This questionnaire-based study compared 36 Israeli lesbian mother families ( n = 72 lesbian mothers) formed by donor insemination, 39 Israeli gay father families ( n = 78 gay fathers) formed by gestational surrogacy, and 36 Israeli heterosexual parent families ( n = 72 heterosexual parents) formed by assisted reproduction (without donated gametes), all with a target child aged 3–10 years. The families were examined for parents’ assisted conception socialization self-efficacy, depression, negative and positive affect, life satisfaction, positivity, resilience, social support, and child externalizing problems. Multiple factors associated with child externalizing problems were also examined. Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that parents’ assisted conception socialization self-efficacy did not differ between family groups; however, lesbian mothers and gay fathers reported fewer child externalizing problems and greater social support, relative to heterosexual parents. Also, lesbian mothers—but not gay fathers—reported lower levels of depression, greater life satisfaction, and more positivity than did heterosexual parents. Finally, irrespective of family type, greater assisted conception socialization self-efficacy was associated with fewer parent-reported child externalizing problems. Findings are interpreted in light of the cultural socialization framework and Israel’s familistic and pronatalist environment. Implications for health professionals, educators, and policymakers working with diverse family forms are discussed.

This study aimed to examine the role of gender ideology, religiosity and political conservatism on attitudes toward same-sex parenting in Italy at a time when same-sex parent families are undergoing attacks from ideological campaigns opposing non-traditional gender roles and families. We collected data from 4,187 heterosexual respondents about attitudes towards two-father and two-mother parenting, homonegativity, attitudes toward traditional masculinity and femininity, religious involvement and political conservatism. We conducted multiple group structural equation model analyses to test whether sex moderated any of the estimated associations among variables. Results showed that traditional beliefs about femininity were directly associated with negative attitudes towards two-mother and two-father parenting, while traditional beliefs about masculinity had a significant direct effect only on two-father parenting. Homonegativity partially mediated the association between religiosity, political conservatism and traditional beliefs about masculinity and femininity on negative attitudes toward both types of same-sex parenting. Gender differences were found for the indirect effects of political conservatism and religiosity on attitudes towards same-sex parenting. The theoretical contributions and implications of the findings are discussed.

Recognition of same-sex marriage and parenting has increased in the last two decades but remains a controversial issue in which public opinion plays a role, as it can influence political leaders but also determine the immediate environment of same-sex families. The literature highlights the effect of religiosity, political orientation, beliefs about etiology of homosexuality, and social contacts with gay men and lesbians on attitudes toward same-sex marriage and parenting (ASSMP). The aim of this study was to explore the under-studied mediation role of sexual prejudice in this process and how participants' gender moderated the mediation effects. Data were collected from 1416 heterosexual French students and analyzed with moderated mediation models in accordance with recent recommendations from Hayes (2013). Sexual prejudice mediated the effects of religiosity, political orientation, and etiological beliefs on ASSMP more strongly in men than in women. It also mediated the effect of contact with gay and lesbian persons and same-sex couples on ASSMP in men but not in women. The results highlight the need to explicitly deconstruct negative beliefs about homosexuality during debates about same-sex marriage and same-sex parenting, even when prejudice against homosexuality itself is not explicit in opponents' discourse. Keywords Attitudes toward same-sex marriage and parenting . Mediating role of sexual prejudice moderated by gender . Religiosity . Political orientation . Etiological beliefs about homosexuality . Social contacts * Olivier Vecho

No psychological research has been done investigating the experiences of adoption by sexual minorities living in Europe. This qualitative study is the first cross-national research within the European context giving the floor to LG (lesbian and gay) adoptive parents in order to explore the main challenges they encountered in the transition to adoptive parenthood. Sixty-two LG adoptive parents (16 lesbians and 46 gay men) living in Belgium (n D 14), France (n D 26), and Spain (n D 22) participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to gather information about two key steps in the adoptive path: the decision making and the adoption process itself. Results revealed that while choosing to adopt, LG adoptive parents experienced numerous self-doubts and emotional conflicts driven by introjected heteronormative assumptions about family. During the adoption procedure, they were confronted with a large number of challenges and legal roadblocks connected to their sexual minority status. Exploring the experience of the first generation of LG adoptive parents in Europe provides insight into the great impact that the sociolegal context has on their lives. Findings suggest the necessity of promoting practice geared not only to fight discrimination but also to provide better support to LG people throughout the adoption process.

The objective of this study was to document the prevalence and evolution of sexual prejudice toward gay men and lesbian, same-gender marriage, and same-gender parenting among a large sample of Portuguese young adults. The sample consisted of 704 self-identified heterosexual individuals (24% men and 76% women), aged between 18 and 30 years (M = 22; SD = 3), who participated in an online survey. ANOVA results revealed that women were less sexually prejudiced, were less likely to endorse social etiological beliefs of homosexuality, and were more supportive of samegender marriage and same-gender parenting than were men. Further mediation analysis revealed that the effects of gender, religiosity, importance of religious beliefs, and political leaning on the support for same-gender marriage and same-gender parenting were partially mediated by etiological beliefs and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. The complexity of attitudes toward same-gender marriage and same-gender parenting was highlighted, indicating how attitudes toward gay men and lesbians and the belief that homosexuality is controllable impact on the support for same-gender parented families. These results are important to inform affirmative polities designed to correct inequalities and recognize same-gender families.

Considerable anecdotal evidence points to the usefulness of humor in the therapeutic process, but empirical evidence is still lacking. This study searched for an association between humor and therapy outcomes in a real-life population of 110 adult psychotherapy clients who attended at least 10 therapy sessions. Clients and their therapist evaluated the frequency and intensity of humorous events, as well as therapy effectiveness, therapeutic alliance, perceived hope and pleasure to participate in therapy sessions. We found a strong positive correlation between humor and therapy effectiveness, in both client (r s = .40; p < .0001) and therapist perspectives (r s = .37; p < .0001). The link between humor and effectiveness remained significant in more severe subgroups of clients, even though these clients reported less humor in their therapies. Further research is needed to determine if humor actually enhances therapy outcomes, or if positive outcomes trigger the occurrence of humor.

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The opening up of marriage to same-sex couples and same-sex parenting are controversial subjects in many countries. This study carried out in France amongst 1861 heterosexual students examined the effects of gender, access option to parenting, religious affiliation (Catholic vs. without religious affiliation participants) and religiosity (in Catholic participants) on attitudes to same-sex parenting. The participants ranged in age from 18 to 66 (M = 22.27, SD = 5.20), 67% were women, 31% described themselves as Catholic and 69%as without religious affiliation. The results based on Generalized Estimating Equation analyses indicate that women were more favorable to same-sex parenting than men, and that participants, whatever their religious affiliation, revealed an attachment to the traditional twoparent families model without medical intervention in reproduction: adoption by same-sex couples was preferred to all other methods of access to parenting, while surrogacy received the lowest support. Moreover, Catholic participants were less favorable to same-sex parenting than participants without religious affiliation, and the reluctance of the former was intensified by a high level of religiosity. Religiosity seems to play a major role in attitudes to same-sex parenting inasmuch as its effect is not moderated by the gender of Catholic participants.