Έρευνες, έρευνες..

Σε χθεσινό άρθρο στον Ελεύθερο Τύπο διαβάζουμε:

Οι ομοφυλοφιλικές τάσεις είναι καταγεγραμμένες στη μορφολογία του εγκεφάλου, όπως διαπιστώνει νέα έρευνα του φημισμένου σουηδικού Ινστιτούτου Καρολίνσκα, ενισχύοντας
αντίστοιχες έρευνες του παρελθόντος. Η μελέτη βασίστηκε σε μαγνητικές τομογραφίες του εγκεφάλου 90 ενηλίκων και επικεντρώθηκε στο μέγεθος των δύο ημισφαιρίων. Διαπίστωσε,
λοιπόν, ότι στους ομοφυλόφιλους άνδρες και τις ετεροφυλόφιλες γυναίκες τα δύο
ημισφαίρια του εγκεφάλου τους είναι συμμετρικά, ενώ στις ομοφυλόφιλες γυναίκες και τους ετεροφυλόφιλους άνδρες το δεξί είναι μεγαλύτερο. Επίσης η πρώτηκατηγορία εμφανίζει περισ
σότερες συνδέσεις νευρώνων στην αριστερή πλευρά της αμυγδαλής, ενώ η δεύτερη στη δεξιά πλευρά της.

Η έρευνα καταλήγει στο συμπέρασμα ότι οι διαφορές αυτές πιθανότατα αναπτύσσονται στη διάρκεια της κύησης.

Σας δίνουμε τις περιλήψεις απο άλλες 2 πρόσφατα δημοσιευμένες έρευνες

Patrick Leung, Stephen Erich and Heather Kanenberg. A comparison of family functioning in gay lesbian, heterosexual and special needs adoptions.
Children and Youth Services Review, Volume 27, Issue 9, September 2005, Pages 1031-1044

The purpose of this study was to identify possible contributing factors to family functioning in three types of adoptive families: those headed by gays/lesbians, those headed by heterosexuals, and those involving the adoption of children with special needs. These three adoptive family types were examined concurrently so that commonalities and differences could be identified and considered for use in adoption practice. A multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between the dependent variable (standardized family functioning score) and independent variables (child behavior scores, special needs adoption, gay/lesbian headed families, age at adoption and at interview, diagnoses of disabilities, total social support score, number of previous placements, previous abuse and co-sibling adoption).

Results indicated no negative effects for the parenting of adopted children by gay/lesbian headed families. Higher levels of family functioning were found to be associated with special needs, younger, and non-disabled child adoptions. Gay/lesbian headed family adoptions of older children, non-sibling group adoptions, and children with more foster placements also experienced higher levels of family functioning. Implications include the need to (1) place a child in an adoptive family as early as possible, (2) ensure strong support networks for adoptive families of children with disabilities and with those who adopt sibling groups, and (3) encourage the practice of adoption by gay/lesbian headed families, especially for older children.

Three-Year Follow-Up of Same-Sex Couples Who Had Civil Unions in Vermont, Same-Sex Couples Not in Civil Unions, and Heterosexual Married Couples Developmental Psychology, Volume 44, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 102-116Kimberly F. Balsam, Theodore P. Beauchaine, Esther D. Rothblum and Sondra E. Solomon

This study was a 3-year follow-up of 65 male and 138 female same-sex couples who had civil unions in Vermont during the 1st year of that legislation. These couples were compared with 23 male and 61 female same-sex couples in their friendship circles who did not have civil unions and with 55 heterosexual married couples (1 member of each was a sibling to a member of a civil union couple). Despite the legalized nature of their relationships, civil union couples did not differ on any measure from same-sex couples who were not in civil unions.

However, same-sex couples not in civil unions were more likely to have ended their relationships than same-sex civil union or heterosexual married couples. Compared with heterosexual married participants, both types of same-sex couples reported greater relationship quality, compatibility, and intimacy and lower levels of conflict. Longitudinal predictors of relationship quality at Time 2 included less conflict, greater level of outness, and a shorter relationship length for men in same-sex relationships and included less conflict and more frequent sex for women in same-sex relationships at Time 1.