Imagining and Enacting Birth Family Contact Over Time

Abstract

This chapter draws from interview data at multiple phases of the family life cycle (preadoption, 3 months postadoption, 5 years postadoption, and 8 years postadoption) to describe the diverse patterns of adoptive–birth family relationships that unfolded, from the perspective of parents who pursued private domestic adoptions. The chapter addresses the intersecting dimensions of structural and communicative openness, with attention to how they change over time. It outlines a typology of contact dynamics over time, such that couples were classified as embodying one of these patterns: (a) low enthusiasm for openness maintained, little contact; (b) increasing enthusiasm for openness, some contact; (c) increasing enthusiasm for openness, little contact; (d) high enthusiasm for openness maintained, some contact; (e) high enthusiasm for openness maintained, no contact; (f) decreasing enthusiasm for openness amid boundary challenges, contact terminated or reduced; and (g) enthusiasm for openness maintained amid boundary challenges, contact maintained.