Participants Needed for a Study on the Experiences of Legally Married Same-Sex Couples in California

Hello, my name is Erin C. Falvey, and I am a student at San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University completing my doctorate in education. I am conducting a qualitative study which focuses upon the experiences of same-sex couples who are legally married in California. The results will be reported in a publication that I am completing as a requirement of my graduate program.

If you and your same-sex partner are legally married in California, I would like to invite you to be a research participant in this study. The purpose of this study is to construct a greater understanding of how legally married same-sex couples describe and navigate their experiences as a married couple. I will interview you and ask questions related to your experiences. This may include questions about your family, friends, and community. The interview should take approximately 1 to 1.5 hours to complete. Interviews will take place at my office located in Mission Valley. The address is 2835 Camino del Rio South, Suite 120-C, San Diego, CA 92108.

I will be videotaping the conversation as well as taking notes to ensure that I have accurately documented your story. In order to ensure the accuracy of my report, I will provide you with a draft for you to review and provide feedback or corrections to the content prior to its completion.

You will also be invited to participate in a follow-up focus group with other participants in the study. The follow-up focus group will be approximately 1.5 hours in duration and will take place a few weeks after the completion of your interview. The purpose of this meeting will be to share and discuss the themes which emerged from the interviews in order to get a more in depth understanding of your experiences. Participation in the follow-up focus group is not a mandatory component of your participation in the study and one or both of you may choose to participate in this portion of the study. I will also be videotaping the follow-up focus group conversation as well as taking notes to ensure that I have accurately documented the meeting.

The study will also include a brief demographic survey which will ask questions regarding your history and background. Space will also be provided for you to include any further demographic information that you would like to include about yourself. This survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.

Participants will not be paid for their participation in this study.

Your participation in this study is voluntary. If you decide to participate, your responses will be confidential- that is, recorded without any identifying information that is linked to you. Your confidentiality will be maintained to the extent allowed by law. I will use a pseudonym in my final report when referring to your responses.

Risks and Benefits to Your Participation:
Risks: It is possible that some areas of the interviews related to your personal experiences may generate some discomfort. If you begin to feel uncomfortable during your participation, you may discontinue participation either temporarily or permanently.

Benefits: A potential benefit of your participation in this research is that this study may further mental health professional’s understandings of the experiences and strengths of same-sex couples and enhance their ability to work with lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, couples, and families.

IF YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING,
PLEASE CONTACT:
Erin C. Falvey, MA MFT
Doctoral Candidate, SDSU & CGU Phone # (619) 261-4221
e-mail: erin@narrativetherapysd.com