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Portions of these findings were presented as a poster -Motivations and decisionmaking process in becoming an adoptive family: An exploratory study with Portuguese adoptive parents -at XV EUSARF International Conference, EUSARF 2018 Porto, Portugal.We have no conflicts of interest to disclose. This research was funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology under Grant [SFRH/BD/77316/2011] and by a philanthropic program of independent patrons. The authors gratefully acknowledge the language help and MOTIVATION TO ADOPT proofreading of the paper by A. S. L. Special thanks go to the parents who participated in the study.

There are several motives underlying the process of deciding to become an adoptive family. However, research exploring this issue is scarce and essentially focused on infertility as the main motivation. The present mixed-method study aims to fill in this gap by exploring the motives to adopt of 126 Portuguese adoptive parents. The Parents’ Interview on the Adoption Process was used to identify the motives to adopt and describe the adoption decision-making process. Seven main motives (biological issues, filling in a void/loneliness, adoption as a life project, expanding the family, philanthropy, contact with the child protection system and parenthood) were identified. These motives can be centred on the self, the child or both simultaneously and are characterized by dynamism, permeability, and interconnection. Findings allowed for establishing conceptual considerations on motivations to adopt and recommendations for adoption practice.