Family relationships and the psychosocial adjustment of school-aged children in intact families.

The authors investigated whether the quality of three family relationships (i.e., marital, parent-child, sibling) in intact families are associated with each other and with children's psychosocial adjustment. Data were collected by means of maternal and child reports (N = 88) using standardized instruments (i.e., Marital Satisfaction Scale, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). The findings confirm associations between the marital and the parent-child relationship, and between the parent-child and the sibling relationship, Further, both father-child relationships and sibling relationships predict children's adjustment. Father-child conflicts contribute to children's problem behavior, while father-child acceptance and sibling affection contribute significantly to children's general self-esteem. However, contrary to previous studies no support was found for the association between marital relationship and sibling relationship, or for that between marital relationship quality and children's adjustment.

Same-sex attraction, social relationships, psychosocial functioning, and school performance in early adolescence.

The authors examined whether 13- to 15-year-old adolescents who experience feelings of same-sex attraction (SSA) differ from those without such feelings in the quality of relationships with parents, peers, and class mentors and in psychosocial functioning (health status and school performance). The authors also assessed whether differences in psychosocial functioning resulted from differences in the quality of social relationships. Data were collected from 866 Dutch high school students (mean age 13.61 years) by means of a computer-based questionnaire. Of the participants, 74 (8.5%) reported having feelings of SSA. The participants with SSA rated the quality of their relationships with their fathers and their peers lower than did those without SSA. Participants with SSA also had poorer mental health (higher levels of depression and lower levels of self-esteem) and lower school performance. A mediation analysis revealed that differences in psychosocial functioning resulted from differences in the quality of the same-sex attracted youths' social relationships, especially with fathers and peers.

Child adjustment and parenting in planned lesbian families with known and as-yet unknown donors.

The present study examined child adjustment, experience of parenthood, and child-rearing between two types of planned lesbian families (i.e., two-mother families in which the child had been born to the lesbian relationship), viz. those with a known donor (n = 42) and those with an as-yet unknown donor (n = 58) (both with children between 4 - 8 years old). Data were collected by means of parental reports and standardized instruments were used in the questionnaires (e.g., Child Behaviour Checklist; CBCL). No differences were found on internalizing, externalizing and total problem behaviour scales of the CBCL between children with a known and a currently unknown donor, nor were differences found on parental stress and child rearing. However, social problems were more frequently reported for the children with known donors, and boys with a known donor showed more attention problems. Furthermore, annoying questions from people in their social environment as well as gossip and feelings of being excluded, were more frequently reported by mothers with a (currently) unknown donor.