Predictors of relationship dissolution in lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents

Authors

Abbie E. Goldberg, Clark UniversityFollow
Randi Garcia, Clark University

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Little work has examined relationship dissolution or divorce in adoptive parents or same-sex parent couples. The current study examined predictors of relationship dissolution across the first 5 years of parenthood among a sample of heterosexual, lesbian, and gay male adoptive couples. Of the 190 couples in the study, 15 (7.9%) dissolved their relationships during the first 5 years of adoptive parenthood. Specifically, 7 of 57 lesbian couples (12.3%), 1 of 49 gay male couples (2.0%), and 7 of 84 heterosexual couples (8.3%) dissolved their unions. Results of our logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of relationship dissolution were significantly higher for (a) couples who adopted a noninfant (i.e., older child); (b) participants who reported feeling less prepared for the adoption, 3 months postadoptive placement; and (c) couples in which both partners reported very low or very high preadoption levels of relationship maintenance behaviors. Findings have implications for adoption professionals seeking to support same-sex and heterosexual prospective adopters, as well as societal debates and policy regarding same-sex relationships and parenting.

Publication Title

Journal of Family Psychology

Publication Date

2015

Volume

29

Issue

3

First Page

394

Last Page

404

ISSN

0893-3200

DOI

10.1037/fam0000095

Keywords

adoption, divorce, gay, lesbian, relationship dissolution

Repository Citation

Goldberg, Abbie E. and Garcia, Randi, "Predictors of relationship dissolution in lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents" (2015). Psychology. 370.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/370