Families with same-sex couples and their children: broadening research perspectives

Abstract

This Research Internship Abroad (BEPE) is part of a doctoral study aiming at learning about the experiences of same-sex families through reports in the own voices of gay and lesbian couples, and their children (12 participants in total). In-depth audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and are now being analysed qualitatively together with other data on the participants. The theme is relevant nowadays, when many voices insist to claim that only one family model is proper, legitimate and healthy, whereas other arrangements are viewed as marginal or erratic. In addition, there is no record of multidisciplinary centres in Brazil specialising in the new family forms. The Centre for Family Research (CFR) is a multidisciplinary institute of the University of Cambridge, UK, also dedicated to studies on the impact of new arrangements on parenting and child development, especially with lesbian-mother and gay-father families. The objectives in this project are: (1) to enable the insertion of the applicant into the CFR to learn new approaches and methodological designs in new family arrangement studies, particularly those with same-sex couples, and (2) to refine the doctoral research in Brazil. The applicant will stay at the CFR for six months to participate in meetings, seminars, courses and events, and will explore every opportunity to discuss the procedures and data related to the study in Brazil. The data collected during the participation and observations will be subjected to thematic analysis, and a scientific report will be produced. The internship will enhance and help to complete the work of the student in Brazil. Furthermore, the knowledge to be built is expected to inspire and improve research conducted in the Laboratory for Teaching and Research in Health Psychology (LEPPS/USP), as well as amplify the dissemination and applicability of research in the Brazilian scenario.