Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on October 19, 2009
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/dep345
Children raised in mother-headed families from infancy: a follow-up of children of lesbian and single heterosexual mothers, at early adulthood
Centre for Family Research, Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology and International Studies, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RF, UK
1 Correspondence address: Fax: +44-1223-330574; Email: seg42{at}cam.ac.uk
BACKGROUND: The present investigation constituted the third phase of a longitudinal study of the quality of parent–child relationships and the psychological adjustment of children in female-headed families with no father present from infancy.
METHODS: In this study, 27 families headed by single heterosexual mothers (solo mothers) and 20 families headed by lesbian mothers were compared with 36 two-parent heterosexual families as the child entered adulthood. Data were obtained from mothers and their young adult children by standardized interviews and questionnaires.
RESULTS: The female-headed families were found to be similar to the traditional families on a range of measures of quality of parenting and young adults’ psychological adjustment. Where differences were identified between family types, these pointed to more positive family relationships and greater psychological wellbeing among young adults raised in female-headed homes.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show that children raised by solo heterosexual mothers or lesbian mothers from infancy continue to function well as they enter adulthood. The findings are of relevance to the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology (2008) Act.
Key words: solo mothers/lesbian mothers/parenting/child development
Submitted on May 29, 2009; resubmitted on July 31, 2009; accepted on August 7, 2009.