Physical or mental health outcomes for children in households with same-sex parents are equal to what kids of opposite-sex parents experience. The findings, recently published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics officially debunk the myth that nontraditional parental pairings have negative effects on kids, Fox News reports.

 

For the study, researchers at The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, Columbia University and the University of Amsterdam reviewed surveys from 190 American households, split evenly into same-sex and opposite-sex partners. First, scientists matched up families according to age, parental education and similar demographics. Then, researchers compared the two types of households based on the quality of the relationship between parents and the parent-child bond, as well as the children’s physical and mental well-being.

 

Findings showed no differences in family relationships or children’s emotional and overall health between households with same-sex or different-sex parents. Researchers said the findings could have positive implications for same-sex couples who want to have kids or adopt children.

 

The study reaffirms more than 70 other published peer-reviewed articles that concluded that children with gay parents aren’t disadvantaged in any way.

 

Researchers noted, however, that same-sex parents did report more parenting stress than their heterosexual counterparts.

 

“Further investigations might explore whether the cultural spotlight on child outcomes in same-sex parent families is associated with increased parenting stress,” said Nanette Gartrell, MD, a visiting scholar at The Williams Institute and a study co-author.

 

Click here to read thoughts from an African-American same-gender-loving father about parenting children in one of the most homophobic countries in the world.