CJO - Abstract - Social versus Biological Parenting: Family Functioning and the Socioemotional Development of Children Conceived by Egg or Sperm Donation

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The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines (1999), 40 : 519-527 Cambridge University Press
doi:10.1111/1469-7610.00470 (About doi)
 
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (1999), 40:519-527 Cambridge University Press
Copyright © 1999 Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Research Article

Social versus Biological Parenting: Family Functioning and the Socioemotional Development of Children Conceived by Egg or Sperm Donation

Susan Golombok a1 c1 , Clare Murray a1 , Peter Brinsden a2 and Hossam Abdalla a3
a1 City University, London, U.K.
a2 Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge, U.K.
a3 Lister Hospital, London, U.K.

Abstract

By investigating egg donation families, donor insemination families, adoptive families, and families created by in vitro fertilization, the aim of the present study was to examine parents' emotional well-being, the quality of parenting, and childrens' socioemotional development in families with a child who is genetically unrelated to the mother or the father. The differences that were found to exist between families according to the presence or absence of genetic ties between parents and their children reflected greater psychological well-being among mothers and fathers in families where there was no genetic link between the mother and the child. The families did not differ with respect to the quality of parenting or the psychological adjustment of the child.

(Accepted August 19 1998)

Key Words: Family functioning; parenting; assisted reproduction; donor insemination; egg donation.

Correspondence:

c1 Requests for reprints to: Professor Susan Golombok, PhD, Family and Child Psychology Research Centre, City University, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, U.K.


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