Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-03-27DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2021.1908473
Kate Siverns, G. Morgan
{"title":"‘If Only I Could Have Said, If Only Somebody Was Listening’: Mothers’ Experiences of Placing Their Child into Care","authors":"Kate Siverns, G. Morgan","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2021.1908473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2021.1908473","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Birthparents remain the most neglected focus of the adoptive triad in terms of practice, research and policy. Previous research has highlighted how the needs of parents who have their children removed are often unmet by services. This research explored the experiences of mothers, with trauma histories, who had made or agreed with the decision for their child to be placed into care. Three British mothers of children in care each participated in two semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three superordinate themes were generated: A fractured sense of motherhood highlighted the struggle with mothering identities in line with feelings of disconnection and separation; ‘I wish I could turn back the clocks’: Living with feelings of failure and shame illuminated the underlying feelings of guilt and shame associated with perceived failings; ‘Less than a person’: Becoming nothing and no-one alluded to experiences of disempowerment and dehumanization. Implications for reducing burden on adoption services are discussed through interventions sensitive to the operation of power, whilst the need for therapeutic services that acknowledge loss and grief are highlighted for relinquishing birthmothers.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"24 1","pages":"207 - 228"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2021.1908473","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47665524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-02-17DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2021.1884154
Jean-Luc Despax, E. Bouteyre, J. Pavani
{"title":"Adoptees’ Romantic Relationships: Comparison with Nonadoptees, Psychological Predictors and Long-Term Implications of the Adoption Pathway","authors":"Jean-Luc Despax, E. Bouteyre, J. Pavani","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2021.1884154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884154","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The aim of the study was to compare adoptees and nonadoptees regarding their romantic relationship experiences and model the factors that predict these experiences (psychological characteristics and characteristics of their adoption pathway). Attachment, resilience, mental health, dyadic adjustment and commitment were assessed in 220 adopted adults matched with 220 nonadoptees. The groups did not differ on the experience of romantic love. Psychological characteristics were predictive of romantic experience. By contrast, romantic experience was not predicted by most of our adoption pathway-related characteristics. Finally, the effect of attachment security on dyadic adjustment was moderated by the group (adoptees vs nonadoptees).","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"24 1","pages":"251 - 276"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884154","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47026668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-02-17DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2021.1884153
J. Luyt, L. Swartz
{"title":"Transracial Adoption: South Africa as a Special Case","authors":"J. Luyt, L. Swartz","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2021.1884153","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884153","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Transracial adoption (TRA) has been practised and researched in wealthy industrialized countries for decades, but there is limited literature about this practice in low- and middle-income countries like South Africa, where it is an uncommon and relatively new practice. Transracial adoption is heavily influenced by the context in which it occurs. Particular contextual features make South Africa well placed to showcase a different form of transracial adoption. This paper starts filling in the gap in the international literature by outlining historical, socio-economic and cultural features that influence the practice of transracial adoption and the experiences of transracial adoptive families in South Africa.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"25 1","pages":"1 - 26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884153","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44218027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-02-17DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2021.1884155
D. Breshears
{"title":"South African Parents’ Attitudes Toward Cultural and Racial Socialization of Their Transracially Adopted Children","authors":"D. Breshears","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2021.1884155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884155","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Transracial adoption (TRA) in South Africa is a relatively young practice due to the legacy of Apartheid and continued racial segregation. As such, little research has explored TRA family experiences in South Africa. Experts worldwide agree that TRA parents need to engage their children in racial and cultural socialization. To explore parental attitudes toward the cultural and racial socialization of their TRA children, this study adopted a mixed-method approach. First, 76 TRA parents completed the Transracial Adoption Parenting Scale. Second, using Vonk’s (2001) three-part definition of TRA parent cultural competence, 35 TRA parents were interviewed regarding their racial awareness, multicultural planning, and imparting of survival skills to their adopted children. Findings are discussed along with implications for educating potential TRA parents of the importance of racial/cultural socialization of transracial adoptees.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"25 1","pages":"47 - 69"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884155","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48550615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-02-15DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2021.1884156
Hilina Winkenweder, Clemence Due, Peter Strelan
{"title":"Ethiopian Adoptees’ Experiences of Attachment after Adoption in Australia: A Qualitative Study","authors":"Hilina Winkenweder, Clemence Due, Peter Strelan","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2021.1884156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884156","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study investigates how Ethiopian adoptees and adoptive parents in Australia experience attachment to each other post-adoption. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Ethiopian adoptees and eight adoptive parents. Thematic analysis returned four themes, indicating that attachment experiences were affected by the following: age at adoption; separation anxiety and survival mechanisms; biological family access; and identity formation. The findings contribute to improved understanding of Ethiopian adoptees’ attachment experiences in Australia, and highlight unmet needs surrounding post-adoption support, in particular, support relating to post-adoption attachment.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"25 1","pages":"163 - 184"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884156","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59777547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-02-13DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2021.1884157
S. Steenrod
{"title":"The Legacy of Exploitation in Intercountry Adoptions from Ethiopia: “We Were under the Impression That Her Birth Parents Had Died”","authors":"S. Steenrod","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2021.1884157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884157","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Ethiopia legally banned intercountry adoption in 2018 following reports of corruption, illegal practices, and child trafficking. While the intercountry adoption program is now closed, the enduring legacy of exploitation continues. Through interviews with adoptive parents, this study explores what and how adoption-related exploitation occurred. It also describes a cyclical and iterative process that adoptive parents, impacted by adoption-related exploitation, undertook to understand whether and how referral, concerning, and emergent adoption narratives fit together.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"25 1","pages":"81 - 108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2021.1884157","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42417604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2020.1830326
Bibiana D. Koh, Jaeran Kim
{"title":"Examining the Intersection of Ethics and Adoption","authors":"Bibiana D. Koh, Jaeran Kim","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2020.1830326","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2020.1830326","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"24 1","pages":"1 - 4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2020.1830326","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44887363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-01-02DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2020.1833391
T. May, S. Fullerton
{"title":"Ethical Considerations in the Use of Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing for Adopted Persons","authors":"T. May, S. Fullerton","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2020.1833391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2020.1833391","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The use of DTC genetic testing to identify health risks is increasingly popular. This is particularly the case for adopted persons, who often lack access to family health history information and who may see genetic testing as the best (and only) way to identify potential inherited disease risks. However, the development of genetic testing to fill gaps in family health history information for adopted persons has been hindered by several challenges including ethical concerns surrounding appropriate uses of biotechnology and its application to medicine and public health. Here, we will approach these concerns in the context of the “Four Principles Approach” articulated by Beauchamp and Childress. Through this approach, it is our aim to illustrate the need for careful consideration of often neglected risks and benefits before adoptees make the decision to engage genetic testing.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"24 1","pages":"89 - 100"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2020.1833391","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45206420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2021-01-01DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2020.1837315
Jing Wang, Misaki N Natsuaki, Jenae M Neiderhiser, Daniel S Shaw, Jody Ganiban, David Reiss, Leslie D Leve
{"title":"Fertility Problems and Parenting Daily Hassles in Childhood: A 7-year Longitudinal Study of Adoptive Parents.","authors":"Jing Wang, Misaki N Natsuaki, Jenae M Neiderhiser, Daniel S Shaw, Jody Ganiban, David Reiss, Leslie D Leve","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2020.1837315","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2020.1837315","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fertility problems are known to exert a negative impact on psychological health. Meanwhile, individuals with fertility challenges often view adoption as a positive healing experience. Yet, a dearth of work has examined the long-term impact that fertility problems have on adoptive parents and their childrearing stress. Here, we investigated how fertility problems related to parenting daily hassle (PDH) trajectories among adoptive mothers and fathers in the Early Growth and Development Study (<i>N</i> = 333). When adopted children were 9 months old, adoptive parents reported whether they had fertility problems prior to their decision to adopt and rated their PDH frequency and intensity on six occasions over the next 7 years. Multilevel models revealed inverse U-shaped curves for PDH among both fertile and infertile parents, such that PDH increased from child age 9 months until about 5 to 6 years and decreased thereafter. Mothers with fertility problems exhibited a steeper PDH incline from 9 months to the peak at child age 5 to 6, but also incurred a swifter subsequent decline. There were no significant differences in fathers' PDH trajectories based on fertility problems. We discuss why fertility problems appear to impact PDH trajectories for mothers rather than fathers.</p>","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"24 3","pages":"177-206"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2020.1837315","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10856672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adoption QuarterlyPub Date : 2020-11-12DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2020.1834041
Malinda L. Seymore
{"title":"Ethical Lawyering in Adoption: Centering the Child in Adoption Law","authors":"Malinda L. Seymore","doi":"10.1080/10926755.2020.1834041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10926755.2020.1834041","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Legal scholars have engaged in robust discussions of ethics in adoption law, but have paid little attention to the lawyering role in adoption. This article seeks to fill this gap by reviewing the disconnect between ethical obligations as conceived by lawyers’ rules of professional responsibility and societal norms of ethics; and proposes an ethic of care for lawyers that centers the interests of the child. This article draws on Tronto’s four phases of care, and argues that centering the needs of children for continuing relationships leads to ethical adoption lawyering.","PeriodicalId":45383,"journal":{"name":"Adoption Quarterly","volume":"24 1","pages":"48 - 68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10926755.2020.1834041","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44747798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}