Same-sex adoptive parents ‘no different to heterosexuals in terms of outcomes’

A new study has offered evidence that gay and lesbian adoptive parents can provide the same quality of parenting as heterosexual couples.

The University of Kentucky research focused on nearly 100 adoptive families with school-age children as they matured from early to middle childhood, monitoring different aspects of family life among heterosexual, gay and lesbian parents.

Overall, no differences were observed between family types across a range of characteristics, including behaviour problems, stress levels, couple relationships, family functionality and relationship adjustments over time.

It was shown that children experienced fewer behaviour problems over time when their adoptive parents went through less parenting stress, regardless of parental sexual orientation.

Lower stress was associated with higher family functioning when children were of school age and fewer behaviour problems when children were of preschool age. This showed that family processes were more important than structure in terms of child outcomes.

University of Kentucky assistant professor of psychology Rachel Farr said: "These results, which support many positive outcomes among adoptive families headed by lesbian, gay or heterosexual parents over time, may be informative to legal, policy and practice realms."

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