Children in planned lesbian families: A cross-cultural comparison between the United States and the Netherlands.
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryPublished 1 January 2008
Henny Bos, Nanette Gartrell, Frank van Balen, Heidi Peyser, Theo Sandfort
Citations67
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.07
SNIP1.01
Generate an AI Snapshot to get a quick, structured summary of this paper.
Study Snapshot
ObjectiveStudy objective
MethodsResearch methodology
PopulationPopulation studied
Sample sizeSample sizes
OutcomesStudy outcomes here
ResultsStudy results comes here
LimitationsResearch study limitations comes here
A concise AI-generated summary of the paper will appear here once you click Generate AI Snapshot.
TL;DR
Results showed that Dutch children were more open about growing up in a lesbian family, experienced less homophobia, and demonstrated fewer emotional and behavioral problems than American children.
Abstract
A total of 78 planned lesbian families in the United States were compared with 74 planned lesbian families in the Netherlands. Children were interviewed about disclosure to peers about living in a lesbian family and about their experiences of homophobia; mothers filled out the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Results showed that Dutch children were more open about growing up in a lesbian family, experienced less homophobia, and demonstrated fewer emotional and behavioral problems than American children. Homophobia was found to account for part of the difference in psychosocial adjustment between the Dutch and the American children.
Keywords
PsychologySocial SciencesMedicine
Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyThe moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations.
72,132 Citations1986Reuben M. Baron, David A. Kenny
Administrative Science QuarterlyCultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind.
17,868 Citations1993Harry C. Triandis, Geert Hofstede
Psychological MethodsA comparison of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects.
9,145 Citations2002David P. MacKinnon, Chondra M. Lockwood +3 more
A Monte Carlo study compared 14 methods to test the statistical significance of the intervening variable effect and found two methods based on the distribution of the product and 2 difference-in-coefficients methods have the most accurate Type I error rates and greatest statistical power.
Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyWhat's wrong with cross-cultural comparisons of subjective Likert scales?: The reference-group effect.
1,015 Citations2002Steven J. Heine, Darrin R. Lehman +2 more
Although cultural experts agreed that East Asians are more collectivistic than North Americans, cross-cultural comparisons of trait and attitude measures failed to reveal such a pattern, the problematic nature of this reference-group effect was demonstrated.
Psychological AssessmentCross-cultural normative assessment: Translation and adaptation issues influencing the normative interpretation of assessment instruments.
922 Citations1994Kurt F. Geisinger
Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyShifting standards and stereotype-based judgments.
431 Citations1994Monica Biernat, Melvin Manis
Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent PsychologyTesting the 8-Syndrome Structure of the Child Behavior Checklist in 30 Societies
410 Citations2007Masha Y. Ivanova, Thomas M. Achenbach +34 more
Fit indices strongly supported the correlated 8-syndrome structure of the Child Behavior Checklist in each of 30 societies, which support use of the syndromes in diverse societies.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent PsychiatryComparisons of Problems Reported by Parents of Children in 12 Cultures: Total Problems, Externalizing, and Internalizing
392 Citations1997Alfons A. M. Crijnen, Thomas M. Achenbach +1 more
Empirically based assessment provides a robust methodology for assessing and comparing problems reported forChildren from diverse cultures and offers a cost-effective way to identify problems for which children from diverse cultural backgrounds may need help.
Journal of Emotional and Behavioral DisordersBehavioral and Emotional Problems Reported by Parents of Children Ages 6 to 16 in 31 Societies
392 Citations2007Leslie Rescorla, Thomas M. Achenbach +35 more
Perspectives on Psychological ScienceToward a New Generation of Cross-Cultural Research
373 Citations2006David Matsumoto, Seung Hee Yoo
This article describes how cross-cultural research methodologies have evolved, with each phase of research addressing limitations of a previous one, and argues for embarking on a fourth phase that empirically establishes linkages between the active cultural ingredients hypothesized to cause between-country differences and the observed differences themselves.
Cambridge University Press eBooksFamilies Across Cultures
350 Citations2006James Georgas, James Georgas +25 more
Child DevelopmentPsychosocial Adjustment, School Outcomes, and Romantic Relationships of Adolescents With Same-Sex Parents
309 Citations2004J.L. Wainright, Stephen T. Russell +1 more
Normative analyses indicated that, on measures of psychosocial adjustment and school outcomes, adolescents were functioning well, and their adjustment was not generally associated with family type.
American Journal of PsychiatryProblems Reported by Parents of Children in Multiple Cultures: The Child Behavior Checklist Syndrome Constructs
291 Citations1999Alfons A. M. Crijnen, Thomas M. Achenbach +1 more
With great cross-cultural consistency, girls obtained higher scores than boys on somatic complaints and anxious/depressed but lower scores on attention problems, delinquent behavior, and aggressive behavior.
Human ReproductionDonor insemination: child development and family functioning in lesbian mother families
285 Citations1997Anne Brewaeys, I. Ponjaert +2 more
Boys and girls raised in lesbian mother families were well adjusted and their gender role development did not differ from that of children raised in heterosexual families.
Journal of Abnormal Child PsychologyDemographic Characteristics, Social Competence, and Behavior Problems in Children with Gender Identity Disorder: A Cross-National, Cross-Clinic Comparative Analysis
270 Citations2003Peggy T. Cohen‐Kettenis, Allison Owen +3 more
This study—the first cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis of children with gender identity disorder—found far more similarities than differences in both social competence and behavior problems.
Developmental PsychologyChildren with lesbian parents: A community study.
246 Citations2002Susan Golombok, Beth Perry +5 more
The quality of parent-child relationships and the socioemotional and gender development of a community sample of 7-year-old children with lesbian parents is examined and findings are in line with those of earlier investigations showing positive mother-child relationship and well-adjusted children.
Journal of Marriage and the FamilyGrowing Up in a Lesbian Family: Effects on Child Development
235 Citations1998Anthony R. D’Augelli, Fiona Tasker +1 more
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryThe national lesbian family study: 1. Interviews with prospective mothers.
220 Citations1996Nanette Gartrell, Jean Hamilton +5 more
This first report from a longitudinal study of 84 lesbian families, 70 of which include a co-mother as well as a birthmother whose child was conceived by donor insemination, presents interview data on parental relationships, social supports, pregnancy motives and preferences, stigmatization concerns, and coping strategies.
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryThe National Lesbian Family Study: 4. Interviews With the 10-Year-Old Children.
203 Citations2005Nanette Gartrell, Amalia Deck +3 more
Results indicate that the prevalence of physical and sexual abuse in these children was lower than national norms, and the children demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of diversity and tolerance.
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryThe National Lesbian Family Study: 2. Interviews with mothers of toddlers.
201 Citations1999Nanette Gartrell, Amy Banks +4 more
Most couples shared parenting co-equally; the majority felt closer to their family of origin; adoptive co-mothers felt greater legitimacy as parents; biology and nurture received the same ratings for mother-child bonding; and political and legal action had increased among many participants.
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryThe National Lesbian Family Study: 3. Interviews with mothers of five-year-olds.
200 Citations2000Nanette Gartrell, Amy Banks +4 more
Data obtained from interviews with mothers of five-year-old children conceived by donor insemination indicated that 87% of the children related well to peers, 18% had experienced homophobia from peers or teachers, and 63% had grandparents who frankly acknowledged their grandchild's lesbian family.
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryChild adjustment and parenting in planned lesbian-parent families.
181 Citations2007Henny Bos, Frank van Balen +1 more
The results show that especially lesbian social mothers differ from heterosexual fathers on parental characteristics and child rearing and that child adjustment is not associated with family type, but is predicted by power assertion, parental concern, and satisfaction with the partner as coparent.
American Journal of PsychiatryComparisons of Problems Reported by Youths From Seven Countries
179 Citations2003Frank C. Verhulst, Thomas M. Achenbach +7 more
Empirically based assessment provided a robust method for assessing and comparing adolescents' self-reported problems and offered a cost-effective way of identifying problems for which adolescents from diverse cultural backgrounds may need help.
Psychological AssessmentCross-cultural generalizability of the Child Behavior Checklist cross-informant syndromes.
166 Citations1994Astrid De Groot, Hans M. Koot +1 more
Dutch Syndromes were very similar in item composition to the eight CBCL cross-informant syndromes derived by T. M. Achenbach (1991 b), except for the Social Problems syndrome.
Journal of Child Psychology and PsychiatryExperience of parenthood, couple relationship, social support, and child‐rearing goals in planned lesbian mother families
137 Citations2004Henny Bos, Frank van Balen +1 more
There are few differences between lesbian couples and heterosexual couples, except that lesbian mothers appear less attuned to traditional child-rearing goals and lesbian social mothers appear more to defend their position as mother.
Journal of Reproductive and Infant PsychologyWhat does it mean for youngsters to grow up in a lesbian family created by means of donor insemination?
133 Citations2002Katrien Vanfraussen, Ingrid Ponjaert‐Kristoffersen +1 more
Compared with children from heterosexual families, these DI children are not more likely to be teased but they are more prone to family-related teasing incidents and introducing their non-traditional family into their peer group does not seem to interfere with their psychological well-being, Nonetheless, teachers indicate that children from lesbian families experience more attention problems compared withChildren from heterosexual households.
American Journal of OrthopsychiatryFamily functioning in lesbian families created by donor insemination.
130 Citations2003Katrien Vanfraussen, Ingrid Ponjaert‐Kristoffersen +1 more
The quantitative and qualitative data of this study on family functioning in lesbian donor insemination families reveal that according to both parents and children, the quality of children's relationship with the social mother is comparable to that with the biological mother.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent PsychiatryEpidemiological Comparisons of American and Dutch Children: I. Behavioral/Emotional Problems and Competencies Reported by Parents for Ages 4 to 16
123 Citations1987Thomas M. Achenbach, Frank C. Verhulst +2 more
The findings demonstrate the feasibility of standardized cross-national research on child psychopathology and show significant nationality differences, with American parents tending to score their children higher on most items.
Journal of Adolescent HealthStigmatization, self-esteem, and coping among the adolescent children of lesbian mothers
115 Citations1999Tamar Gershon, Jeanne M. Tschann +1 more
Stigma is related to self-esteem among the adolescent children of lesbian mothers and this relationship is moderated by coping skills, which has implications for intervention and prevention of stigmatization by the establishment of effective coping skills as well as through educational efforts to eradicate stigmatizing attitudes.
Journal of Reproductive and Infant PsychologyMinority stress, experience of parenthood and child adjustment in lesbian families
111 Citations2004Henny Bos, Frank van Balen +2 more
Australian social monitorAttitudes towards Homosexuality in 29 Nations
106 Citations2001Jonathan Kelley
Human ReproductionPlanned lesbian families: their desire and motivation to have children
101 Citations2003H. Bos
Compared with heterosexual parents, lesbian parents had spent more time thinking about their motives for having children, and their desire to have a child was stronger.
Child Care Health and DevelopmentMeasuring health‐related quality of life in adolescents: agreement between raters and between methods of administration
99 Citations2000G.H.W. Verrips, A.G.C. Vogels +3 more
Inter-rater and intermethod agreement were generally good in observable HRQoL domains, and moderate in less readily observable, and possibly less stable, domains such as moods, pain and physical symptoms, and social functioning.
Feminism & PsychologyThe USA National Lesbian Family Study: Interviews with Mothers of 10-Year-Olds
90 Citations2006Nanette Gartrell, Carla Rodas +3 more
Journal of Family PsychologyLesbian and bisexual mothers and nonmothers: Demographics and the coming-out process.
82 Citations2002Jessica F. Morris, Kimberly F. Balsam +1 more
Controlling for age and income, lesbians and bisexual women who had children before coming out had reached developmental milestones in the coming-out process about 7-12 years later than women who have children after coming out and about 6-8 yearsLater than nonmothers.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent PsychiatryEpidemiological Comparisons of American and Dutch Children: II. Behavioral/Emotional Problems Reported by Teachers for Ages 6 to 11
75 Citations1987Thomas M. Achenbach, Frank C. Verhulst +3 more
The findings support standardized cross-national assessment of teacher-reported behavioral/emotional problems, and show no significant difference between the total problem scores for American versus Dutch children.
Journal of Abnormal Child PsychologyCross-Cultural Generalizability of CBCL Syndromes Across Three Continents: From the USA and Holland to Australia
70 Citations2000Bernd G. Heubeck
Overall most support was obtained for the withdrawn, somatic, anxious/depressed, thought problems, and aggressive factors, whereas the original aggression factor focuses on emotional acting out and the delinquent factor describes an evasive, covert type of antisocial behavior.
Journal of HomosexualityDenial of Equal Civil Rights for Lesbians and Gay Men in the Netherlands, 1980–1993
54 Citations2004Bas van de Meerendonk, Peer Scheepers
The denial of equal rights for lesbians and gay men was subscribed to more strongly by social categories that have been exposed to traditional socializing agents and socializing circumstances in which traditional norms prevailed.
Cambridge University Press eBooksSexual orientation and fertility
47 Citations2000Charlotte J. Patterson, L. V. Friel
Cambridge University Press eBooksChildren of Lesbian and Gay Parents: Research, Law, and Policy
43 Citations2002Charlotte J. Patterson, Megan Fulcher +1 more
Psychology in the SchoolsSocial desirability and behavior rating scales: An exploratory study with the Child Behavior Checklist/4–18
38 Citations2003Scott P. Merydith, H. Thompson Prout +1 more
Family Court ReviewCHILDREN OF SAME-SEX PARENTS DESERVE THE SECURITY BLANKET OF THE PARENTAGE PRESUMPTION*
28 Citations2006Jennifer Rosato
International Journal of Geriatric PsychiatryDetection of memory impairment in the general population: screening by questionnaire and telephone compared to subsequent face‐to‐face assessment
25 Citations2006Jannique van Uffelen, Mai J. M. Chinapaw +3 more
Development of efficient methods for identifying subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment from the general population is warranted, because these subjects represent an important group for (epidemiological) research purposes.
Psychological ReportsApplication of Herek's Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale in the Netherlands
25 Citations2003Bas van de Meerendonk, Rob Eisinga +1 more
The present study was the first attempt to test the applicability of Herek's Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale in the Netherlands, and data support the scale's acceptable reliability and construct and discriminant validity.
International Journal of Law Policy and the FamilyOne, Two or Three Parents? Lesbian Co-Mothers and a Known Donor with 'Family Life' under Dutch Law
11 Citations2004M.J. Vonk
The problems that may occur in practice and possible solutions in the context of a specific case that recently came before the Dutch courts which concerned a lesbian couple who had met a man willing to donate his sperm, on the condition that he could be involved in the child's life in the background and be known as the child’s father.
Choice Reviews OnlineSame-sex marriage: the legal and psychological evolution in America
11 Citations2006
Cambridge University Press eBooksThe Netherlands: tolerance and traditionalism
3 Citations2006Peter Cuyvers
Cambridge University Press eBooksFamily in the United States: social context, structure, and roles
3 Citations2006Basilia C. Softas‐Nall, Denis G. Sukhodolsky