I’m an academic researcher.

My research program explores how dominant sociocultural narratives impact pregnancy and family-building desires, decisions, and experiences—primarily abortion.

Grounded in counseling psychology values of social justice and holistic wellness, my work aims to identify and interrupt systems of oppression and their psychosocial impact in the context of pregnancy and family-building, including racism, heterosexism, cissexism, classism, and ableism, as well as abortion stigma and the novel concept of reproductive objectification (Dyer et al., 2023).

While pregnancy and family-building are nearly universal aspects of the human experience—whether pursued or avoided—few psychologists center this topic in their work making my research not only novel and necessary, but timely, particularly following the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Read my work at my ResearchGate profile (AKA Facebook for academic researchers) or contact me below to request copies of my publications.

Select Publications

*Denotes a mentee

10. Abbott, D., Berkey, B., Boyles, J., Burnes, T., Dyer, R. L., Hargons, C., Kim, V., Mollen, D., & Sprott, R. (authorship order not yet determined). APA Professional Practice Guidelines, Professional Practice Guidelines on Sex and Reproduction, Divisions 17, 35, and 44 (In preparation).

9. Dyer, R. L. (2024). Emotions after abortion. In J. Bindeman (Ed.). The Handbook of Abortion Care for Mental Health Professionals. Springer Nature.

8.      *Xie, Q., Dyer, R. L., Lam, S., Dahl, C. J., Quanbeck, A., Nahum-Shani, I., Davidson, R. J., & Goldberg, S. B. (in press). Understanding the implementation of informal meditation practice in a smartphone-based intervention: A qualitative analysis. Mindfulness.

7.      Pelc, N., Dyer, R. L., & Whitmore, C. (2023). Conclusion to Anti-Racist Feminist Practice, Advocacy, and Activism Special Issue. Women and Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2023.2286079

6.      Lands, M., Dyer, R. L., & Seymour, J. (in press). Sampling strategies among studies of barriers to abortion in the United States: A scoping review of abortion access research. Contraception. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2023.110342

5.      Dyer, R. L., Checkalaski, O. R., & Gervais, S. J. (2023). Abortion as a humanizing act: The application of benevolent sexism and objectification to women-centered anti-abortion rhetoric. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 47(4), 528-546. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684323117367

4.      Greene, M. Z., Gillespie, K., & Dyer, R. L. (2023). Contextual and policy influences on the implementation of prenatal care coordination. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/15271544231159655

3.      Dyer, R. L. & Greene, M. Z. (2022). Identity and pregnancy in conflict?: A qualitative descriptive analysis of sexual minority women. Culture, Health & Sexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2022.2139413

2.      Romell, E., Mansbach, D., Dyer, R. L., & Von Hagel, A. (2021). Expert participation in 25 years of Wisconsin abortion policymaking. Contraception. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2021.11.005

1.      Flynn, A. W. P., Domínguez Jr., S., Jordan, R. A. S., Dyer, R. L., & Young, E. I. (2021). When the political is professional: Civil disobedience in psychology. American Psychologist, 76(8), 12117-1231. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000867

Select Presentations

*Denotes a mentee

10.      Dyer, R. L. & Checkalski, O. (2024). The Charmed Circle of Abortions: An Organizing Framework of the “Preferred” Abortion Hierarchy. Structured Discussion accepted to the 2024 Association for Women in Psychology Conference, Virtual

9.      Klann, E. & Dyer, R. L. (2023). A vignette study of racialized reproductive attitudes. Poster presented at the 2023 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Washington DC.

8.      *Klessig, C., Dyer, R. L., *Teasdale, T., *Weber, I. J., & Budge, S. L. (2022). “In most cases, abortion is understandable”: A qualitative investigation of psychotherapists’ abortion attitudes. Poster presented at 2022 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Minneapolis, MN.

7.      *Teasdale, T., Dyer, R. L., *Weber, I. J., *Klessig, C., & Budge, S. L. (2022). Exploring the impact of benevolent sexism on mental health clinicians’ abortion attitudes. Poster presented at 2022 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Minneapolis, MN.

6.      *Weber, I. J., Dyer, R. L., *Klessig, C., *Teasdale, T., & Budge, S. L. (2022). Mental health clinicians’ attitudes about classism and client pregnancy decisions. Poster presented at 2022 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Minneapolis, MN.

5.      Dyer, R. L. & Kelly, D. A. (March 2022). White feminists unlearning racism. 4-hour pre-conference workshop presented at the 2022 Association for Women in Psychology Conference, Chicago, IL.

4.      Dyer, R. L. & Budge S. L. (August 2021). Psychotherapist attitudes about client pregnancy decision-making: Developing a scale. Poster presented at the 2021 American Psychological Association Convention, Virtual.

3.      Klann, E. M. & Dyer, R. L. (March 2021). Pregnancy decision-making for women with mental health conditions: A mixed methods approach. Poster presented at the 2021 Association for Women in Psychology Conference, Virtual.

2. Greene, M., Gillespie, K., & Dyer, R. L. (January 2021). Structure and flexibility in nurse-delivered prenatal care coordination. Poster accepted to the 2021 Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, Orlando, Florida.

1. Dyer, R. L. & Carpenter, E. (March 2020). Queer pregnancy and mental health: A qualitative exploration. Poster presented at the 2020 Association for Women in Psychology, Austin, Texas.

Work with Me

Pregnancy & Psychology Research (PAPR) Lab

Located at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI (COMING SOON)

Stay tuned for our forthcoming, co-created Mission Statement, current research, publications/presentations, lab members, etc.

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Mentoring

My priority is mentoring students at Lawrence University, but I would be excited to discuss welcoming others into the PAPR Lab.

Are you interested in research? The intersection of pregnancy and family-building with mental health? Building connections with like-minded colleagues who share your interests?

Please contact me to express your interest! Include the following information in your email:

  • Why are you interested in working with me or on the topics of pregnancy, family-building, and mental health.

  • Any prior experience in research or with the topics of pregnancy, family-building, and mental health.

  • Your university affiliation, if you have one (community members and non-students are welcome! Work may be done remotely depending on the nature of the project.).

  • What you are looking for in a mentored research experience (or other collaboration).

Click here to learn more about my approach to mentorship.

If you are seeking other forms of mentorship, consultation, or training (e.g., how to apply to graduate school, how to support people after abortion), please review other parts of my website (e.g., Training) or contact me below, being clear about your request.