Caution needed on same-sex parenting study

“A widely reported Melbourne study has found that children raised by same-sex parents are healthier than those in the general population – but this result should be treated with great caution,” FamilyVoice research officer Ros Phillips said today. “The study design has serious methodological flaws.”

Ros Phillips pointed out that:

• The gay and lesbian parents were not randomly selected – rather, they volunteered.

• The children were not independently assessed – their own parents reported on their progress.

• The research team was led by Dr Simon Crouch, who is raising two young children with his male partner.

• At least two other members of the five-member team are also reported to be raising children in same-sex relationships: Dr Ruth McNair and Jennifer Power.

• The authors have failed to acknowledge these conflicts of interest in their published paper.

“Volunteer bias is a major problem with the study,” Ros Phillips said. “Same-sex couples whose children have health or behaviour problems would be most unlikely to volunteer. Those who did volunteer, knowing that the results could be used to further the gay lobby’s agenda, would be reluctant to report unfavourably on their children’s progress.

“The fact that at least 60% of the research team were themselves raising children in same-sex relationships would suggest that the motivation for the study may have been partly political. Its findings have been published at a time when debate on a Greens bill to recognise foreign same-sex marriages is likely to resume very soon.

“To quote a former high school pupil of mine, ‘It sounds suss!’”
Mrs Roslyn Phillips, BSc DipEd National Research Officer FamilyVoice Australia: a Christian voice for family, faith and freedom Website: www.fava.org.au