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Parenting and child development in families with a child conceived through embryo donation

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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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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.278

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

Official Date:

June 2007

Dates:

Date	Event
June 2007	Published

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

References:

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