Summary
This work is both a gentle guide for harmonizing data and compendium of techniques to do this often-unseen work. Few sources exist that specifically articulate of what it means combine data or go beyond admonishments not to do this. Yet often in our real-world settings there are great needs for this work. Four data case studies are used to illustrate ways that data can be combined and considered in family science. These data case studies— including a HDFS student datasets and national data sets— and are used to demonstrate both the techniques and the longstanding links to developmental theory.

Summary
In a study that investigates the influence of positive family of origin experiences during childhood (satisfaction and support) on current romantic relationship satisfaction as mediated by attachment dimensions among emerging adults in the U.S. and China, I propose a different use of Bartholomew’s Relationship Questionnaire from most that include Adult Attachment as a single variable with four categories. Each of these categories is assessed separately for every respondent as four separate variables (Secure, Fearful, Preoccupied, Dismissing) in the analyses. The findings illustrate that different adult attachment dimensions have different influencing pathways, which could not be tested if the Relationship Questionnaire is not used in this novel way.

Summary
Research in the field of developmental disabilities largely overshadows the voices of adults with developmental disabilities by relying on families, caregivers, professionals and researchers to create their realities, further placing these adults on the margins of society. Storying coupled with intimate inquiry is a relationship-based, novel and innovative approach to research with historically marginalized populations. The current study employs this relationship-based approach to understand lived experiences among adults with developmental disabilities with purposes of shedding light on and giving voice to their stories. The current study identifies storying and intimate inquiry as valid methods for research among adults with developmental disabilities.