The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) have issued a warning about potential “detrimental psychological and emotional impact” the debate surrounding the marriage equality may have on children, adults and families.

Dr Paul D’Alton, President of the Psychological Society of Ireland, the professional body for psychology in Ireland which represents over 2,000 Irish psychologists, expressed serious concern for people’s well-being arising from what the PSI believes is the inappropriate use of psychological research that is contrary to the agreed positions of many professional bodies worldwide.

The PSI also claims some of the academic material circulating in the marriage equality debate is “outdated and contrary to the position of professional psychological bodies.”

In a press release issued today, the PSI staunchly distances itself from what it calls “the inappropriate use” of psychological research in the materials distributed by The Alliance for the Defence of the Family and Marriage (ADFAM).

“As the professional body for Psychology in Ireland, the Society expressed concern about psychological research cited by ADFAM in their promotional literature,” Dr D’Alton said in the press release.

“Information in the ADFAM’s leaflet is outdated and contrary to the position of professional psychological bodies such as the world’s largest representative body of psychologists, The American Psychological Association (APA).

“In 2012, the APA said: “On the basis of a remarkably consistent body of research on lesbian and gay parents and their children, the APA and other health professional and scientific organisations have concluded that there is no scientific evidence that parenting effectiveness is related to parental sexual orientation. That is, lesbian and gay parents are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide supportive and healthy environments for their children.”

“Empirical studies have failed to find reliable differences between the children of same-sex and heterosexual couples with regard to their gender identity, gender role behaviour, sexual orientation, mental health, or psychological and social adjustment”, Dr D’Alton said, drawing attention to the PSI’s own guidelines.

“Debate and conversation are absolutely essential, but psychological research must be accurately represented. The conclusions reached by representative bodies such as the APA and the PSI should be the primary reference point when discussing the psychological evidence during the Marriage Equality debate.”

Dr D’Alton cautioned against using psychological research in relation to vulnerable or minority groups in society. “Historically, psychological research has been used to justify the unjust treatment of minorities, and the PSI is committed to ensuring that psychological research is not used, inadvertently or otherwise, to repeat such injustices.”

The Psychological Society of has called for those engaged in the ongoing public debate to do so with “respect for the psychological and emotional impact on young people and families at the heart of the issue”.