Relations between social support and psychological and parental distress for lesbian, single heterosexual by choice, and two-parent heterosexual mothers.

Abstract

Relations between family type and psychological and parental distress and the moderating role of social support were studied for 90 Israeli lesbian mothers, single heterosexual mothers by choice and 2-parent heterosexual mothers who completed measures of psychological distress, well-being, parental distress, and direct and indirect social support. Findings indicated differences on psychological and parental outcome between mothers from the two heterosexual groups. Social support was higher for lesbian than single heterosexual mothers and was correlated with psychological and parental indices. Unique because of the distinctive demographics of Israeli society (especially in relation to Western Europe and North America), this study highlights ways in which social and individual processes affect psychological outcomes among minority groups.

Psychological Wellbeing Among Same-sex Attracted and Heterosexual Parents: Role of Connectedness to Family and Friendship Networks

“…The analysis was completed using the SPSS AMOS statistical package, version 21 (IBM, Chicago, IL). The analysis was designed to control for demographic and socio‐economic differences between the WLP and LSAC samples, as these are factors that previous research has suggested may have an impact on psychological wellbeing: age of youngest child, number of children in household, gender of respondent, work status, income, education, and geographical area of residence (Kessler et al., ; Shechner et al., ).We used a complete case analysis to deal with missing data.…”

“…There is a prominent stream of public discourse criticising same‐sex relationships and positioning LGB parents as selfish, damaging or dangerous for children (Morse, McLaren & McLachlan, ). Fear of stigma or discrimination can lead parents to feel highly self‐conscious and anxious about their parenting (Di Lapi, ; Shapiro, Peterson & Stewart, ; Shechner, Slone, Meir & Kalish, , p. 283). Many lesbian mothers report that they feel pressure to consistently justify their parenting style and always perform ‘better than best’ to demonstrate their worth as a parent (Bos, van Balen & van den Boom, ).…”

“…Many lesbian mothers report that they feel pressure to consistently justify their parenting style and always perform ‘better than best’ to demonstrate their worth as a parent (Bos, van Balen & van den Boom, ). LGB parents may also experience anxiety about their children's experience, worrying that they will encounter homophobic discrimination at school or within the community (Shechner et al., , p. 283). This is also the case for children with LGB parents, many of whom perceive a sense of stigma towards their family.…”

Children's adjustment in non‐traditional families in Israel: the effect of parental sexual orientation and the number of parents on children's development

“…Research has indicated that lesbian and gay parents are as competent and capable parents as are heterosexual parents (Patterson 2002; Shechner et al . 2010; Tasker 2010).…”

Predictors of father involvement : the role of early life events and stressors.

“…Social Support or Social Networks. A social network is often used by parents to share information and resources (Shechner et al, 2010). Social networks may help individuals meet their daily accountabilities and overcome challenging situations by supplying them with emotional and instrumental support (Lin & Ensel, 1989).…”