I have a PhD in Social Psychology from Queen's University, I completed a post-doctoral fellowship with Dr. Lisa Diamond at the University of Utah, and I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology at St. Francis Xavier University, affectionately referred to as StFX. For the past 15 years, my research has been motivated by the goal of expanding academic research to be more inclusive of LGBTQ identities and experiences. I primarily study romantic relationships and how our relationships can influence our mental and physical well-being. When I first began my research in this area I noticed that the majority of existing literature was based on studies conducted exclusively with heterosexual couples. Even though it has been a decade and a half since I began my work in this area, the romantic relationships literature still predominantly excludes LGBTQ experiences. A recent review of the literature published between 2006 and 2012 found that 88.7% of studies about relationships focused exclusively on the experiences of those in heterosexual (mixed-sex) relationships. KLB Research works to increase our knowledge of LGBTQ experiences by:
1. Encouraging other researchers to adopt LGBTQ Inclusive Research Methods; and
3. Incorporating LGBTQ-inclusive research methods and research results into the teaching curricula of each of the courses I teach. My research on LGBTQ relationships and health has led me to studying some of the darker issues that influence the outcome of LGBTQ relationships and the existence of health disparities within this population. In the last few years, my research interests have expanded to include the study of sexual prejudice, Femmephobia, LGBTQ hate crimes, LGBTQ utilization and access to health care, and discriminatory reactions to LGBTQ displays of affection. These can often be challenging topics to study, as they bring us face to face with some of the worst that humanity has to offer, however, it is also important research. Consequently, we at KLB Research are steadfast in our resolve to document, understand, and ultimately prevent the experiences that contribute to suffering within the LGBTQ community.
