Homosexuality

Title: Family Functioning in Lesbian Families Created by Donor

Insemination

Author(s): Vanfraussen, Katrien, Department of Developmental

And Life Span Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium Ponjaert-Kristoffersen, Ingrid, Department of Developmental and Life

Span Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

Brewaeys, Anne, Department of Developmental and Life Span Psychology,

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol. 73(1), January 2003.

pp.

78-90.

Publisher: Educational Publishing Foundation

ISSN: 0002-9432

Digital Object ID: 10.1037/0002-9432.73.1.78

Article Type: Journal Article

Abstract: The quantitative and qualitative data of this study on

family functioning in lesbian donor insemination families reveal that

according to both parents and children, the quality of children's

relationship with the social mother is comparable to that with the

biological mother. Unlike fathers in heterosexual families, the lesbian

social mother is as much involved in child activities as is the

biological mother. Furthermore, the lesbian social mother has as much

authority as does the father in heterosexual families.

Always our confusions. (letter to parents of homosexual children from National Conference of Catholic Bishops) Richard Neuhaus.

Abstract: A pastoral letter from the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB), approved by the administrative committee of the conference, is called "Always Our Children: A Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministries." It is in many ways thoughtful and compassionate, but has generated controversy, for a reason. The letter may be telling people what they want to hear and reflect the desire of the bishops, like that of everyone else, to be praised. The Church's teaching may not be reflected clearly, although there is a good case for nonjudgmental leadership style and feeling the pain of other people. (http://infotrac-college.thomsonlearning.com/itw/infomark/874/40/76204167w4/purl=rc1_WAD_0_A20299828&dyn=7!xrn_2_0_A20299828?sw_aep=olr_wad)

Pretreatment attrition from couple therapy for male drug abusers. Shalonda Kelly; Elizabeth E. Epstein; Barbara S. McCrady.

Author's Abstract: COPYRIGHT 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd.

This study tracked pretreatment attrition of 120 callers, 84 of whom were potentially eligible for outpatient couple treatment for male drug abuse. Demographic, significant other, substance use, and access related variables were examined as predictors of intake and treatment entry. Results were similar to other findings regarding variables associated with initiation of individual substance use treatment, and 29% of eligible callers entered treatment. Men whose partners did not use substances or who used in moderation were more likely to attend the intake session, and couples who received referrals were more likely to enter treatment than those who responded to a newspaper advertisement. (http://infotrac-college.thomsonlearning.com/itw/infomark/874/40/76204167w4/purl=rc1_WAD_0_A115345866&dyn=20!xrn_2_0_A115345866?sw_aep=olr_wad)

Prediction of outcome in drug dependence

Bo Frykholm, Lars-M. Gunne and B. Huitfeldt

University of Uppsala, Sweden

Available online 4 June 2002.

Abstract

Two-hundred and fifty subjects dependent on amphetamine (88%) or opiates (12%) were subjected to a time-programmed follow-up at 2, 4, 6 weeks, 3, 6 months and 1, 2 and 3 yr after discharge from the clinic. Follow-up data were compared with socio-psychiatric background data obtained by standardized forms and (based on information from 200 cases) a prognostic instrument was constructed by stepwise discriminant analysis according to Dixon (1973). The instrument was validated on a random sample of 50 selected from the total material of 250 patients and was found to contain a prediction power of 66-88% according to different systems of classification.

Two background variables stood out as the most important ones, the first describing the degree of involvement with drugs ("number of injections") and the second describing number of remaining social contacts with drug-free persons ("contacts with relatives"). These two variables