Scholarly Works - Centre for Family Research
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Suspiciousness in young minds: Convergent evidence from non-clinical, clinical and community twin samples.(Elsevier BV, 2018-09) Zhou, Han-Yu; Wong, Keri Ka-Yee; Shi, Li-Juan; Cui, Xi-Long; Qian, Yun; Jiang, Wen-Qing; Du, Ya-Song; Lui, Simon SY; Luo, Xue-Rong; Yi, Zheng-Hui; Cheung, Eric FC; Docherty, Anna R; Chan, Raymond CK; Wong, Keri [0000-0002-2962-8438]BACKGROUND: We validated the Social Mistrust Scale (SMS) and utilized it to examine the structure, prevalence, and heritability of social mistrust in a large sample of Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: In Study 1, a large sample of healthy twins (N=2094) aged 8 to 14years (M=10.27years, SD=2) completed the SMS. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to assess the structure of the SMS and to estimate the heritability of social mistrust in a sub-sample of twins (n=756 pairs). In Study 2, 32 adolescents with childhood-onset schizophrenia were compared with 34 healthy controls on levels of suspiciousness and clinical symptoms to examine the associations between the SMS and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: We found a three-factor structure for social mistrust (home, school, and general mistrust). Social mistrust was found to be moderately - heritable (19%-40%), with mistrust at home most strongly influenced by genetic factors. Compared with 11.76% of the healthy controls, 56.25% of the adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia exhibited very high levels of social mistrust on all three subscales of the SMS. The SMS exhibited good discriminant validity in distinguishing adolescents with childhood-onset schizophrenia from healthy controls and showed associations with a broad range of symptoms assessed by the PANSS. CONCLUSIONS: Social mistrust assessed by the SMS may be heritable. The SMS demonstrates good discriminant validity with clinical diagnoses of schizophrenia. However, it seems to be correlated with multiple aspects of psychopathology in the schizophrenia group, rather than being specific to delusional ideation/paranoia.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Marital stability and quality in families created by assisted reproduction techniques: A follow-up study(Elsevier, 2012-12-01) Blake, L; Casey, P; Jadva, V; Golombok, S; Jadva, Vasanti [0000-0003-0922-0694]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]An increasing number of children are being born with the use of assisted reproduction techniques such as donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy. There have been concerns that the use of these third-party reproduction techniques may have a negative effect on the quality of the relationship between the mother and father. Marital stability and quality was examined in a UK sample of donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy families and families in which children were naturally conceived. Interview and questionnaire assessments of marital stability and quality were collected from mothers and fathers over five time points, when the children in the families were aged 1, 2, 3, 7 and 10. Of those families who participated when children were 10 years old, a minority of couples in each family type had divorced/separated and few differences emerged between the different family types in terms of mothers' or fathers' marital quality. Despite concerns, couples in families created by donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy were found to be functioning well. An increasing number of children are being born with the use of assisted reproduction techniques such as donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy. There have been concerns that the use of these third-party reproduction techniques may have a negative effect on the quality of the relationship between the mother and father. Marital stability and quality was examined in a UK sample of donor insemination, egg donation, and surrogacy families and families in which children were naturally conceived. Interview and questionnaire assessments of marital stability and quality were collected from mothers and fathers over five time points, when the children in the families were aged 1, 2, 3, 7 and 10. Of those families who participated when children were 10 years old, a minority of couples in each family type had divorced/separated and few differences emerged between the different family types in terms of mothers' or fathers' marital quality. Despite concerns, couples in families created by donor insemination, egg donation and surrogacy were found to be functioning well.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Disclosure and donor-conceived children(Oxford University Press, 2017-07-01) Golombok, S; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]Sir, In the March 2017 issue of Human Reproduction, Guido Pennings published an opinion piece arguing that there is little empirical evidence in support of the disclosure of donor conception to children (Pennings, 2017). He claimed that researchers tend to ignore their own findings in recommending openness to children regarding their biological origins. As I am one of the researchers concerned, and have been conducting empirical studies on the psychological well-being of donor-conceived children since the 1980s, the article caused me to reflect on what the evidence actually tells us. The question Pennings has raised is a perfectly reasonable one but I do not believe that his conclusion is correct.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed A Longitudinal Study of Families Formed Through Reproductive Donation: Parent-Adolescent Relationships and Adolescent Adjustment at Age 14(American Psychological Association, 2017-10) Golombok, S; Ilioi, E; Blake, L; Roman, G; Jadva, V; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]; Jadva, Vasanti [0000-0003-0922-0694]The aim of the 6th phase of this longitudinal study was to establish whether children born through assisted reproduction involving reproductive donation were at risk for psychological problems following the transition to adolescence at age 14 and, if so, to examine the nature of these problems and the mechanisms involved. Eighty-seven families formed through reproductive donation, including 32 donor insemination families, 27 egg donation families, and 28 surrogacy families, were compared with 54 natural conception families. Standardized interviews, questionnaires, and observational assessments of the quality of parent-adolescent relationships and adolescent adjustment were administered to mothers, adolescents, and teachers. The mothers in surrogacy families showed less negative parenting and reported greater acceptance of their adolescent children and fewer problems in family relationships as a whole compared with gamete donation mothers. In addition, less positive relationships were found between mothers and adolescents in egg donation families than in donor insemination families as rated by both mothers and adolescents. There were no differences between family types for the adolescents themselves in terms of adjustment problems, psychological well-being, and self-esteem. Longitudinal analyses showed no differences between family types in negative parenting from age 7 to age 14, and a weaker association between negative parenting and adjustment difficulties for gamete donation than natural conception and surrogacy families. The findings suggest that the absence of a genetic link between mothers and their children is associated with less positive mother-adolescent relationships whereas the absence of a gestational link does not have an adverse effect.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Supporting family carers in home-based end-of-life care: using participatory action research to develop a training programme for support workers and volunteers(BMJ, 2019-03) Caswell, G; Hardy, B; Ewing, G; Kennedy, S; Seymour, J; Ewing, Gail [0000-0001-9547-7247]$\textbf{Background}$ Family carers are crucial in enabling dying people to stay at home, but are often not prepared for their caring role, receiving little support from formal health and social care services. It is increasingly likely that any help or support family carers receive will be provided by a third sector organisation on either a voluntary basis or by untrained carer support workers. $\textbf{Objectives}$ To produce a training programme designed to equip carer support workers and volunteers with the basic skills and knowledge needed to support family carers. $\textbf{Process of development}$ Participatory action research, a collaborative form of working in which those who are affected by an issue take a lead role in the research, was used. Bereaved carers acting as research partners, support workers and representatives of third sector organisations took an active part in designing, developing, piloting and refining the programme in a number of interlinked stages. During development, the programme was piloted on four occasions and evaluated by 36 trainees and 3 trainers. $\textbf{Final training programme}$ The outcome of the project is an innovative, 1-day training programme, offering an introduction to supporting family carers who are looking after someone approaching the end of life. The use of participatory action research methods enabled the development of a programme that addresses support needs identified by bereaved carers and training needs identified by carer support workers. The finished programme includes all the materials necessary to run a training day for support workers and volunteers: facilitator's notes, trainee workbook, slides, promotional poster and pre-course reading for trainees. Knowledge of issues involved in end-of-life and palliative care is not required, although some experience in delivering training is advisable. $\textbf{Conclusion}$ The programme evaluated well during development, but further research is required to examine the transfer of learning into the workplace.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Six key topics informal carers of patients with breathlessness in advanced disease want to learn about and why: MRC phase I study to inform an educational intervention(PLOS, 2017-05-05) Farquhar, M; Penfold, C; Benson, J; Lovick, R; Mahadeva, R; Howson, S; Burkin, J; Booth, S; Gilligan, D; Todd, C; Ewing, G; Farquhar, Morag [0000-0001-7991-7679]; Ewing, Gail [0000-0001-9547-7247]$\textbf{Introduction:}$ Breathlessness is a common symptom of advanced disease placing a huge burden on patients, health systems and informal carers (families and friends providing daily help and support). It causes distress and isolation. Carers provide complex personal, practical and emotional support yet often feel ill-prepared to care. They lack knowledge and confidence in their caring role. The need to educate carers and families about breathlessness is established, yet we lack robustly developed carer-targeted educational interventions to meet their needs. $\textbf{Methods:}$ We conducted a qualitative interview study with twenty five purposively-sampled patient-carer dyads living with breathlessness in advanced disease (half living with advanced cancer and half with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We sought to identify carers' educational needs (including what they wanted to learn about) and explore differences by diagnostic group in order to inform an educational intervention for carers of patients with breathlessness in advanced disease. $\textbf{Results:}$ There was a strong desire among carers for an educational intervention on breathlessness. Six key topics emerged as salient for them: 1) understanding breathlessness, 2) managing anxiety, panic and breathlessness, 3) managing infections, 4) keeping active, 5) living positively and 6) knowing what to expect in the future. A cross-cutting theme was relationship management: there were tensions within dyads resulting from mismatched expectations related to most topics. Carers felt that knowledge-gains would not only help them to support the patient better, but also help them to manage their own frustrations, anxieties, and quality of life. Different drivers for education need were identified by diagnostic group, possibly related to differences in caring role duration and resulting impacts. $\textbf{Conclusion:}$ Meeting the educational needs of carers requires robustly developed and evaluated interventions. This study provides the evidence-base for the content of an educational intervention for carers of patients with breathlessness in advanced disease.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Parenting in new family forms(Elsevier, 2017-06-01) Golombok, S; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]This paper reviews research on parenting and child development in new family forms including families created by assisted reproductive technologies, same-sex parent families, and families headed by single mothers by choice. The research is examined in the context of the issues and concerns that have been raised regarding these families. The findings not only contest popular assumptions about the psychological consequences for children of being raised in new family forms but also challenge the supremacy of the traditional family. It is concluded that the quality of family relationships and the wider social environment appear to be more influential in children’s psychological development and adjustment than are the number, gender, sexual orientation or biological relatedness of their parents.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Children's thoughts and feelings about their donor and security of attachment to their solo mothers in middle childhood(Oxford University Press, 2017-04-01) Zadeh, S; Jones, CM; Basi, T; Golombok, S; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]$\textbf{STUDY QUESTION}$ What is the relationship between children's thoughts and feelings about their donor and their security of attachment to their solo mothers in middle childhood? $\textbf{SUMMARY ANSWER}$ Children with higher levels of secure–autonomous attachment to their mothers were more likely to have positive perceptions of the donor, and those with higher levels of insecure–disorganized attachment to their mothers were more likely to perceive him negatively. $\textbf{WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY}$ There is limited understanding of the factors that contribute to children's thoughts and feelings about their donor in solo mother families. In adolescence, an association was found between adolescents’ curiosity about donor conception and their security of attachment to their mothers. $\textbf{STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION}$ 19 children were administered the Friends and Family Interview and Donor Conception Interview between December 2015 and March 2016 as part of the second phase of a longitudinal, multi-method, multi-informant study of solo mother families. $\textbf{PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS}$ All children were aged between 7 and 13 years and had been conceived by donor insemination to solo mothers. Interviews were conducted in participants’ homes. The Friends and Family Interview was rated according to a standardized coding scheme designed to measure security of attachment in terms of secure–autonomous, insecure–dismissing, insecure–preoccupied and insecure–disorganized attachment patterns. Quantitative analyses of the Donor Conception Interview yielded two factors: interest in the donor and perceptions of the donor. Qualitative analyses of the Donor Conception Interview were conducted using qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. $\textbf{MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE}$ Statistically significant associations were found between the perception of the donor scale and the secure–autonomous and insecure–disorganized attachment ratings. Children with higher levels of secure–autonomous attachment to their mothers were more likely to have positive perceptions of the donor (r = 0.549, P = 0.015), and those with higher levels of insecure–disorganized attachment to their mothers were more likely to perceive him negatively (r = −0.632, P = 0.004). Children's narratives about the donor depicted him as a stranger (n = 8), a biological father (n = 4), a social parent (n = 3), or in ambivalent terms (n = 4). $\textbf{LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION}$ Findings are limited by the wide age range of children within a small overall sample size. Participants were those willing and able to take part in research on donor conception families. The statistical significance of correlation coefficients was not corrected for multiple comparisons. $\textbf{WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS}$ Findings highlight the importance of situating children's ideas about the donor within family contexts. It is recommended that those working with donor conception families consider this when advising parents about whether, what and how to tell children about donor conception.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Gay fathers’ motivations for and feelings about surrogacy as a path to parenthood(Oxford University Press, 2017-04-01) Blake, L; Carone, N; Raffanello, E; Slutsky, J; Ehrhardt, AA; Golombok, S; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]$\textbf{STUDY QUESTION}$ Why do gay men choose to start their families through surrogacy? $\textbf{SUMMARY ANSWER}$ Most fathers chose surrogacy because they considered adoption to be a less desirable and/or accessible path to parenthood. $\textbf{WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY}$ Little is known of gay fathers’ motivations to use surrogacy as a path to parenthood over and above other forms of family building, such as adoption, and no studies have examined fathers’ satisfaction with the surrogacy process. $\textbf{STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION}$ This study used a cross-sectional design as part of a larger investigation of parent–child relationships and child adjustment in 40 gay father surrogacy families. Multiple strategies (e.g. surrogacy agencies, social events and snowballing) were used to recruit as diverse a sample as possible. Data were obtained from 74 fathers (in 6 families only 1 father was available for interview). $\textbf{PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHOD}$ Semi-structured interviews, lasting ~1 h, were conducted in the family home (65%) or over Skype (35%) with 74 gay fathers (35 genetic fathers, 32 non-genetic fathers and 7 fathers who did not know or did not disclose who the genetic father was), when the children were 3–9 years old. $\textbf{MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE}$ Genetic and non-genetic fathers were just as likely to want to become parents and had similar motivations for choosing surrogacy as a path to parenthood. Most fathers ($\textit{N}$ = 55, 74%) were satisfied with surrogacy and were satisfied ($\textit{N}$ = 31. 42%) or had neutral feelings ($\textit{N}$ = 21, 28%) about their choice of who would be the genetic father. Most fathers received supportive reactions to their decision to use surrogacy from both families of origin (e.g. parents, siblings) ($\textit{N}$ = 47, 64%) and from friends ($\textit{N}$ = 63, 85%). $\textbf{LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION}$ Although diverse recruitment strategies were used, data were obtained from a volunteer sample. Therefore, the possibility that fathers who had a positive surrogacy experience may have been more likely to participate in the study, and therefore introduce bias, cannot be ruled out. Due to the high average annual income of the fathers in the study, findings may not generalize to gay fathers with lower incomes. $\textbf{WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS}$ It is often assumed that parents’ primary motivation for using ART is to have a genetic connection to the child. This study revealed that whilst genetic fatherhood was important for some gay fathers in surrogacy families, it was not important for all. This information will be of use to surrogacy agencies and organizations supporting men who are considering the different routes to parenthood.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Does Parental Mind-Mindedness Account for Cross-Cultural Differences in Preschoolers' Theory of Mind?(Wiley, 2018-07) Hughes, C; Devine, RT; Wang, Z; Hughes, Claire [0000-0003-2545-3025]; Devine, Rory [0000-0002-3710-7878]This study of 241 parent-child dyads from the United Kingdom ($\textit{N}$ = 120, $\textit{M}$$_{age}$ = 3.92, $\textit{SD}$ = 0.53) and Hong Kong ($\textit{N}$ = 121, $\textit{M}$$_{age}$ = 3.99, $\textit{SD}$ = 0.50) breaks new ground by adopting a cross-cultural approach to investigate children's theory of mind and parental mind-mindedness. Relative to the Hong Kong sample, U.K. children showed superior theory-of-mind performance and U.K. parents showed greater levels of mind-mindedness. Within both cultures parental mind-mindedness was correlated with theory of mind. Mind-mindedness also accounted for cultural differences in preschoolers' theory of mind. We argue that children's family environments might shed light on how culture shapes children's theory of mind.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Parenting and the Adjustment of Children Born to Gay Fathers Through Surrogacy(Wiley, 2018-07) Golombok, S; Blake, L; Slutsky, J; Raffanello, E; Roman, GD; Ehrhardt, A; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]Findings are presented on a study of 40 gay father families created through surrogacy and a comparison group of 55 lesbian mother families created through donor insemination with a child aged 3–9 years. Standardized interview, observational and questionnaire measures of stigmatization, quality of parent–child relationships, and children's adjustment were administered to parents, children, and teachers. Children in both family types showed high levels of adjustment with lower levels of children's internalizing problems reported by gay fathers. Irrespective of family type, children whose parents perceived greater stigmatization and children who experienced higher levels of negative parenting showed higher levels of parent-reported externalizing problems. The findings contribute to theoretical understanding of the role of family structure and family processes in child adjustment.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Why search for a sperm donor online? The experiences of women searching for and contacting sperm donors on the internet(Taylor & Francis, 2018-06) Jadva, V; Freeman, T; Tranfield, E; Golombok, S; Jadva, Vasanti [0000-0003-0922-0694]; Freeman, Tabitha [0000-0003-2919-8105]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]Whilst studies have examined the experiences of women who use clinic donors, to date there has been limited research investigating women’s motivations and experiences of searching for a sperm donor online. A total of 429 women looking for a sperm donor on Pride Angel (a website that facilitates contact between donors and recipients) completed an online survey. Fifty-eight percent (249) saw advantages of obtaining donated sperm online with the most common advantage reported as being able to connect with and meet the donor ($n$ = 50 (24%)). A third ($n$ = 157 (37%)) of the participants gave disadvantages, the most common reported was encountering ‘dishonest donors’ ($n$ = 63 (40%)). Most recipients ($n$ = 181 (61%)) wanted the donor to be ‘just a donor’ (i.e. to provide sperm and have no further contact). Whilst it was important for recipients to know the identity of the donor, some did not see this as important for the child and thus the level of information that parents have about the donor, and that which the child has, can differ. Finding a donor online blurs the distinction between categories of ‘anonymous’, ‘known’ and ‘identity release’ donations. Whilst the survey had a large sample size, the representativeness of the sample is not known.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Parent psychological adjustment, donor conception and disclosure: a follow-up over 10 years.(Oxford University Press, 2014-11-01) Blake, L; Jadva, V; Golombok, S; Jadva, Vasanti [0000-0003-0922-0694]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]STUDY QUESTION: What is the relationship between parent psychological adjustment, type of gamete donation (donor insemination, egg donation) and parents' disclosure of their use of donated gametes to their children. SUMMARY ANSWER: Disclosure of donor origins to the child was not always associated with optimal levels of psychological adjustment, especially for fathers in donor insemination families. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Cross-sectional analyses have found mothers and fathers who conceived a child using donated sperm or eggs to be psychologically well-adjusted, with few differences emerging between parents in gamete donation families and parents in families in which parents conceived naturally. The relationship between mothers' and fathers' psychological well-being, type of gamete donation (donor insemination, egg donation) and parents' disclosure decisions has not yet been examined. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: In this follow-up study, data were obtained from mothers and fathers in donor insemination and egg donation families at 5 time points; when the children in the families were aged 1, 2, 3, 7 and 10. In the first phase of the study, 50 donor insemination families and 51 egg donation families with a 1-year-old child participated. By age 10, the study included 34 families with a child conceived by donor insemination and 30 families with a child conceived by egg donation, representing 68 and 58% of the original sample, respectively. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Families were recruited through nine fertility clinics in the UK. Standardized questionnaires assessing depression, stress and anxiety were administered to mothers and fathers in donor insemination and egg donation families. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Mothers and fathers in both donor insemination and egg donation families were found to be psychologically well-adjusted; for the vast majority of parents' levels of depression, anxiety and parenting stress were found to be within the normal range at all 5 time points. Disclosure of the child's donor origins to the child was not always associated with optimal levels of parental psychological adjustment. For example, disclosure was associated with lower levels of psychological well-being for certain groups in particular (such as fathers in donor insemination families), at certain times (when children are in middle childhood and have a more sophisticated understanding of their donor origins). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Owing to small sample sizes, the value of this study lies not in its generalizability, but in its potential to point future research in new directions. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Donor insemination and egg donation families are a heterogeneous group, and future research should endeavour to obtain data from fathers as well as mothers. Support and guidance in terms of disclosure and family functioning might be most beneficial for parents (and especially fathers) in donor insemination families, particularly as the child grows older. The more that is known about the process of disclosure over time, from the perspective of the different members of the family, the better supported parents and their children can be.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed The role of age of disclosure of biological origins in the psychological wellbeing of adolescents conceived by reproductive donation: a longitudinal study from age 1 to age 14.(Wiley, 2017-03) Ilioi, Elena; Blake, Lucy; Jadva, Vasanti; Roman, Gabriela; Golombok, Susan; Jadva, Vasanti [0000-0003-0922-0694]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]BACKGROUND: The question of whether children should be told of their biological origins is one of the most controversial issues regarding the birth of children through donated eggs, sperm, embryos or surrogacy. METHODS: In the sixth phase of this longitudinal study when the children were aged 14 years, family relationships and adolescent adjustment were examined in 87 families created through reproductive donation and 54 natural conception families. The quality of family relationships was assessed by standardised interview with mothers and by standardised questionnaires and an observational measure with mothers and adolescents. Adolescent adjustment was assessed using standardised questionnaires. Systematic information on whether and when parents had told children about their biological origins was obtained at earlier phases of the study. RESULTS: There were no overall differences between disclosing families and either nondisclosing or natural conception families. However, within the disclosing families, more positive family relationships and higher levels of adolescent wellbeing were found for adolescents who had been told about their biological origins before age 7. CONCLUSIONS: The earlier children born through reproductive donation are told about their biological origins, the more positive are the outcomes in terms of the quality of family relationships and psychological wellbeing at adolescence.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed From ‘Virgin Births’ to ‘Octomom’: Representations of Single Motherhood via Sperm Donation in the UK News(Wiley-Blackwell, 2016-11) Zadeh, S; Foster, JThe use of sperm donation by single women has provoked public, professional and political debate. Newspapers serve as a critical means of both broadcasting this debate and effecting a representation of this user group within the public sphere. This study uses the theory of social representations to examine how single motherhood by sperm donation has been represented in the UK news over time. The study sampled news coverage on this topic in eight British newspapers during three 4-year periods between the years 1988 and 2012. The dataset of news reports (n = 406) was analysed using a qualitative approach. Findings indicated that UK media reports of single women using donor sperm are underpinned by conventional categories of the ‘personal’, the ‘traditional’ and the ‘natural’ that when paired with their corollaries produce a representation of this user group as the social ‘other’. The amount of coverage on this topic over time was found to vary according to the political orientation of different media sources. Using key concepts from social representations theory, this article discusses the relationship between themata and anchoring in the maintenance of representations of the social ‘other’ in mass mediated communication. Findings are explained in relation to theoretical conceptions of the mass media and its position within the public sphere. It is argued that the use of personal narratives in news reports of single mothers by sperm donation may have significant implications for public understandings of this social group.Item Open Access Accepted version Peer-reviewed Disclosure of donor conception in the era of non-anonymity: safeguarding and promoting the interests of donor-conceived individuals?(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2016-11) Zadeh, SophieThis article responds to a debate article published in Human Reproduction earlier this year. In that article, the authors suggested that parents should be encouraged to disclose the use of donor gametes to their children given rapid and widespread advances in genetic testing and sequencing. However, there is an urgent need to engage with the assertion that in this context, telling children about their donor conception both safeguards and promotes their interests, particularly if such disclosure is motivated by parents' anxieties about accidental discovery. Disclosure that is motivated by the notion of non-anonymity may also encourage parents to share misinformation about donors and encourage their children to have unrealistic expectations. Fertility professionals must remain mindful of these outcomes when discussing disclosure and the future implications of increasing access to genetic information with both prospective and current parents. It is strongly advised that future discussions about the end of donor anonymity are not conflated with the debate on disclosure.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Disclosure of sperm donation: a comparison between solo mother and two-parent families with identifiable donors.(Elsevier, 2016-11-01) Freeman, Tabitha; Zadeh, Sophie; Smith, Venessa; Golombok, Susan; Freeman, Tabitha [0000-0003-2919-8105]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]Disclosure of donor conception to children was compared between solo mother and two-parent families with children aged 4-8 years conceived since the removal of donor anonymity in the UK. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 heterosexual solo mothers and 47 heterosexual mothers with partners to investigate their decisions and experiences about identifiable donation and disclosure to their children. No significant difference was found in the proportion of mothers in each family type who had told their children about their donor conception (solo mothers 54.8%; partnered mothers 36.2%). Of those who had not told, a significantly higher proportion of solo mothers than partnered mothers intended to disclose (P < 0.05). Partnered mothers were more likely than solo mothers to feel neutral, ambivalent or negative about having used an identifiable donor (P < 0.05), and were less likely to consider children's knowledge of their genetic origins as extremely important (P < 0.05). These findings are relevant to provision of counselling services as it cannot be assumed that parents will tell their children about their origins or their entitlement to request the identity of their donor at the age of 18 years. Further qualitative research would increase understanding of solo mothers' attitudes towards disclosure.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Gay father surrogacy families: relationships with surrogates and egg donors and parental disclosure of children's origins.(Elsevier BV, 2016-11) Blake, Lucy; Carone, Nicola; Slutsky, Jenna; Raffanello, Elizabeth; Ehrhardt, Anke A; Golombok, Susan; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]OBJECTIVE: To study the nature and quality of relationships between gay father families and their surrogates and egg donors and parental disclosure of children's origins. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Family homes. PATIENT(S): Parents in 40 gay father families with 3-9-year-old children born through surrogacy. INTERVENTION(S): Administration of a semistructured interview. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Relationships between parents, children, surrogates, and egg donors and parental disclosure of children's origins were examined using a semistructured interview. RESULT(S): The majority of fathers were content with the level of contact they had with the surrogate, with those who were discontent wanting more contact. Fathers were more likely to maintain relationships with surrogates than egg donors, and almost all families had started the process of talking to their children about their origins, with the level of detail and children's understanding increasing with the age of the child. CONCLUSION(S): In gay father surrogacy families with young children, relationships between parents, children, surrogates, and egg donors are generally positive.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed 'What Does Donor Mean to a Four-Year-Old?': Initial Insights into Young Children's Perspectives in Solo Mother Families.(Wiley, 2017-05) Zadeh, Sophie; Freeman, Tabitha; Golombok, Susan; Freeman, Tabitha [0000-0003-2919-8105]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]This study reports on the questions, thoughts and feelings of children aged 4-9 conceived by donor insemination to single mothers. Fifty-one mothers and 47 children from the same families were each administered a semi-structured interview. Mothers generally reported that while children either lack understanding, or have not yet been told, about their donor conception, they may be thinking and talking about the absence of a father. Most children did not mention either donor conception or father absence and reported positive feelings about their families and friendships. Possible explanations for the discrepancy between mothers' and children's reports are discussed.Item Open Access Published version Peer-reviewed Online sperm donation: a survey of the demographic characteristics, motivations, preferences and experiences of sperm donors on a connection website.(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2016-09) Freeman, T; Jadva, V; Tranfield, E; Golombok, S; Freeman, Tabitha [0000-0003-2919-8105]; Jadva, Vasanti [0000-0003-0922-0694]; Golombok, Susan [0000-0003-1623-2693]STUDY QUESTION: What are the demographic characteristics, motivations, preferences and experiences of heterosexual, gay and bisexual sperm donors on a connection website (i.e. a website that facilitates direct contact between donors and recipients of gametes)? SUMMARY ANSWER: This demographically diverse group of men was donating for altruistic reasons and perceived the website as providing greater choice over donation arrangements: approximately one third favoured anonymous donation, most of whom were heterosexual, whilst gay and bisexual donors were more likely to be in contact with children conceived with their sperm. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Despite substantially more sperm donors being registered on connection websites than with clinics, there has been very little research on this population. Current understanding of the impact of sexual orientation on donors' attitudes is also limited. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: An online survey was conducted over 7 weeks with 383 men registered as sperm donors with Pride Angel, a large UK-based connection website for donors and recipients of sperm. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The survey obtained data on participants' demographic characteristics and their motivations, preferences and experiences regarding online sperm donation, including attitudes towards contact with offspring. Differences according to participants' sexual orientation were examined. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Most participants (80.4%, 308) were heterosexual, 10.5% (40) were gay and 9.1% (35) were bisexual; ages ranged from 18 to 69 years (median = 36, mean = 37.3, SD = 9.7). A greater proportion of gay and bisexual men desired open-identity donation (P < 0.005) and contact with offspring (P <0.005) than heterosexual men. Approximately one third (28.7%, 110) had donated sperm; 18.3% (70) had conceived at least one child, of whom a minority (25.7%, 18) were currently in contact with the child, comprising significantly more gay and bisexual than heterosexual men (P = 0.001). Heterosexual men were most likely to state a preference for natural insemination, although the large majority (94.3%, 66) of donors who had conceived children had used artificial insemination. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Findings may not be representative of all sperm donors using connection websites because members of only one website participated and participants were, by necessity, a self-selected sample. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: This is the first comprehensive study of donors who connect with recipients via the internet, including a substantial number who have donated and conceived children. The findings indicate that sexual orientation may influence men's donation preferences and raise policy issues concerning donor recruitment and the incorporation of online sperm donation into clinical practice. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: This study was supported by the Wellcome Trust (097857/Z/11/Z). E.T. is the co-founder of Pride Angel; the remaining authors have no conflicts of interest.
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »