Adolescent Development and the Parent–Adolescent Relationship in Diverse Family Forms Created by Assisted Reproduction

Maria Quintigliano, Nicola Carone (), Anna Maria Speranza, Annalisa Tanzilli, Roberto Baiocco, Lavinia Barone, Concetta Pastorelli and Vittorio Lingiardi
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Maria Quintigliano: Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
Nicola Carone: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 11, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Anna Maria Speranza: Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
Annalisa Tanzilli: Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
Roberto Baiocco: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Lavinia Barone: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 11, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Concetta Pastorelli: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Vittorio Lingiardi: Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: Assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) are employed by single individuals and couples who are not otherwise able to conceive spontaneously. While the use of ARTs is increasing, research is lacking on the attempts made by adolescent offspring conceived via ARTs to integrate their ART conception into their identity and negotiate a connection with, and autonomy from, their parents. The present article reviews studies investigating adolescent development and the parent–adolescent relationship in diverse family forms created by ARTs (mainly heterosexual and lesbian parent families), and discusses the results in light of attachment, identity development, and emotional distance regulation theories. Overall, the results indicate that the psychological adjustment of adolescents conceived via ARTs is not undermined by the manner of their conception, and that they enjoy positive relationships with their parents with no difference from those enjoyed by spontaneously conceived adolescents. However, it remains unknown whether the development of a reproductive identity in adolescence is likely to influence adolescents’ interest in searching for or contacting their donors, surrogates, and/or donor siblings. The results suggest the relevance of considering the parent–adolescent relationship, disclosure, and identity formation issues when planning psychological counseling and support interventions with ART parents and their adolescent offspring, and emphasize the need to further investigate these aspects in diverse ART families, including single-, gay-, bisexual-, and trans*-parent families.

Keywords: assisted reproduction; parent–child relationship; adolescent development; lesbian mothers; gay fathers; single parents; identity formation; heterosexual parents; attachment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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