Lesbian Mother Study


(Data collection is now complete for this study!)

Research Study Opportunity!

Are you currently a lesbian identified woman who is co-parenting one or more children with another woman? We are currently looking for couples where both women would be willing to participate in a study on lesbian mothers. If only you or your partner wish to participate that is also acceptable but it would be most beneficial if you both would.

Here are the specific requirements:

1) You are in a lesbian relationship

2) You and your partner created your family after you had established your relationship

3) Your children are currently 18 years of age or younger

A few years ago, as lesbian mothers and researchers, my partner (Elizabeth O’Connor) and I set out to conduct a study on gay and lesbian headed families, and the response from the community was overwhelming! We were able to turn what we found into a number of publications that some of you may be familiar with. We are currently conducting a new study on two-parent lesbian-headed families, and we are asking you to help us learn more about families like ours.

Co-parenting a child can be a wonderful and challenging joint venture. Research indicates that lesbian couples share many of the same issues that heterosexual couples face in co-parenting. However, there may be unique issues that we face that heterosexual parents may not. We are exploring those issues in an attempt to better understand the unique challenges that lesbian mothers face as they raise their children.

Your participation will involve answering a series of questions, either through the mail or on a secure website. The questions should take you about one hour to complete, but you need not complete them all at once. You have the choice of requesting us to mail the questionnaires to you, or of directing you to a website where you may answer them online. All of your responses will be kept confidential.

This project is being conducted by Dr. Suzanne Johnson, principal investigator, at Dowling College and has been approved by Dowling College’s Institutional Review Board. If you are interested in helping us learn more about lesbian mothers and their families you may click on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=G2Sd8ml2rEN_2bSMZB9pULiQ_3d_3d or copy and paste it into your browser to complete the study on line or you may contact Dr. Suzanne Johnson by phone or mail to request a study packet that will be sent to you by mail. Dr. Suzanne Johnson can be reached at:

Dr. Suzanne M. Johnson

Department of Psychology

Dowling College

Oakdale, NY 11769

631-244-3061

johnsons@dowling.edu


Feel free to contact Dr. Tornello at slt35 at psu dot edu