Legal and social contexts and mental health among lesbian and heterosexual mothers.

Danielle N. Shapiro · Christopher Peterson · Abigail J. Stewart

76 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Family Psychology

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LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy Gender and Feminist Studies Family Dynamics and Relationships

Abstract

This study examines the role of legal and social context (the level of legal and social support offered by one's country of residence) and sexual orientation in the mental health of lesbian and heterosexual mothers. Participants were sampled from the United States and Canada because the two countries have many similarities (North American location, reliance on English language, and democratic structures) but provide different legal and social rights to their lesbian citizens. The study included 52 lesbian mothers and 153 heterosexual mothers in the United States and 35 lesbian mothers and 42 heterosexual mothers in Canada. Although there were no differences between heterosexual mothers as a function of legal and social context, lesbian mothers from the United States reported more family worries about legal status and discrimination (but not more general family worries) and more depressive symptoms than did lesbian mothers in Canada. Results indicate that legal and social context moderates the role of sexual orientation in maternal mental health.

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References

1977The CES-D Scale 2001Mental Health Correlates of Perceived Discrimination Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the United States 2001(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter?1999Contrasts and Effect Sizes in Behavioral Research 2003Poverty, Inequality, and Discrimination as Sources of Depression Among U.S. Women 1997Psychometric properties of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in a sample of women in middle life 2004Psychosocial Adjustment, School Outcomes, and Romantic Relationships of Adolescents With Same-Sex Parents 2002Parenting Related to Child and Parental Psychopathology: A Descriptive Review of the Literature

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