Racial composition of the sample can be as employs: Straight participants incorporated 32 (80%) whites, six (15%) African People in the us (15%), one to Asian Western, plus one Latina; lgbt respondents included 19 (63%) whites, eight (27%) Hispanics, Latinos, otherwise Latinas, one to Dark colored, one to Local American/Latina, and one South Western. Domestic earnings ranged of $40,000 so you’re able to $120,000 that have normally $60,000. The typical relationships cycle to own upright couples are 17 years, 21 age to have gay people, and you may fourteen ages to your lesbian lovers. Which difference between dating period is actually consistent with almost every other search recommending one to lesbian dating is regarding shorter average duration than simply gay and straight dating (Andersson et al., 2006).

Data

Interviews was assessed and you may coded having fun with NVivo software and you will qualitative tips created by Charmaz (2006). Charmaz’s methods create on good grounded idea method of high light the brand new design of codes for the intended purpose of developing logical and you will theoretic translation of data. Qualitative coding enables new emergence of kinds and you will subcategories in order to are from several indication regarding transcripts, in the place of predetermined groups. I used inductive reasoning to guide the study, distinguishing patterns and you can conceptual groups while they emerged regarding readings away from the newest transcripts. We conducted range-by-line categorization to help you outline every piece of data. Next, we utilized “focused” coding, to develop classes of the hooking up initially line-by-range rules to one another to possess abstract intentions and you can developing templates to partners’ affect that another’s fitness choices. On final stage out of data, we looked at the way the categories and you may subcategories connected with one another to the a conceptual top.

Findings

I analyzed interview which have gay, lesbian, and you may straight participants to know the way folk determine fitness decisions work. Participants revealed several general kinds of fitness conclusion work with their dating. Earliest, more gay, lesbian, and you will straight participants emphasized exactly how you to definitely partner throughout the dating performed fitness work around a specific wellness conclusion-an energetic i consider once the “authoritative fitness behavior really works.” Next, a lot of gay and lesbian participants plus discussed a dynamic in which both partners did health operate in mutually strengthening ways-a process i refer to once the “collaborative wellness conclusion functions.” More lgbt participants discussed fictional character off each other collaborative and certified fitness decisions really works; few upright participants explained cooperative functions. Respondents then identified as to why it experienced wellness decisions works took place within dating. I speak about this type of factors in detail below.

Official Wellness Decisions Work

Participants explained a specialized health behavior works active in which one to lover performed try to enhance their partner’s fitness conclusion regarding the direction off a love. Findings showed that one mate in 80 percent out-of gay people (12 out-of fifteen), 73 percent of lesbian people (11 away from 15), and 85 percent of straight marriages (17 out of 20) refers to or is described by the the companion once the carrying out specialized really works. Lovers were inside high agreement off whom did formal wellness conclusion works and just why, and you will implemented two discourses of differences to explain as to the reasons you to mate does official fitness choices functions. Participants highlighted this companion have naturally substandard behavior-requiring wellness decisions work-or this one spouse is an excellent “wellness professional,” carrying significantly more systems to do such performs.

Unhealthy Decisions

Into the discussing as to why you to definitely spouse performed authoritative fitness behavior work if you are the other didn’t, folk for the gay, lesbian, and straight dating presented you to definitely mate given that with naturally substandard behavior looking for input. Nearly 50 % of the newest participants which revealed certified fitness conclusion work put so it figure. Inside upright people, guys was generally speaking framed since the with unhealthy behavior trying to find wellness functions. Maria illustrated it trend: