Major study finds children of gay parents do as well or better than peers

Major study finds children of gay parents do as well or better than peers 
Research conducted in Australia at the University of Melbourne suggests that children growing up in families with gay parents matched other children on measures of self-esteem and emotional well-being, and exceeded them in health and family cohesion. The Australian Study of Child Health in Same-Sex Families included 500 children from across the country, making it the world's largest study so far of gay parents and their children. Salon (6/5), The Daily Mail (London) (6/6), The Age (Melbourne, Australia) (6/5)


http://www.salon.com/2013/06/05/worlds_largest_study_on_gay_parents_finds_the_kids_are_more_than_all_right/

WEDNESDAY, JUN 5, 2013 10:04 PM +0200

World’s largest study on gay parents finds the kids are more than all right

According to the report, the children of gay parents are doing equally well or better than the national average

BY KATIE MCDONOUGH

 
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TOPICS: GAY PARENTS, GAY RIGHTS, GAY FAMILIES, LGBT RIGHTS, LGBT, FAMILIES, FAMILY, PARENTS,PARENTING, LIFE NEWS, NEWS, POLITICS NEWS

(Credit: Shutterstock)

According to preliminary findings from the world’s largest study on the issue, the children of gay parents are doing equally well or better than the children of straight parents on a number of key health and well-being indicators. (Not that it’s a competition or anything!)

Researchers at Melbourne University in Australia collected data on 500 children across the country and found that kids growing up in gay and straight families matched pretty equally when it came to self-esteem, emotional well-being and the amount of time they spent with parents; but when it came to overall health and family cohesion, the children of gay parents did even better than the national average.

Lead researcher Dr Simon Crouch attributed the findings to gay families fostering open communication as they endure challenges together, which helps children become more resilient. “Because of the situation that same-sex families find themselves in, they are generally more willing to communicate and approach the issues that any child may face at school, like teasing or bullying,” he said.