High-Risk Foster Children Benefit from Adoption by Same-Sex Parents

Adoptive children of gay and lesbian parents had similar developmental outcomes as adoptive children of heterosexual parents.

More than 100,000 children in the U.S. are awaiting adoption. Most of these children are currently in foster care after histories of abuse and neglect, and most have mental and physical health challenges. Researchers compared cognitive and behavioral outcomes of 82 high-risk children at 2, 12, and 24 months after being adopted from foster care by heterosexual (60), gay (15), or lesbian (7) families in an urban community in California.

Two thirds of the adoptive parents were married or living with a domestic partner. The mean age of the children at adoption was 4.3 years. Prenatal substance abuse was documented in 89% of children. Cognitive development and behavior problems were assessed with standardized instruments.

Children in both heterose…

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics