Psychol Rep. 2004 Apr;94(2):422-4. Related Articles, Links


What was really learned from Tasker and Golombok's (1995) study of lesbian
and single parent mothers?

Schumm WR.

School of Family Studies and Human Services, Justin Hall, Kansas State
University, 1700 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66506-1403, USA.


Limitations of research on gays and family life are discussed, including the
low statistical power of small samples, a condition which increases the
likelihood of failing to reject null hypotheses. In particular, it is
observed that Fitzgerald in 1999 shifted from very tentative arguments in
her review of literature to rather conclusive statements in her abstract
about outcomes for children of gay parents. Furthermore, an often quoted
1995 article by Tasker and Golombok, upon closer examination, appears to
indicate that being raised in a lesbian family increases the odds of a child
later adopting a homosexual lifestyle even in the absence of homosexual
attractions. For such reasons, scholars and policymakers all should be very
cautious in accepting, at face value, at least some of the research being
reported on gays and family life.