A Study On Same-Sex Parenting

Date: Jun-13-2012A review and study published in Social Science Research states that children raised by same-sex parents are more likely to have lower levels of incomes, poorer mental and physical health, and higher levels of smoking and criminality. These findings have sparked controversy on both sides of the same-sex-marriage debate.

After reviewing studies published between 1980 and 2005 cited by the 2005 official brief on same-sex parenting by the American Psychological Association (APA), Dr. Loren Marks from Louisiana State University says that a lot of the evidence that forms the basis of the brief does not stand up to scrutiny.

Marks explained: "Not a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents. The jury is still out on whether being raised by same-sex-parents disadvantages children. However, the available data on which the APA draws its conclusions, derived primarily from small convenience samples, are insufficient to support a strong generalized claim either way."

According to Marks, over 75% of the 59 studies cited in the APA brief were based on small, non-representative, non-random samples that did not include any minority individuals or families. In addition, almost 50% did not include a heterosexual comparison group and only a few analyzed outcomes that extend beyond childhood, such as income, and educational attainment.

Marks concludes: "A lack of high quality data leaves the most significant questions unaddressed and unanswered."

The study, conducted by professor Mark Regnerus, a sociologist at University of Texas, found differences in the social and emotional well-being of young adults raised by women who have a had a lesbian relationship experience and those raised in a heterosexual family.

In order to determine how children brought up in eight different family structures fared on 40 emotional, social, and relationship outcomes, professor Regnerus examined data from the New Family Structures Study (NFSS). The NFSS is a large nationally representative sample of just under 3,000 Americans aged 18 to 39.

Compared to young adults who spent their entire childhood with both their married, biological parents, Regnerus found that children of mothers who have had same-sex relationships were considerably different as young adults on 25 of the 40 (63%) outcome measures.

According to Regneurs, these young adults reported:
higher levels of smoking and criminality
more receipt of public welfare
lower levels of employment
significantly lower levels of income
poorer relationship quality with current partner
poorer mental and physical health

Regnerus said: "This study, based on a rare large probability sample, reveals far greater diversity in the experience of lesbian motherhood (and to a lesser extent, gay fatherhood) than has been previously acknowledged or understood. The most significant story in this study is arguably that children appear most apt to succeed well as adults when they spend their entire childhood with their married mother and father, and especially when the parents remain married to the present day."

In the same issue of Social Science Research, three researchers share their views on both studies.

David Eggebeen, Associate Professor of Human Development and Sociology at Pennsylvania State University, said:

"Dr. Marks' paper, by turning a bright light on the shortcomings of previous work, challenges researchers to develop better data and conduct kinds of analyses that allow more confidence in generalizations. The Regnerus paper introduces a data set based on a national probability sample that has the potential to address some of Mark's criticisms. The analyses in the Regnerus paper are provocative but far from conclusive. These very preliminary findings should not detract from the real importance of this paper, the description of a new data set that offers significant advantages."

Professor Cynthia Osborne from the University of Texas at Austin, explained:

"Whether same-sex parenting causes the observed differences cannot be determined from Regnerus' descriptive analysis. Children of lesbian mothers might have lived in many different family structures and it is impossible to isolate the effects of living with a lesbian mother from experiencing divorce, remarriage, or living with a single parent. Or, it is quite possible, that the effect derives entirely from the stigma attached to such relationships and to the legal prohibitions that prevent same-sex couples from entering and maintaining 'normal relationships'."

Pennsylvania State University, sociologist and professor Paul Amato said:

"If growing up with gay and lesbian parents were catastrophic for children, even studies based on small convenience samples would have shown this by now [...] If differences exist between children with gay/lesbian and heterosexual parents, they are likely to be small or moderate in magnitude - perhaps comparable to those revealed in the research literature on children and divorce."

Written By Grace Rattue

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