A national study that has followed the children of lesbian mothers for 17 years has found the teen-agers demonstrate healthy psychological adjustment and have fewer behavioral problems than their peers. The National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study was initiated in 1986 to follow a cohort of American lesbian families from the time the children were conceived until they reach adulthood.

In the study, “US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents,” published in the July print issue of Pediatrics (published online June 7), researchers checked in with the families around the children’s 17th birthdays. The mothers of 78 adolescents completed interviews and questionnaires about their children’s social skills, academic performance and behaviors. The adolescents also completed questionnaires. Compared to a control group of gender-matched American teenagers, the children in the study were rated significantly higher in social, academic and total competence, and significantly lower in social problems, rule-breaking, aggressive, and externalizing problem behavior.

Study authors suggest the findings have implications for the clinical care of lesbian families, for the expert testimony provided by pediatricians on lesbian mother custody, and for public policies concerning same-sex parenting.

Editor’s Note: A related commentary, “What Shall We Call Them?” will also be published in the July print issue of Pediatrics and published online June 7. For a copy of this commentary, contact the AAP Department of Communications.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.