Child adjustment and parenting in planned lesbian families with known and as-yet unknown donors

Abstract

The present study examined child adjustment, experience of parenthood, and child-rearing between two types of planned lesbian families (i.e., two-mother families in which the child had been born to the lesbian relationship), viz. those with a known donor (n = 42) and those with an as-yet unknown donor (n = 58) (both with children between 4 – 8 years old). Data were collected by means of parental reports and standardized instruments were used in the questionnaires (e.g., Child Behaviour Checklist; CBCL). No differences were found on internalizing, externalizing and total problem behaviour scales of the CBCL between children with a known and a currently unknown donor, nor were differences found on parental stress and child rearing. However, social problems were more frequently reported for the children with known donors, and boys with a known donor showed more attention problems. Furthermore, annoying questions from people in their social environment as well as gossip and feelings of being excluded, were more frequently reported by mothers with a (currently) unknown donor.

Keywords:

• planned lesbian mother families
• known and unknown donors
• child adjustment
• experiences of parenthood and child-rearing and donor insemination