How is your family? Dyadic adjustment, cohesion and conflict in gay and lesbian couples

Journal title PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE
Author/s Jessica Lampis, Silvia De Simone, Noemi Fenu, Maria Giovanna Muggianu
Publishing Year 2017 Issue 2017/1
Language Italian Pages 21 P. 76-96 File size 366 KB
DOI 10.3280/PDS2017-001004
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

International research reveals that love relationships in the couples formed by people of the same-sex goes through the same stages of the life cycle of heterosexual couples. Gay and lesbian couples have the same characteristics of stability, durability, satisfaction and approach to conflict as heterosexual couples (Kurdek, 2004). Based on these assumptions, the authors have analysed the way in which people with different sexual orientation, with and without children, perceive their couples relationships. They studied some specific relational processes: dyadic adjustment, cohesion and adaptability, conflict management. The data reveal that gay, lesbian and eterosexual people express similar levels of dyadic adjustment, whereas gay and lesbian people show significantly higher levels of cohesion, adaptability and ability to manage conflict. It finally emerges that gay and lesbian parents show greater cohesion and a greater ability to resolve conflicts than heterosexual parents The results are discussed on the basis of psychosocial wellbeing of gay and lesbian individuals.

Keywords: Couple relationships, gay and lesbian, parenting, dyadic adjustment, conflict, cohesion, same-sex parent families

  1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2009). Access to women’s health care. College Statement of Policy. Washington, DC: ACOG.
  2. Ammaniti M. (2016). I percorsi della genitorialità [The paths of parenting]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 81-84. DOI: 10.1421/8361
  3. Baiamonte C. e Bastanioni P. (2015). Le famiglie omogenitoriali in Italia [Same-sex parents families in Italy]. Bergamo: Edizioni Junior.
  4. Baiocco R., Laghi F. and Argalia M. (2014). Marriage Desires among Italian Young Adults: The Role of Internalized Sexual Stigma. Journal of Family Issues, 35: 181-200. DOI: 10.1177/0192513X1246487
  5. Baiocco R. e Ioverno S. (2016). Omogenitorialità e benessere dei bambini e delle bambine: confusione dell’identità di genere o confusione dell’ideologia del gender? [LGBT parenting and children well-being: gender identity confusion or ideology of gender confusion?] Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 85-88. DOI: 10.1421/83619
  6. Baiocco R., Santamaria F., Ioverno S., Fontanesi L., Baumgartner E., Laghi F. and Lingiardi V. (2015). Lesbian Mother Families and Gay Father Families in Italy: Family Functioning, Dyadic Satisfaction, and Child Well-Being. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 12, 202-212.
  7. Baiocco R., Santamaria F., Ioverno S., Petracca C., Biondi P., Laghi F. e Mazzoni S. (2013). Famiglie composte da genitori gay e lesbiche e famiglie composte da genitori eterosessuali: benessere dei bambini, impegno nella relazione e soddisfazione diadica [Families of lesbian and gay parents and families of heterosexual parents: child well-being, couple commitment and dyadic satisfaction]. Infanzia e adolescenza, 12 (2): 98-212. DOI: 10.1710/1328.1470
  8. Barbagli M. e Colombo A. (2007). Omosessuali moderni. Gay e lesbiche in Italia [Modern homosexual. Gays and lesbians in Italy]. Bologna: Il Mulino.
  9. Barone L. (2016). Genitorialità al plurale: una sfida possibile? [Parenting in plural: a possible challenge?]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 89-94. DOI: 10.1421/8361
  10. Bertone C. (2009). Una sfida a quale famiglia? Comprendere i mutamenti familiari attraverso le esperienze dei genitori non eterosessuali [A challenge to which family? Understanding the family changes through the experiences of non-heterosexual parents]. In: Cavina C. e Danna D. (acura di), Crescere in famiglie omogenitoriali [Growing up in families homosexual]. Milano: Franco Angeli.
  11. Bertone C., Casiccia A., Saraceno C. e Torrioni P. (2003). Diversi da chi? Gay, lesbiche, transessuali in un’area metropolitana [Different from whom? Gay, lesbian, transgender in a metropolitan area]. Milano: Guerini.
  12. Borghi L. e Taurino A. (2005). Coniugalità e generatività nelle coppie omosessuali [Conjugality and generativity in same-sex couples]. In: Fruggeri L. (acura di), Diverse normalità. Psicologia sociale delle relazioni familiari [Several normal. social psychology of family relationships]. Roma: Carocci.
  13. Borneskog C., Lampic C., Sydsjö G., Bladh M. and Skoog Svanberg A. (2014). Relationship satisfaction in lesbian and heterosexual couple before and after assisted reproduction: a longitudinal follow-up study. BMC Women’s Health, 14: 154.
  14. Bos H.M.W., van Balen F. and van den Boom D.C. (2004). Experience of parenthood, couple relationship, social support, and child-rearing goals in planned lesbian mother families. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45 (4): 755-764.
  15. Bos H.M.W., van Balen F.. and van den Boom D.C. (2007). Child Adjustment and Parenting in Planned Lesbian-Parent Families. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77 (1): 38-48. DOI: 10.1037/0002-9432.77.1.3
  16. Carone N. (2016). In: origine è il dono [Originally is the gift]. Il Saggiatore, Milano.
  17. Carone N., Baiocco R, Ioverno S., Chirumbolo A., and Lingiardi V. (2016). Same-sex parent families in Italy: Validation of the Coparenting Scale-Revised for lesbian mothers and gay fathers. European Journal of Developmental Psychology. DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2016.120547
  18. Cherlin J.A. (2013). Health, marriage and same sex partnerhips. Journal of health and social behaviour, 54 (1): 64-66. DOI: 10.1177/002214651247443
  19. Chiari C. e Borghi L. (2009). Psicologia dell’omosessualità. Identità, relazioni familiari e sociali [Psychology of homosexuality. Identity, family and social relationships]. Roma: Carocci.
  20. Crouch S. R., Waters E., McNair R., Power J. and Davis E. (2014). Parent-reported measures of child health and wellbeing in same-sex parent families: A cross-sectional survey. BMC Public Health, 14, 635. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-63
  21. D’Amore S., Simonelli A. e Miscioscia M. (2013). La qualità delle interazioni triadiche nelle famiglie lesbo-genitoriali: uno studio pilota con la procedura del Lausanne Trilogue Play [The quality of the triadic interactions in lesbian-parent families: a pilot study with the procedure of the Lausanne Trilogue Play]. Infanzia e Adolescenza, 12 (2): 113-127. DOI: 10.1710/1328.1470.
  22. De Simone S. (2015). Le Famiglie Arcobaleno in Italia [The Rainbow Families in Italy]. In: Bastianoni P. e Baiamonte C. (acura di), Le famiglie omogenitoriali in Italia. Relazioni familiari e diritti dei figli [The same-sex families in Italy. Family relations and the rights of children]. Bergamo: Edizioni junior.
  23. Farr R.H. e Patterson C.J. (2013). Coparenting among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual couples: associations with adopted children’s outcomes. Child Development, 84 (4): 1226-1240.
  24. Ferrari F. (2015). La famiglia inattesa. I genitori omosessuali e i loro figli [The unexpected family. The gay and lesbian parents and their children]. Sesto San Giovanni: Mimesis Edizioni.
  25. Ferro A. (2016). Omogenitorialità: un pensiero in cerca di pensatore [LGBT parenting: a thought in search of a thinker]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 133-136. DOI: 10.1421/8362
  26. Frances A. (2013). Primo, non curare chi è normale. Contro l’invenzione delle malattie [Saving Normal: An Insider’s Revolt Against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life]. Milano: Bollati Boringhieri.
  27. Fruggeri L. (2005). Diverse normalità. Psicologia sociale delle relazioni familiari [Several normal. Social psychology of family relationships]. Roma: Carocci.
  28. Fruggeri L. (2016). Variabili strutturali e variabili processuali nell’analisi delle famiglie con coppia omosessuale [Structural and processual variables in the analysis of the same-sex parents families]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 137-142. DOI: 10.1421/8363
  29. Fulcher M., Sutfin E. L. and Patterson C. J. (2008). Individual differences in gender development: Associations with parental sexual orientation, attitudes, and division of labor. Sex Roles, 58, 330-341.
  30. Galimberti C. e Farina M. (1992). FACES III: uno strumento per la ricerca e l’osservazione clinica della famiglia [FACES III: a tool for research and clinical observation of the family]. Milano: Vita e Pensiero.
  31. Gartrell N., Rodas C., Deck A., Peyser H. and Banks A. (2006). The USA National Lesbian Family Study: Interviews with Mothers of 10-Year-Olds. Feminism & Psychology, 16 (2): 175-192. DOI: 10.1177/0959-35350606297
  32. Gates G.J. (2013). Demographics and LGBT health. Journal of health and social behaviour, 54 (1): 72-74. DOI: 10.1177/002214651247442
  33. Gentili P., Contreras L., Cassaniti M. e D’Arista F. (2002). La Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Una misura dell’adattamento di coppia [A measurement of dyadic adjustment: The Dyadic Adjustment Scale]. Minerva Psichiatrica, 43 (2): 107-116.
  34. Goldberg A.E. (2016). Oltre il binarismo: concettualizzare il genere nelle ricerche sui bambini con genitori gay e lesbiche [Beyond the binarism: gender conceptualisation in research on children with lesbian and gay parents]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 143-146. DOI: 10.1421/8363
  35. Goldberg A.E. and Smith J.Z. (2009). Perceived parenting skill across the transition to adoptive parenthood among lesbian, gay and heterosexual couples. Journal of Family Psychology, 23 (6): 861-870.
  36. Golombok S., Perry B., Burston A., Murray C., Mooney-Somers J., Stevens M. and Golding J. (2003). Children with lesbian parents: a community study. Developmental Psychology, 39 (1): 20-33. DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.39.1.2
  37. Gottman J. M., Levenson R. W., Gross J., Frederickson B. L., McCoy K., Rosenthal L., Ruef, A. and Yoshimoto D. (2003). Correlates of gay and lesbian couples’ relationship satisfaction and relationship dissolution. Journal of Homosexuality, 45(1): 23-43.
  38. Hammond C.B. (2006). Time to change. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 107 (3): 549. DOI: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000202402.31824.0
  39. Herdt G. and Kertzner R. (2006). I do, but I can’t: The impact of marriage denial on the mental health and sexual citizenship of lesbians and gay men in the United States. Sexuality Research and Social Policy Journal of NSRC, 3 (1): 33-49.
  40. ISTAT, Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. (2012). Rapporto annuale: la situazione nel Paese 2011 [Annual report: the situation in the state 2011] -- Retrieved from: http://www3.istat.it/ dati/catalogo/20110523_00/rapporto_2011.pdf.
  41. Jung C.G. (1928). Energetica psichica [Psychic energy]. In: “Opere”, vol. 8. Torino: Boringhieri, 1976.
  42. Kail B.L., Acosta K.L. and Wright E.R. (2015). State-Level Marriage Equality and the Health of Same-Sex Couples. American Journal of Public Health, 105 (6): 1101-1105. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.30258
  43. Kurdek L.A. (2003). Differences between gay and lesbian cohabiting couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 20 (4): 411-436. DOI: 10.1177/0265407503020400
  44. Kurdek L.A. (2004). Are gay and lesbian cohabiting couples really different from heterosexual married couples? Journal of Marriage and Family, 66 (4): 880-900.
  45. Kurdek L.A. (2006). Differences between Partners from Heterosexual, Gay, and Lesbian Cohabiting Couples. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68 (2): 509-28.
  46. Kurdek L.A. (2009). Assessing the Health of a Dyadic Relationship in Heterosexual and Same-Sex Partners. Personal Relationship, 16 (1): 117-27.
  47. Lampis J. e De Simone S. (2015). I legami fanno la differenza. Omogenitorialità e sviluppo infantile [The bonds make the difference, LGBT parenting and child development]. Rassegna Bibliografica Infanzia e Adolescenza, 2: 1-17.
  48. Lelleri F., Pietrantoni L., Gragli M., Palestrini L. e Chiari C. (2005). Modi di. Sesso e salute di lesbiche gay e bisessuali oggi in Italia. Sintesi dei principali risultati sociosanitari [Modes. Sex and health of gay lesbian and bisexual in Italy today. Summary of main results sociomedical]. --Retrieved from: http://www.arcigay.it/wp-content/uploads/modidi_opuscolo.pdf.
  49. Lingiardi V. (2012). Citizen gay. Famiglie, diritti negati e salute mentale [Citizen gay. Families, denied rights and mental health]. Milano: il Saggiatore.
  50. Lingiardi V. (2013). La famiglia “inconcepibile” [The family “inconceivable”]. Infanzia e Adolescenza, 12 (2): 74-85. DOI: 10.1710/1328.1469
  51. Lingiardi V. e Carone N. (2013). Adozione e omogenitorialità: l’abbandono di Edipo? [Adoption and LGBT parenting: the abandonment of Oedipus?]. Funzione Gamma, 30.
  52. Lingiardi V. e Carone N. (2016). Madri lesbiche, padri gay: genitori de-generati? [Lesbian mothers, gay fathers: degenerated parents?] Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 57-80. DOI: 10.1421/8361
  53. Liu H., Reczek C. and Brown D. (2013). Same sex cohabitors and health: The role of race-ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 54 (1): 25-45. DOI: 10.1177/002214651246828
  54. Mazzoni S. (2016). Riflessioni sul metodo per la valutazione delle risorse e dei rischi nelle famiglie omogenitoriali [Reflections on the method for the evaluation of the resources and of the risks in the same-sex parent families]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 151-156. DOI: 10.1421/8363
  55. Menesini E. (2016). Editoriale [Editorial]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 5-7. DOI: 10.1421/8363
  56. Morse C.N., McLaren S. and McLachlan A.J. (2007), The attitudes of Australian heterosexuals toward same-sex parenting. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 4: 425-445
  57. Nicolò A.M. (2016). Omogenitorialità: corpo, simbolo e funzioni mentali [LGBT parenting: body, symbol and mental functions]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 157-162. DOI: 10.1421/8363
  58. Olson D.H., Portner J. and Bell R. (1982). Family adaptation and cohesion evaluation scales. Unpublished rating scales. School of family and social sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.
  59. Patterson C.J., Sutfin E.L. and Fulcher M. (2004). Division of Labor Among Lesbian and Heterosexual Parenting Couples: Correlates of Specified Versus Shared Patterns. Journal of Adult Development, 11, 179-189.
  60. Patterson C.J., and Wainright, J.L., (2007), Adolescents with Same-Sex Parents Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. In: Brodzinsky D., Pertman A. and Kunz D. (eds.), Lesbian and gay adoption: A new American reality. New York: Oxford University Press.
  61. Peplau L.A. and Fingerhut A.W. (2007). The Close Relationships of Lesbians and Gay Men. Annual Review of Psychology, 58: 405-424.
  62. Perrin, E. C. and Siegel B.S. (2013). Promoting the well-being of children whose parents are gay or lesbian. Pediatrics, 131, 1374-1383.
  63. Petruccelli I., Baiocco R., Ioverno S., Pistella J. e D’Urso G. (2015). Famiglie possibili: uno studio sugli atteggiamenti verso la genitorialità di persone gay e lesbiche [Possible families: a study on the attitudes toward LGBT parenting]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 4: 805-828. DOI: 10.1421/8194
  64. Riggle E.D., Rostosky S.S. and Horne S.G. (2010). Psychological distress, well-being, and legal recognition in same-sex couple relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 24 (1): 82-86.
  65. Roseneil S., Crowhurst I., Hellesund T., Santon A.C. and Stoilova M. (2013). Changing Landscapes of Heteronormativity: The Regulation and Normalization of Same-Sex Sexualities in Europe. Social Politics, 20: 165-199.
  66. Saraceno C. (2003). Diversi da chi? Gay, lesbiche, transessuali in un’area metropolitana [Different from whom? Gay, lesbian, transgender people in a metropolitan area]. Milano: Guerini e Associati.
  67. Serri F., Lasio D., Putzu D., Lampis J. e Ibba I. (2016). La genitorialità impossibile. Tracce di eteronormatività nei discorsi di persone attiviste omosessuali [Traces of heteronormativity in the speeches of homosexual activists]. In: Everri M. (in corso di stampa). Genitori come gli altri e tra gli altri [Parents like the others and among others]. Sesto San Giovanni: Mimesis.
  68. Spanier G.B. (1976). Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 38 (1): 15-28. DOI: 10.2307/35054
  69. Speranza A.M. (2016). I ragazzi stanno bene, nonostante le controversie ideologiche [The boys and girls are well, despite the ideological controversies]. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 1-2: 169-174. DOI: 10.1421/8363
  70. Weber S. (2008). Parenting, family life, and well-being among sexual minorities: nursing policy and practice implications. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 29 (6): 601-618. DOI: 10.1080/0161284080204882

  • Lesbian and gay individual parenting desires in heteronormative contexts Diego Lasio, Jessica Lampis, Roberta Spiga, Francesco Serri, in Europe’s Journal of Psychology /2020 pp.210
    DOI: 10.5964/ejop.v16i2.1808
  • Relationship Satisfaction, Social Support, and Psychological Well-Being in a Sample of Italian Lesbian and Gay Individuals Jessica Lampis, Silvia De Simone, Christopher K. Belous, in Journal of GLBT Family Studies /2021 pp.49
    DOI: 10.1080/1550428X.2020.1724844
  • Italian primary school teachers’ comfort and training needs regarding same-sex parenting Silvia De Simone, Francesco Serri, Jessica Lampis, Jessica Pileri, Diego Lasio, in Psychology & Sexuality /2022 pp.404
    DOI: 10.1080/19419899.2020.1820557

Jessica Lampis, Silvia De Simone, Noemi Fenu, Maria Giovanna Muggianu, In famiglia tutto bene? Adattamento diadico, coesione e conflitto nelle coppie composte da persone gay e lesbiche in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 1/2017, pp 76-96, DOI: 10.3280/PDS2017-001004