‘I was quite amazed’: Donor conception and parent-child relationships from the child's perspective

Blake, Lucy; Casey, Polly; Jadva, Vasanti; Golombok, Susan

Abstract

Donor conception and parent–child relationships were explored from the child's perspective. At ages 7 and 10, interview data were obtained from children in 31 donor insemination, 28 egg donation and 51 natural conception families. Children were also administered the MacArthur Story Stem Battery and a family map. Children in all family types reported close and affectionate relationships with their parents, irrespective of the lack of a genetic link between the parent and the child. Of those children who were aware of their donor conception at age 10, most demonstrated an understanding of, and had positive feelings about their donor conception.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 11, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Apr 11, 2013
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2021
• Journal: Children & Society
• Print ISSN: 0951-0605
• Electronic ISSN: 1099-0860
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 425-437
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12014
• Keywords: Education; Life-span and Life-course Studies; Health(social science)
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7522156