slightly skeptical of the fact it was funded by a party who had personal interest in a positive outcome, but on the other hand most studies are funded by groups who would benefit from a desired outcome. Also if it truly was biased the study would hav ebeen conducted on gay men as well which it wasn't.
Through interviews and questionnaires, researchers discovered that the children, who were studied from the time of insemination up until now, rated higher than peers in social, academic, and total competence, in addition to lower rates of rule-breaking and "aggressive problem behavior."
Possible theories from Dr. Nanette Gartrell and his team include greater involvement with two mothers, the almost guaranteed likelihood of planned pregnancies, and kids being encouraged to talk about sexuality and discrimination from a young age, as their families were different from the "norm" on TV or friends' families.
Original source (http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/07/lesbian.children.adjustment/?hpt=T2).
Blog I found the above on. (http://www.afterellen.com/blwe/06-11-10?page=0%2C1)
As Dr. Gartrell I was surprised the kids did better than average. I expected them to be about the same. I think its important to read the second source I linked, because it talks more about the study. I also think it is very important to highlight the fact that the sample was not about kids in general raised by lesbians, but specifically lesbian mothers who were artificially inseminated. I think that is a very important factor, because as we all know planned parenthood usually turns out better than the contrary. I'm pretty sure the results would be different for, say, a young adult woman who fucked around, got pregnant and finally discovered or settled on the idea she was a lesbian. Or a mother with a child born out of wedlock who gets with a woman after the kid is born etc. etc. etc. There many different possible scenarii.
Finally an other factor that could've come in to play as suggested by Dr. Gartell, is the fact two mothers might on average be more involved than a father and a mother. But this needs to be verified.
I'm still intrigued. I'm also slightly skeptical of the fact it was funded by a party who had personal interest in a positive outcome, but on the other hand most studies are funded by groups who would benefit from a desired outcome. Also if it truly was biased the study would hav ebeen conducted on gay men as well which it wasn't.