Rachel H. Farr

Farr's research focuses on diverse family systems and issues of adoption through the lenses of Developmental and Community Psychology; with particular interest in child development; parenting; and family functioning. Farr primarily studies adoptive families and families headed by lesbian; gay; bisexual; transgender; and queer (LGBTQ+) parents. She also has interest in how issues of race (e.g.; transracial adoption); gender; and birth family contact are relevant in adoptive families. As a William T. Grant Foundation Scholar (Class of 2023); Farr is currently examining the lived experiences of racially and socioeconomically diverse adolescents with LGBTQ+ parents; particularly as related to identity; discrimination; coping; peer and family relationships; and community supports. Overarching themes in Farr's writings include how empirical research on LGBTQ+ parent families and on adoption may be informative to public policy; practice; and law; especially given that her research has been; influential in media circles; public debates; and legal and policy domains. Farr serves on her local county school's LGBTQ+ advisory committee; as well as in multiple leadership roles in her department and university; especially as related to diversity and inclusion efforts.