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Parent-Child Relationships and Homosexuality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Graham Robertson
Graham Robertson*
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, S.E.5
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Extract

A review of some of the literature concerned with the aetiology of homosexuality shows that certain variables, in particular those involving the relationship between the homosexual and his parents, differ between studies involving populations of neurotic homosexuals and those concerned with non-psychiatric populations. Investigators concerned with the former group (Bieber et al., 1962; O'Connor, 1964; West, 1955), have placed emphasis on the importance of the mother-child relationship, having found this to be abnormally intense in the case of many homosexuals. On the other hand, a well controlled study by Bene (1965), involving a non-psychiatric population of homosexuals, revealed no difference between her homosexual and heterosexual groups as regards maternal overprotection. Her findings caused her to place more emphasis on the father-child relationship.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 121 , Issue 564 , November 1972 , pp. 525 - 528
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1972 

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References

Bene, Eva (1965). ‘On the genesis of male homosexuality: an attempt at clarifying the role of the parents.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 111, 815–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bieber, I., et al. (1962). Homosexuality: A Psychoanalytic Study. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Moran, and Abe, (1969). ‘Parental age of homosexuals.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 115, 313–9.Google Scholar
O'Connor, P. J. (1964). ‘Aetiological factors in homosexuality as seen in R.A.F. psychiatric practice.’ British Journal of Psychiatry, 110, 381–91.Google Scholar
Slater, E. (1962). ‘Birth order and maternal age of homosexuals.’ Lancet, i, 69–71.Google Scholar
West, D. J. (1955). Homosexuality. London: Duckworth.Google Scholar
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