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CHILDREN IN LESBIAN AND SINGLE‐PARENT HOUSEHOLDS: PSYCHOSEXUAL AND PSYCHIATRIC APPRAISAL
Author(s) -
Golombok Susan,
Spencer Ann,
Rutter Michael
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1983.tb00132.x
Subject(s) - psychosexual development , lesbian , sexual orientation , psychology , sexual identity , developmental psychology , homosexuality , gender identity , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , human sexuality , gender studies , sociology , psychoanalysis
SUMMARY Thirty‐seven school‐age children reared in 27 lesbian households were compared with 38 school‐age children reared in 27 heterosexual single‐parent households, with respect to their psychosexual development and their emotions, behaviour and relationships. Systematic standardized intervews with the mothers and with the children, together with parent and teacher questionnaires, were used to make the psychosexual and psychiatric appraisal. The two groups did not differ in terms of their gender identity, sex role behaviour or sexual orientation. Also, they did not differ on most measures of emotions, behaviour and relationships‐although there was some indication of more frequent psychiatric problems in the single‐parent group. It was concluded that rearing in a lesbian household per se did not lead to atypical psychosexual development or constitute a psychiatric risk factor.