Children who are at risk of social exclusion and are taken in by homosexual parents experiencethe same increase in cognitive development and IQthan those hosted by heterosexual couples, according to a study published in the journalAmerican Journal of Orthopsychiatry. The work shows that there is no scientific basis to discriminate against parents because of their sexual orientation.
Researchers from the University of California (USA) followed 82 children between 4 and 8 years of age in foster care. Before inserting into families, these children were subjected to multiple risk factors such asprenatal drug exposure, physical abuse, and neglect by biological parents. Some children were taken in by heterosexual parents, and the rest by homosexual parents, both women and men. In addition, about 70 percent of the parents were married or living with a partner. Throughout the first two years after foster care, the children underwent periodic psychological tests to assess cognitive development, and the parents completed questionnaires about their children’s behavior.
The psychologists found very little difference between the children over the duration of the study. In general, both children taken in by heterosexuals and gays and lesbianstheir cognitive development increased, and their behavior problems remained stable. Furthermore, IQs rose by an average of 10 points in all cases.
Adoption by gay people is controversial in many countries. However, this study shows that “there is no scientific basis to discriminate against gay parents,” says Letitia Anne Plepau, one of the authors. “Boys need people who love them, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation,” said Jill Waterman, a psychologist at the University of California.
