Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Adoptive Parents: Couple and Relationship Issues

Abstract

This study explored some dynamics of couples' relationships in 106 adoptive families headed by 29 gay, 27 lesbian, and 50 heterosexual couples with young children. Regardless of sexual orientation, most couples reported long-term relationships, secure attachments, and high relationship satisfaction. Parental sexual orientation was related to how often couples reported having sex. Lesbian couples reported having sex the least often, while gay couples reported having sex the most often. Sexual relationship satisfaction did not, however, differ as a function of parental sexual orientation. Overall relationship satisfaction was significantly correlated with sexual satisfaction, frequency of sexual relations, and greater attachment security. We discuss these results in context of earlier research on sexual orientation, parenting, and couple relationships. KEYWORDS sexual orientation, adoptive couples, relationship satisfaction, sexual relationships, lesbian and gayThe degree to which the romantic relationships of same-sex couples are similar to those of other-sex couples has been the subject of some This research was supported in part by grants from the Williams Institute at UCLA to Charlotte J. Patterson. We also wish to thank

Revisión sistemática sobre la satisfacción sexual en parejas del mismo sexo

“…Entre las variables interpersonales, la frecuencia sexual (Blair y Pukall, 2014;Bridges y Horne, 2007;Carvalheira y Costab, 2015;Cohen y Byers, 2014;Deenen et al, 1994;Farr et al, 2010;Rojas Castro et al, 2010), el funcionamiento sexual (Bridges y Horne, 2007;Carvalheira y Costab, 2015;Cohen y Byers, 2014;Henderson et al, 2009) y la satisfacción con la relación de pareja (Henderson et al, 2009;Holmberg et al, 2010;Rosser et al, 1997;Sánchez-Fuentes y Sierra, 2015;Tracy y Junginger, 2007) tienen importancia en el nivel de satisfacción sexual en personas con parejas del mismo sexo. La frecuencia sexual en dichas parejas es una cuestión que ha generado controversia.…”

“…La frecuencia sexual en dichas parejas es una cuestión que ha generado controversia. Se sabe que en parejas lésbicas la frecuencia de relaciones sexuales suele ser menor en comparación con parejas de hombres o parejas heterosexuales (Blumstein y Schwartz, 1983;Farr et al, 2010;Peplau y Fingerhut, 2007), lo cual podría ser un reflejo de doble estándar sexual (Moyano, Monge y Sierra, 2017;Sierra, Moyano, VallejoMedina y Gómez-Berrocal, 2018). Aunque estas diferencias también podrían deberse al hecho de que las investigaciones en parejas de mujeres se hayan abordado desde una perspectiva coitocéntrica, es decir, evalúan la frecuencia de las relaciones sexuales teniendo en cuenta la penetración.…”

“…En cuanto a las variables interpersonales, el buen funcionamiento sexual (Bridges y Horne, 2007;Carvalheira y Costab, 2015;Cohen y Byers, 2014;Henderson et al, 2009), mayor frecuencia de relaciones sexuales (Blair y Pukall, 2014;Bridges y Horne, 2007;Carvalheira y Costab, 2015;Cohen y Byers, 2014;Deenen, Gijs y Van Naerssen, 1994;Farr, Forssell y Patterson, 2010; Rojas Castro, Le Gall, Andreo y Spire, 2010), mayor duración del encuentro sexual (Blair y Pukall, 2014), usar juguetes sexuales (Herbenick, Reece, Sanders, Ghassemi y Fortenberry, 2010) y no practicar comportamientos sexuales de riesgo 119 (Gamarel et al, 2014;Starks, Gamarel y Johnson, 2014) se asociaron con alta satisfacción sexual. En mujeres se encontró que las prácticas sexuales no orgásmicas se asociaron con mayor satisfacción sexual (Holmberg y Blair, 2009).…”

Measuring Relationship Satisfaction: Is it Possible for Black Gay Male Couples to be Satisfied in a Relationship?

“…In fact, there are several reasons why same-sex male couples may remain in a satisfying, longlasting, and stable relationship: (1) as a source of support, affection and companionship (Farr, Forssell, and Patterson 2010;Julien et al 2003;Kurdek 2005); (2) psychological intimacy (Bograd and Spilka 1996;Mackey et al 2004); (3) autonomy and equity among partners' roles and responsibilities (Gottman et al 2003;Mackey et al 2004); and (4) for psychological and behavioral (sexual) health benefits, thus not having to worry about AIDS (Parsons et al 2013). These are only a few reasons or motivation to settle-down in a relationship, even when monogamy may not be practiced, but a relationship where rules and agreements may be established.…”

“…Contrary to some of the well-established stereotypes that refer to gay men's failure or inability to maintain monogamous relationships (Bonello and Cross 2010;Brown 1995;Duncombe et al 2004;Peplau and Fingerhut 2007;Testa, Kinder, and Ironson 1987), a large body of research is now presenting a different picture of gay male relationships (Bonello 2009;Farr, Forssell and Patterson 2010;Kurdek and Schmitt 1986;LaSala 2004a;Solomon, Rothblum, and Balsam 2004). Several studies (Adam 2006;Kurdek 1998Kurdek , 2005 are now presenting evidence that gay males can and do form long-lasting relationships that contain and promote affection, companionship, and support that most of society once thought only heterosexual couples could do or did.…”