224 H Court and the Legal System—Family Forensicson a broad range ot parent and child outcome measures, couples of both, sex-
ual orientations were assessed in terms of parental awareness skills and child-care
problems and solutions. Compared with fathers but not with mothers in heterosex-
ual couples, lesbian couples exhibited more parental awareness skills and identified
more child-care problems and solutions. The results of this study should gener-
alize well to young children of affluent, stable, and committed lesbian couples
who have used anonymous donor insemination. The traditional hypothesis that
the healthy development of children requires two heterosexual parents is certainly
called into question. The results within this sample show few differences among chil-
dren of lesbian and heterosexual couples in terms of their psychological and social
adjustment.
How important are family structural variables, such as the number of parents in
the home and the sexual orientation of parents, as predictors of children's develop-
ment? Chan, Raboy, and Patterson's (1998) study of 80 families, all of whom had
conceived children using the resources of a single sperm bank, included 55 families
headed by lesbians and 25 families headed by heterosexual parents. Children aver-
aged 7 years of age and biological mothers averaged 42 years of age. Results showed
that children were developing in a normal fashion and that their adjustment was
unrelated to structural variables such as parental sexual orientation or the number of
parents in the household. Variables associated with family interactions and processes
were, however, significantly related to children's adjustment. Not surprisingly, par-
ents who were experiencing higher levels of stress, higher levels of interparental
conflict, and lower levels of love for each other had children who exhibited more
behavioral problems. The results are consistent with the general hypothesis that chil-
dren's well-being is more a function of parenting and relationship processes within
the family than the function of household composition.
Forensic Psychology and Policy Implications
To many individuals, getting married and raising children are central aspirations;
however, these basic rights have been denied to lesbian and gay citizens in many
states across America. Common misconceptions allude to the notion that lesbians
and gay men are unfit parents or that children suffer irreparable harm if brought up
in the households of lesbian or gay parents. Evidence from recent research indicates
otherwise and suggests that children raised within lesbian- or gay-headed households
are generally well adjusted. In cases such as Sarah's, her parents countered external
threats to their family by educating Sarah and providing her with the support and
encouragement that she needed.
A question then arises as to why half of the states in America consider parental
sexual orientation relevant to child custody, visitation rights, foster care, and adop-
tion rights? State laws on child custody, visitation, and adoption are based on what
is in the '"best interest of the child." Unfortunately, this particular clause opens the