Adjustment among Mothers Reporting Same-Gender Sexual Partners: A Study of a Representative Population Sample from Quebec Province (Canada)

Abstract

We examined the well-being of mothers and non-mothers reporting exclusive opposite-gender sexual partners (OG), same-gender sexual partners (SG), or both (BI) in a representative sample of 20,773 participants (11,034 women) 15-years-old or older from the population of Quebec province in Canada. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and SG and BI women (n = 179) were matched to a sample of OG women (n = 179) based on age, income, geographical area, and children (having at least one 18-year-old or younger biological or adopted child at home). We assessed social milieu variables, risk factors for health disorders, mental health, and quality of mothers' relationship with children. The findings indicated a sexual orientation main effect: Mothers and non-mothers in the SG and BI group, as compared to their OG controls, were significantly less likely to live in a couple relationship, had significantly lower levels of social support, higher prevalence of early negative life events, substance abuse, suicide ideation, and higher levels of psychological distress. There were no Sexual Orientation X Parenthood status effects. The results further indicated that sexual orientation did not account for unique variance in women's psychological distress beyond that afforded by their social milieu, health risk factors, and parenthood status. No significant differences were found for the quality of mothers' relationship with children. SG-BI and OG mothers with low levels of social integration were significantly more likely to report problems with children than parents with high levels of social integration. We need to understand how marginal sexualities and their associated social stigma, as risk indicators for mothers, interact with other factors to impact family life, parenting skills, and children's adjustment.

Parental Sexual Orientation and Children's Psychological Well‐Being: 2013–2015 National Health Interview Survey

“…While earlier population‐based studies were restricted to comparing children living in dual‐parent households—due to the need to use same‐gender coupled status to identify LGB families—the NHIS, with its recently added measurement of adults’ sexual orientation, allowed us to also include children who were being raised by single parents and by LGB parents living in different‐gender partnered households. This sampling method enabled us to detect that children raised by an LGB parent were more likely than those with a heterosexual parent to be living with a single parent, a finding which replicates previous, population‐based research in Canada that detected that sexual minority mothers were less likely to be in a relationship than heterosexual mothers (Julien, Jouvin, Jodoin, l'Archeveque, & Chartrand, ). Findings such as these provide insights into the diverse experiences of children growing up in LGB‐parented families.…”

Multiple Aspects of Sexual Orientation: Prevalence and Sociodemographic Correlates in a New Zealand National Survey

“…Jorm et al (2002) found that both bisexuals and homosexuals had more childhood adversity than heterosexuals. Julien et al (2008) found that early negative life events were more highly associated with current psychological distress in non-heterosexual women than in heterosexual women. Austin, Roberts, et al(2008) have documented a higher prevalence of sexual abuse in bisexual and lesbian young women and both sexual abuse and physical abuse in bisexual and lesbian women in the Nurses' Health Study (Austin, Jun, et al, 2008).…”

Adolescents of the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Sexual Orientation, Sexual Behavior, and Sexual Risk Exposure

“…A second limitation is that the NLLFS and NSFG were neither matched nor controlled for socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, or region of residence. An analysis of a more economically diverse sample would be an important contribution given that same-sex couples raising children are more likely to live in poverty and have lower household incomes than married, heterosexual couples raising children (Albelda, Badgett, Schneebaum, & Gates, 2009; Julien, Jouvin, Jodoin, l’Archeveque, & Chartrand, 2008). In addition, now that it is possible to obtain more information about sperm donors, future studies might benefit from exploring the association between the offspring’s sexual orientation and that of both parents.…”