Understanding decision-making processes of prospective adoptive parents: A mixed-methods study

IF 1.7 3区社会学 Q2 FAMILY STUDIES

Family Relations Pub Date : 2024-08-07 DOI:10.1111/fare.13076

Bethany Willis, Katie Hrapczynski, Cheryl Fortner

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

This study explores prospective adoptive parents' conceptions by testing hypotheses based on a decision-making model proposed by Willis Hepp and colleagues grounded in symbolic interaction.

Background

Multiple factors inform decisions to adopt. However, little is known about the decision-making process as prospective adoptive parents consider this option.

Method

Seventeen prospective adoptive parents were recruited using purposive sampling. An advanced concurrent mixed-methods design was used to integrate findings from semistructured interviews and a survey using the FACES IV to generate more complete conclusions regarding the model.

Results

Ten themes emerged related to prospective parents' conceptions of self and generalized others, including internalization of adoption as part of one's self, referencing families of origin in family formation thinking, and personal histories informing future visions. Pronatal, biological social pressures echo in families of origin that, combined with religious and other social experiences, impact decision-making. Family cohesion, flexibility, and communication vary based on where they fall along a spectrum of decision-making.

Conclusion

Conceptions of self and others inform decision-making, where some choose, and others wait or opt out of, adoptive parenthood.

Implications

It behooves practitioners to differentiate supports for individuals thinking about transition to adoptive parenthood based on their conceptions of self and generalized others.

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了解未来收养父母的决策过程：混合方法研究

目的本研究通过检验基于 Willis Hepp 及其同事提出的以符号互动为基础的决策模型的假设，探讨未来收养父母的观念。背景领养决定是由多种因素促成的。然而，人们对准收养父母在考虑这一选择时的决策过程知之甚少。方法采用目的性抽样法招募了 17 位准收养父母。我们采用了先进的并行混合方法设计，将半结构式访谈和使用 FACES IV 进行的调查的结果整合在一起，以得出更完整的模型结论。结果发现了十个与未来父母对自我和他人的概念有关的主题，包括将收养内化为自我的一部分、在组建家庭时参考原生家庭以及个人历史对未来的影响。原生家庭中的产前、生理社会压力与宗教和其他社会经验相结合，对决策产生影响。家庭的凝聚力、灵活性和沟通因其在决策过程中所处的位置而有所不同。结论对自我和他人的认识会影响决策，在决策过程中，有些人选择收养子女，有些人则等待或选择放弃。启示实践者应根据个人对自我和他人的认知，为考虑过渡到收养父母身份的个人提供不同的支持。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Family Relations Multiple-

CiteScore

3.40

自引率

13.60%

发文量

164

期刊介绍： A premier, applied journal of family studies, Family Relations is mandatory reading for family scholars and all professionals who work with families, including: family practitioners, educators, marriage and family therapists, researchers, and social policy specialists. The journal"s content emphasizes family research with implications for intervention, education, and public policy, always publishing original, innovative and interdisciplinary works with specific recommendations for practice.