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Behavioral Outcomes of Children with Same-Sex Parents in The Netherlands

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  • Deni Mazrekaj

    (Department of Sociology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 14, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
    Nuffield College, University of Oxford, New Road, Oxford OX1 1NF, UK
    Leuven Economics of Education Research (LEER), KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 69, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Mirjam M. Fischer

    (Institute of Sociology und Social Psychology, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, D-50923 Cologne, Germany)

  • Henny M. W. Bos

    (Research Institute Child Development and Education, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Same-sex parents face substantial stressors due to their sexual orientation, such as experiences of prejudice and prohibitive legal environments. This added stress is likely to lead to reduced physical and mental health in same-sex parents that, in turn, may translate into problematic behavioral outcomes in their children. To date, there are only a few nationally representative studies that investigate the well-being of children with same-sex parents. The current study takes a closer look at children’s behavioral outcomes, reported by a parent, using an adapted version of the emotional, conduct, hyperactivity, pro-social, and peer problems subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We take advantage of unique data from the Netherlands based on a probability sample from population registers, whereby findings can be inferred to same-sex and different-sex parent households with parents between the ages of 30 and 65, and with children between the ages of 6 and 16 years (62 children with same-sex, and 72 children with different-sex parents). The findings obtained by coarsened exact matching suggest no significant disadvantages for children with same-sex parents compared to different-sex parents. We contextualize these findings in their wider cultural context, and recommend a renewed focus in future research away from deficit-driven comparisons.

Suggested Citation

  • Deni Mazrekaj & Mirjam M. Fischer & Henny M. W. Bos, 2022. "Behavioral Outcomes of Children with Same-Sex Parents in The Netherlands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:5922-:d:814699
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael Rosenfeld, 2010. "Nontraditional families and childhood progress through school," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 47(3), pages 755-775, August.
    2. Matthew Blackwell & Stefano Iacus & Gary King & Giuseppe Porro, 2009. "cem: Coarsened exact matching in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 9(4), pages 524-546, December.
    3. Aldén, Lina & Björklund, Anders & Hammarstedt, Mats, 2017. "Early Health and School Outcomes for Children with Lesbian Parents: Evidence from Sweden," IZA Discussion Papers 10616, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Deni Mazrekaj, 2022. "Inclusion of LGBT+ researchers is key," Nature, Nature, vol. 605(7908), pages 30-30, May.
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    6. Perales, Francisco & Todd, Abram, 2018. "Structural stigma and the health and wellbeing of Australian LGB populations: Exploiting geographic variation in the results of the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 190-199.
    7. Diederik Boertien & Fabrizio Bernardi, 2019. "Same-Sex Parents and Children’s School Progress: An Association That Disappeared Over Time," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(2), pages 477-501, April.
    8. Matthijs Kalmijn & Anneke Loeve & Dorien Manting, 2007. "Income dynamics in couples and the dissolution of marriage and cohabitation," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 44(1), pages 159-179, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Deni Mazrekaj & Yuxuan Jin, 2023. "Mental health of children with gender and sexual minority parents: a review and future directions," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-6, December.
    2. Dorit Segal-Engelchin & Orit Taubman-Ben-Ari, 2023. "Editorial: Health and Well-Being Related to New Family Forms: Perspectives of Adults, Couples, Children, and Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-8, April.

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