MacCallum, Fiona, Golombok, Susan and Brinsden, Peter. (2007) Parenting and child development in families with a child conceived through embryo donation. Journal of Family Psychology, Vol.21 (No.2). pp. 278-287. ISSN 0893-3200

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Abstract

Concerns have been raised regarding the potentially negative effects of conception using donated embryos on parenting and child development. Findings are presented of an exploratory study of families with a child conceived through embryo donation. Twenty-one embryo donation families were compared with 28 adoptive families and 30 in vitro fertilization families on standardized interview and questionnaire measures of the parents' marital and psychological state, the quality of parent-child relationships, and the child's development. In all 3 groups, the children were aged 2-5 years. The differences indicated higher emotional overinvolvement and defensive responding in the embryo donation families, along with greater secrecy about the child's origins. The children were not at increased risk of psychological problems. The study provides interesting but preliminary findings on parent-child relationships and child development in a new family form.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Parent and child, In vitro fertilization, Human reproductive technology
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Family Psychology
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
ISSN:	0893-3200
Date:	June 2007
Volume:	Vol.21
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	pp. 278-287
Identification Number:	10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.278
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/384

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