Heidi M Levitt
Biographic Data
| ID | 1247485 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Heidi M Levitt |
| GIVEN NAMES | Heidi M |
| FAMILY NAME | Levitt |
| SIGNATURE | LEVITT H M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Massachusetts Boston |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9447-1484 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 70 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 506 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 70 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 12 |
A reflection on open science badges
This editorial considers the current practice of assigning badges for articles in journals that adhere to the values of open science, irrespective of their methods or epistemological perspectives. Although many virtues of open science exist, I question practices of open science that may support some epistemological approaches to science while devaluing or compromising others. Specifically, I am concerned that unreflective practices marginalize th…
A consideration of the ethics and methodological integrity of generative artificial intelligence in qualitative research
Shifts in LGBTQ+ people’s understandings of troubling heterosexist experiences
Understanding the attack on science as a discrediting of minoritized lived experiences
Attending to investigator reflexivity and epistemic privilege
I Feel like This Contributed to my Ongoing Pattern of Hiding from my Sexuality Throughout my Later Life”
Critical-constructivist grounded theory research
The Head vs the Heart
Bi+ men have disproportionately high rates of mental health, physical health and substance use concerns. According to minority stress theory, societal stigma adversely impacts health outcomes for LGBTQ+ individuals. This study focused on improving health outcomes for bi+ men, a group that has received little focus in the literature outside of focusing on sexual health. The current intervention aimed to help bi+ men process through previous biphob…
A consideration of the influence of researchers’ lived experiences
Guidance for publishing in Qualitative Psychology
A reflection on qualitative methods activism
On the need to reconcile cultural and professional power in psychotherapy
A retrospective study of sexual minority women’s gendered sexuality
This study is a retrospective examination of how sexual minority women have experienced their sexuality. The analysis examined a national archival dataset that was collected online in the US and Canada to examine the relationship between gender and sexuality in 1084 sexual minority women in 2003, with a focus on butch and femme identities. It provided an understanding of how gender and sexuality interacted at the turn of the last century when the…
A Retrospective Study of Sexual Minority Women’s Gendered Sexuality
This study is a retrospective examination of how sexual minority women have experienced their sexuality. The analysis examined a national archival dataset that was collected online in the US and Canada to examine the relationship between gender and sexuality in 1084 sexual minority women in 2003, with a focus on butch and femme identities. It provided an understanding of how gender and sexuality interacted at the turn of the last century when the…
Being Not Binary
The damaging legacy of damage‐centered LGBTIQ+ research
Research on LGBTIQ+ populations has focused primarily on identifying problems in the community (e.g., health disparities) and their predictors (e.g., minority stressors, discrimination). Scholars have argued that the approach of highlighting “damage” or deficits has been helpful for advocacy but has also harmed this community by perpetuating stereotypes (e.g., LGBTIQ+ individuals are unhealthy), ignoring or devaluing positive LGBTIQ+ experiences,…
Toward a Meta-Psychological Methodology
In this brief article, I consider two concepts that Maslow advances in Toward a Humanistic Biology that relate to the role of scientific observation in psychological research and were forward-thinking at his writing. These are the importance of the humanistic concept of experiencing as a way of developing understanding, and the recognition of the impact of the perceptive capacities of observers. I consider these concepts in light of advances in c…
Broadening the evidentiary basis for clinical practice guidelines
To improve the provision of psychotherapy, many countries have now established clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of specific disorders and mental health concerns. These guidelines have typically been based on evidence from meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials with minimal consideration of findings from qualitative research designs. This said, there has been growing interest in incorporating qualitative research in guideline de…
A decade of Qualitative Psychology
Intersubjective recognition as the methodological enactment of epistemic privilege
Introduction to the special section
Qualitative generalization, not to the population but to the phenomenon
Healing from heterosexism
Background: Expressive writing exercises are associated with psychological benefits for LGBTQ + adults processing sexual minority stressors, but the processes through which this occurs remain unclear.Methods: A discovery-oriented task analysis was conducted on emotion-focused expressive writing responses about troubling heterosexist experiences. Eighteen cases were analyzed in total.Results: The analyses produced a four-stage model that describes…
Heterosexism and the self
Healing from heterosexist experiences
Being Transgender
This article is based on a grounded theory analysis of interviews with transgender-identified people from different regions of the United States. Participants held a variety of gender identities under the transgender rubric (e.g., crossdresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian). Interviews explored the participants' experiences in arriving at their gender identity. This article presents three clusters of findings related to the common processe…
The Misunderstood Gender
Being Transgender
In this interview-based study, we investigated the common social experiences and minority stressors related to being transgender. It is one of two articles that resulted from a grounded theory analysis of interviews with 17 participants who claimed a variety of transgender identities (e.g., cross-dresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian) and were from different regions in the United States. The interview was centered on how participants’ iden…
Understanding the Bear Movement in Gay Male Culture
The bear movement emerged in the gay male culture of the 1980s, but little research on this group has been conducted. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the meanings and functions of bear identity. Six bear-identified men participated in intensive interviews investigating this question. Results suggest that men who identify as bears consciously adopt a masculine aesthetic that signifies values of self-acceptance and maturity. Th…
Layers of Leather
Leathermen form a gay male subculture that eroticizes leather dress and symbols. This investigation examined the relationship of participants' leather identity to their gender and sexual identities. In addition, the participants described their process of leather identity development, and its meanings and purposes. Six self-identified leathermen participated in semi-structured interviews that were subjected to a grounded-theory analysis. The anal…
A Quest for Authenticity
A Psychosocial Genealogy of LGBTQ+ Gender
In this invited article, I present an inclusive theory of gender that clarifies its interconnections with gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality. To support this functionalist theory, I summarize findings from an extensive body of mixed methods research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other (LGBTQ+) genders in the United States. I use a feminist-intersectional lens to empirically base and historically situate a theor…
Butch Identity Development
The present article explores the gender identity development of butch lesbian women, as conveyed in semi-structured interviews. A grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) analysis of the women’s developmental experiences was performed. From these results, a model was formed that illustrated the process of their gender identity development, in interaction with the development of their sexual orientation. Butch gender identity development is posi…
Internalized heterosexism and psychological distress
Explorations of Lesbian-Queer Genders
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of gender expression on queer women's experiences of identity, social interaction and discrimination. This article presents the results of a questionnaire, completed by 149 queer women involved in a southeastern U.S. women's community in which interactions and norms are strongly influenced by butch-femme gendering. Questionnaires ascertained participants' age of first awareness of their queer…
Putting on Sunday Best
This paper presents findings related to the silencing of battered women within Christian faith communities in Memphis, Tennessee, a large metropolitan area in the Mid-South region of the United States. Participants in this qualitative inquiry were 10 Christian identified women from diverse denominations and racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who had experienced intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed according to grounded theory me…
Sexual Minority Women's Gender Identity and Expression
Sexual minority women were divided into four groups to study their gender identities (butch and femme), and gender expression (traditionally gendered and non-traditionally gendered women who do not identify as butch or femme). Experiences of heterosexist events (discrimination, harassment, threats of violence, victimization, negative emotions associated with these events), mental health (self esteem, stress, depression), and supports for a sexual…
Resilience in the face of sexual minority stress
This qualitative study explored the experience of sexual minority stressors and corresponding resilience. Using a grounded theory approach, the core category identified in the analysis was minority stress results from systemic factors that cause lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people to face competition between their desires for authenticity and self-determination. These findings shed light upon the insidious nature of minority stress, especiall…
Male Perpetrators’ Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence, Religion, and Masculinity
Anything With Two Heads Is a Monster”
Religious leaders from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths were interviewed about their understanding of the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and religion. The present article explores the leaders' understanding of how relationship dynamics relate to IPV, focusing particularly on concepts of equality and submission. On the whole, the leaders were concerned that religious prescriptions of disproportionate power, such as the teachi…
Drag Gender
Differences Across Contexts
Minority stressors encountered by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) women are inherently connected to contextual experiences. Although there is a growing body of research on the benefits of gaining political rights and the costs of their denial, little research has focused on the effects of access to LGB-affirmative resources. In the current study with 1,017 women in same-sex relationships, we created profiles using latent class analysis to charac…
Ligious Leaders' Perspectives on Marriage, Divorce, and Intimate Partner Violence
Religious leaders from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths were interviewed about their understanding of the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and religion, and a grounded-theory analysis was conducted. The present manuscript explored the leaders' beliefs about the partners' responsibility for IPV and the role of divorce. Although religious leaders tended to place greater responsibility for abuse on the perpetrator, most also thou…
The damaging legacy of damage‐centered LGBTIQ+ research
Research on LGBTIQ+ populations has focused primarily on identifying problems in the community (e.g., health disparities) and their predictors (e.g., minority stressors, discrimination). Scholars have argued that the approach of highlighting “damage” or deficits has been helpful for advocacy but has also harmed this community by perpetuating stereotypes (e.g., LGBTIQ+ individuals are unhealthy), ignoring or devaluing positive LGBTIQ+ experiences,…
How discrimination in adoptive, foster, and medical systems harms LGBTQ+ families
LGBTQ+ people face multiple challenges to parenthood because of barriers such as discriminatory legislation and policies influencing foster parenting, adoption, and reproductive health services. This study documents these obstacles and examines their impact through a grounded theory analysis of interviews of LGBTQ+ prospective parents. Stressors included social isolation, unnecessary medicalization, prohibitive financial costs related to accessin…
Applications of a Functionalist Theory of Gender
The Development of Wisdom
This article presents a qualitative study that examined the development of wisdom in a Tibetan Buddhist culture. A grounded theory methodology was used to analyze interviews of 13 monks from a monastery in the Himalayan region of India. These interviews focused on five areas: definitions of wisdom, facilitative conditions for the development of wisdom, the teaching process, methods of developing wisdom, and personal experiences. Translators were …
A qualitative meta-analysis examining clients' experiences of psychotherapy
This article argues that psychotherapy practitioners and researchers should be informed by the substantive body of qualitative evidence that has been gathered to represent clients' own experiences of therapy. The current meta-analysis examined qualitative research studies analyzing clients' experiences within adult individual psychotherapy that appeared in English-language journals. This omnibus review integrates research from across psychotherap…
African American Gay Family Networks
Gay families are constructed support networks that gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals of color form, often in response to societal marginalization and rejection from biological families. Research on these family structures has been scarce, with little focus on the experience of African American gay family networks in the South. The current grounded theory qualitative study focused on the experiences of 10 African American male and transge…
Out in the Country
Rural and urban sexual minority mothers' parenting experiences related to sexual orientation were compared. Participants were 414 mothers in same-sex relationships with at least one child under the age of 18 years living in their home who was planned with their current partner. Rural mothers were more likely to be biological parents and not adoptive parents. Rural mothers reported higher rates of discrimination from strangers and people in servic…
The Development of Wisdom
This article presents a qualitative study that examined the development of wisdom in a Tibetan Buddhist culture. A grounded theory methodology was used to analyze interviews of 13 monks from a monastery in the Himalayan region of India. These interviews focused on five areas: definitions of wisdom, facilitative conditions for the development of wisdom, the teaching process, methods of developing wisdom, and personal experiences. Translators were …
Explorations of Lesbian-Queer Genders
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of gender expression on queer women's experiences of identity, social interaction and discrimination. This article presents the results of a questionnaire, completed by 149 queer women involved in a southeastern U.S. women's community in which interactions and norms are strongly influenced by butch-femme gendering. Questionnaires ascertained participants' age of first awareness of their queer…
The Misunderstood Gender
Responding to Mixed Messages and Double Binds
This paper explored the impact of religion on Christian women's experiences of male perpetrated domestic violence. A review of the extant research relative to this issue revealed that little is known about the relationship between religion and experiences of domestic violence. Participants in the Memphis, Tennessee area were asked to describe the relationship between their religion or faith and their experiences of domestic violence. Interviews w…
A Quest for Authenticity
An Evaluation of Outcome Measures Used in Humanistic Psychotherapy Research
The establishment of treatment orientations' efficacy has gained increasing importance. However, humanistic psychotherapists may be at a disadvantage in this endeavor. This research examined the outcome measures that have been most commonly used in the evaluation of humanistic psychotherapies. First, a theme analysis was conducted to generate a list of constructs that reflect humanistic psychotherapy progress. Subsequently, 148 nonredundant items…
Butch Identity Development
The present article explores the gender identity development of butch lesbian women, as conveyed in semi-structured interviews. A grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) analysis of the women’s developmental experiences was performed. From these results, a model was formed that illustrated the process of their gender identity development, in interaction with the development of their sexual orientation. Butch gender identity development is posi…
Feminism Across Borders
Anything With Two Heads Is a Monster”
Religious leaders from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths were interviewed about their understanding of the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and religion. The present article explores the leaders' understanding of how relationship dynamics relate to IPV, focusing particularly on concepts of equality and submission. On the whole, the leaders were concerned that religious prescriptions of disproportionate power, such as the teachi…
Ligious Leaders' Perspectives on Marriage, Divorce, and Intimate Partner Violence
Religious leaders from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths were interviewed about their understanding of the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and religion, and a grounded-theory analysis was conducted. The present manuscript explored the leaders' beliefs about the partners' responsibility for IPV and the role of divorce. Although religious leaders tended to place greater responsibility for abuse on the perpetrator, most also thou…
How I Ended Up in a Happy Relationship
Women (under the age of 40 years) in fulfilling heterosexual relationships are interviewed about their commitment process. A grounded theory analysis is conducted to develop a model of these successful commitment processes. Findings describe the qualities women attribute to their partners, external factors in their relationship formation, and processes of developing desire, making commitment decisions, resolving hesitations about commitment, and …
Layers of Leather
Leathermen form a gay male subculture that eroticizes leather dress and symbols. This investigation examined the relationship of participants' leather identity to their gender and sexual identities. In addition, the participants described their process of leather identity development, and its meanings and purposes. Six self-identified leathermen participated in semi-structured interviews that were subjected to a grounded-theory analysis. The anal…
Understanding the Bear Movement in Gay Male Culture
The bear movement emerged in the gay male culture of the 1980s, but little research on this group has been conducted. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the meanings and functions of bear identity. Six bear-identified men participated in intensive interviews investigating this question. Results suggest that men who identify as bears consciously adopt a masculine aesthetic that signifies values of self-acceptance and maturity. Th…
Male Perpetrators’ Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence, Religion, and Masculinity
The process of personal change through reading fictional narratives
This qualitative study provides an understanding of how and when individuals experience transformational change as a consequence of reading narratives. Six participants who attributed significant personal changes to reading were recruited and interviewed. The investigators used grounded theory method to analyze these interviews and identify processes through which change unfolded. The core category of the analysis was identification with characte…
Leaving the herd
Challenges Facing the Developing Feminist Psychotherapist in Training
Graduate student therapists who self-identified as feminist were asked about challenges they experienced in their training. Therapist responses were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis, represented in content clusters, to provide a rich description of therapists' training experiences. Findings highlight the ways therapists contend with challenges in therapy as influenced largely by their own beliefs about gender. Therapist distress in d…
Putting on Sunday Best
This paper presents findings related to the silencing of battered women within Christian faith communities in Memphis, Tennessee, a large metropolitan area in the Mid-South region of the United States. Participants in this qualitative inquiry were 10 Christian identified women from diverse denominations and racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who had experienced intimate partner violence. Data were analyzed according to grounded theory me…
The resolution of anger in psychotherapy
Anger often is conceptualized as a disruptive emotional force, but it may be seen as an adaptive internal signal that cues self-protective action. In this study, an adaptation of task analysis was used to develop a model of how anger is resolved in psychotherapy. Episodes with markers of client anger (N = 10) were identified in audio-taped psychotherapy sessions by using clients' feedback. From this analysis, two distinct types of processes leadi…
Out in the Country
Rural and urban sexual minority mothers' parenting experiences related to sexual orientation were compared. Participants were 414 mothers in same-sex relationships with at least one child under the age of 18 years living in their home who was planned with their current partner. Rural mothers were more likely to be biological parents and not adoptive parents. Rural mothers reported higher rates of discrimination from strangers and people in servic…
Sexual Minority Women's Gender Identity and Expression
Sexual minority women were divided into four groups to study their gender identities (butch and femme), and gender expression (traditionally gendered and non-traditionally gendered women who do not identify as butch or femme). Experiences of heterosexist events (discrimination, harassment, threats of violence, victimization, negative emotions associated with these events), mental health (self esteem, stress, depression), and supports for a sexual…
Teaching Qualitative Methods Using a Research Team Approach
This article is a guide for developing a qualitative methods course in psychology that organizes students into a research team conducting a joint project toward the goal of publishing a paper in an academic journal. This class structure allows for students to consider qualitative methods and epistemologies through a process of engaged learning. Tips on creating a research team environment, planning a survey component of the course, guiding studen…
Being Transgender
In this interview-based study, we investigated the common social experiences and minority stressors related to being transgender. It is one of two articles that resulted from a grounded theory analysis of interviews with 17 participants who claimed a variety of transgender identities (e.g., cross-dresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian) and were from different regions in the United States. The interview was centered on how participants’ iden…
African American Gay Family Networks
Gay families are constructed support networks that gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals of color form, often in response to societal marginalization and rejection from biological families. Research on these family structures has been scarce, with little focus on the experience of African American gay family networks in the South. The current grounded theory qualitative study focused on the experiences of 10 African American male and transge…
Being Transgender
This article is based on a grounded theory analysis of interviews with transgender-identified people from different regions of the United States. Participants held a variety of gender identities under the transgender rubric (e.g., crossdresser, transman, transwoman, butch lesbian). Interviews explored the participants' experiences in arriving at their gender identity. This article presents three clusters of findings related to the common processe…
Psychology (61 works) · Sociology (48 works) · Social Psychology (35 works) · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy (33 works) · Social Psychology (33 works) · Qualitative research (27 works) · Gender Studies (26 works) · Gender Studies (25 works) · Developmental psychology (18 works) · Lesbian (16 works)