Goddess help me, here goes another study...

[cyan_blue]

purplerabbit and I are planning a research study on the psychological functioning of children in poly families. There is a desperate need for such a study, because there is currently no empirical basis for the determination of custody cases in which any of the parents are poly, and too many such cases have been decided on the basis of judicial prejudice.

Tonight I finally started working on the lit review. There are links on the APA website to studies that have been done on the psychological functioning of children raised by lesbian and gay parents. I plan to read these studies to get a sense of which aspects of psychological functioning are most commonly measured; which aspects are most commonly examined by the courts when determining LGBT parenting rights; and which assessment instruments are used to measure these.

Then the goal is to choose a few of these assessment instruments (hopefully simple-to-score paper and pencil ones!), and recruit psychologists in various cities to administer them to children of poly families that volunteer to be participants in the study.

Eventually, when we've got our instruments chosen and our test admins in place, we'll send out a recruitment call for participants. We will likely exclude from the study any kids who are personally known to us, so that we do not run the risk of actual or apparent bias. We'll keep y'all updated as the work progresses!

I really am not all that fond of doing research, unlike my academic-to-the-gills girlfriend whose excitement somehow manages to spur even my own kludgy research motors into gear. But it needs to be done, and there are relatively few poly psychologist researchers out there, and I would appear to be one of them. I feel some responsibility to use the privilege and vocal power inherent in this PhD to better the world around me, and adding to the body of practical poly psych research is one of the best ways that I can think of to do it.

Our other planned project is a book on poly counseling. I've written 3 articles on the topic all ready, but those barely scratch the surface of helping other counselors to truly learn how to do this work. The research study on kids of poly families seems to be more imminently needed, though, so that's where we'll turn our attention first.

Comments

[jenn-girl.livejournal.com]

go you!

[catrinaz.livejournal.com]

Will this study only focus on kids who live in families with more than two adults within the household, or on children of polyfolks in general?

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Good question. We haven't yet decided... I think both will be included, with the constraint that at least one "3rd partner" needs to have been reasonably well known to the child for at least 6-12 months.

[logisticslad.livejournal.com]

I think that this is a fantastic thing for someone with your background and qualifications to do! I totally get the idealist mindset about research, balanced by the real world tedium of it all. I, too, often have a struggle with my want to be humble and the reality of just how much I know and how effective I am at communicating it in the world of science. Are you planning to write a grant to gain support for this work?

*PSA from another poly psych type person*

[abahjake.livejournal.com]

OH OH! ME ME! I wanna create some data for you! Please please with sugar on top!! When you've chosen your instruments, can I administer some in portland?? Can I, huh? I'll get Darklady to advertise for me in her poly group! *wishing this could be my thesis, instead of the interesting yet less scintillating study we're doing on physical crisis intervention in peds inpatient psych units...zzzz* Pick me, pick me!

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

*applauds* I think this is just great. Go you!

[2wanda.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a very interesting study, and as you say, much needed. I think the results from gay and lesbian studies are encouraging, and somewhat of an indicator that children are much more resilient and able to maneuver different family dynamics than is commonly assumed by (straight) adults. It would be interesting to also interview grown adults who lived in poly families when growing up. It wouldn't make this study truly longitudinal, but it would give some clues as to what the children will be like when they grow up. (I'm not poly, but my sister is, and through her I personally know of at least one person who grew up in a poly environment.) Then, if possible, a follow up can be done with the same children some years later, to see if there are any consistent trends.

This is a cool project. I commend you for taking it on. Research is sometimes tedious, but I find it fun.

[weirdodragoncat.livejournal.com]

Its too bad that our family will end up being excluded (due to both of you knowing our child) but I may be able to help in pointing you guys to a few people that you guys don't know.

I will be very interested to see how this project develops.

[frogpyjamas.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a wonderful and much needed research topic. Thank you.

[choiceful.livejournal.com]

Hi!

Frogpyjamas pointed me at your study, I'd be interested in participating when you're ready if you're looking for people ;) My husband and I have a five month old baby and aren't seeing other people currently, but our marital understanding is that we will go poly at some point.

I know this is premature, but....

[teal-cuttlefish.livejournal.com]

Married 14 years, 12 year old daughter, second spouse in her life since she was three, we've been living together for over two years.

[booklectica]

(Just passing)

This sounds interesting. I live with my two life partners and the three of us are bringing up our toddler, with help from our other partners. Do get in touch if you'd like to talk at all.

[buckyd.livejournal.com]

where are you going to apply for funding for these kinds of studies? are there foundations that you can apply to? Are you just going to absorb the cost yourselves for this pilot?

[beckerbuns.livejournal.com]

What a great couple of projects. I can see (even from outside of the poly community) that there is definitely a need for both!