Adoptees are studied more as children than as adults. While there is nevertheless a large body of research on adopted adults, little of this has focused on the families they build. Adoptees’ parenthood has been particularly neglected. The few studies conducted on this subject up to now all had serious methodological flaws, and were not interested in adoptees who either refuse to become parents or, at the other extreme, invest massively in parenthood. In the present study, our objective was therefore to better understand the experience and determinants of two specific attitudes toward parenthood among adoptees: refusal and massive investment. We carried out semistructured interviews with 13 adopted adults who held just such attitudes toward parenthood. The interview transcripts were submitted to a thematic analysis using QDA Miner 5 software. This analysis shed light on the experiences of adoptees who either refuse parenthood (satisfaction, parenting by proxy, views on child adoption) or invest massively in it (parenting style, desire for children, difficulties encountered), as well as on the determinants of these positions (impact of adoptee status, relationships with adoptive parents and with partners). These results enhance current understanding of the potential distress of adoptees regarding parenthood, as well as the challenges that this life stage can pose for them and their children. We discuss the theoretical and clinical implications.

Adopted adults are presented in the literature as having a more insecure attachment than the general population. They are also less likely to want to have children of their own, which is significant in that studies have shown that attachment is an important determinant of the desire for parenthood. The aim of the present study was to link these two findings and seek a better understanding of the role of attachment in adoptees’ choice of childlessness. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven nulliparous adopted women who did not wish to have children; during these interviews they also undertook the Bird’s Nest Drawing (BND) test. This allows access to participants’ parental representations in addition to measuring their attachment. Analysis of the drawings and associated stories suggested that insecure attachment (especially avoidant) is particularly decisive in the choice of childlessness. Their interview responses stressed adequate or inadequate mothering, self-sufficiency and threat to the family, which further indicated why the women chose not to have children. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed, particularly the value of the Bird’s Nest Drawing test for adults who have experienced early discontinuities in their lives.