Reconstruction of Adoption Issues: Delineation of Five Phases Among Adult Adoptees

Penny, Judith M.; Borders, L. DiAnne; Portnoy, Francie

doi:10.1002/j.1556-6678.2007.tb00441.x

Cited by 23 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The process of reconstruction of adoption history is particularly relevant during adulthood (Penny et al, 2007). Moreover, there is evidence that raising a child provides new opportunities for integration and reevaluation of past experiences.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a consequence, this task is not exhausted once and for all, but continues throughout the life, making adoptive identity development a lifelong task. As far as adulthood is concerned, Penny, Borders, and Portnoy (2007) point out five phases in the process of adoption-reconstruction, ranging from no awareness of adoption issues (Phase 1) to acute awareness accompanied by anger, resentment, and sadness about adoption (Phase 3) to a sense of peace and acceptance (Phase 5). This adoption-reconstruction process turned out to be associated with the psychological well-being.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Adult Adoptees as Partners and Parents: The Joint Task of Revisiting the Adoption History

2014

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Adoption is unanimously considered a lifelong process, but adulthood and parenthood are life cycle stages that up to now have been explored only marginally. The principal aim of the present study is twofold: first, to analyze whether and how parenthood might lead the adoptee and his/her partner to reinterpret the adoption history and, second, to verify whether the attitudes of the two partners concerning adoption are similar or complementary. Thirty-four couples consisting of one adopted and one non-adopted partner, now parents, were interviewed and a graphic instrument, the Double Moon Test, was administered. Results revealed that most couples showed a shared attitude in valorizing both the origin background and the adoptive family. However, in a number of cases a divergent position emerged, highlighting the crucial role of the non-adopted partner in encouraging the adoptee to revisit his/her adoption history. Overall, the practical relevance of the research findings is discussed and future direction of research are suggested.Adoption cannot be considered a single life event, as it has to be properly viewed as a lifelong process (Brodzinsky, Schechter, & Marantz Henig, 1992): Each specific turning point allows for a reinterpretation of the adoption history and personal identity and a negotiation of the family relational network.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Adult Adoptees as Partners and Parents: The Joint Task of Revisiting the Adoption History

2014

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“…However, despite this diversity, there were a number of shared themes. These included: pregnancy and birth may precipitate a sense of loss and grief (Brodzinsky, Schechter and Marantz Henig, 1992; Conrick and Brown, 2010; Masso and Whitfield, 2003; Phillips, 2009; Pinkerton, 2010) and depression and anxiety (Kenny, et al., 2012; Masso and Whitfield, 2003); wanting to give children the best possible childhoods (Moyer and Juang, 2011); having children may prompt the adoptee to revaluate their relationships with their adoptive parents (Brodzinsky, Schechter and Marantz Henig, 1992; Conrick and Brown, 2010; Kenny, et al., 2012; Masso and Whitfield, 2003; Richardson, Davey and Swint, 2013; Reitz and Watson, 1992; Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee, 2012); becoming a mother was important to the adopted woman’s decision to ‘search’ and/or have contact with birth family (Conrick and Brown, 2010; Pinkerton, 2010; Richardson, Davey and Swint, 2013); parenthood often leads to a review of adoption status in which partners can play a significant supportive role (Rosnati, Greco and Ferrari, 2015; Rushton, et al., 2013); mothering children is a time for exploration and review of personal identity (Grotevant, et al., 2007), which may bring an opportunity for an expanded integration of one’s sense of self (Penny, Borders and Portnoy, 2007). …”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…mothering children is a time for exploration and review of personal identity (Grotevant, et al., 2007), which may bring an opportunity for an expanded integration of one’s sense of self (Penny, Borders and Portnoy, 2007).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Being adopted and being a mother

Conrick

2020

Adoption & Fostering

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Twenty-one women adopted as infants within the Australian state of Victoria discussed their lived experience as mothers and the impacts of their adoption at this life stage. Sixteen participants took part in semi-structured interviews and the emerging categories were evaluated by a focus group of five additional adopted women. While each of their accounts is unique, reflecting their own individual life histories, partnerships and social networks, shared threads of meaning run through the combined narratives. The women’s descriptions of the values and models of care they bring to motherhood, their view of their children and the hopes they have for their family of procreation are each discussed in the light of their adoption status and experiences. Particular emphasis is given to issues of their adjustments to identity and extended family relationships and experiences of loss. This breaks new ground for a population that remains largely hidden within Australian society and points a way to future research endeavours in this area.

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“…Finally, adoptees' attitudes toward adoption are a significant mediating factor for their adjustment. Counselors and therapists who work with adoptees must educate themselves regarding adoption (Penny et al., 2007) and pay close attention to their clients' perception of and attitudes toward being relinquished and adopted (Storsbergen et al., 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of negative adoptee experiences and mediation of attitudes toward adoption on life satisfaction among international adoptees from South Korea

Ahn¹

2020

Asian Soc Wrk & Pol Rev

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Adoption is not a discrete event that ends with a child's placement; rather, it is a lifelong process that continues to affect adoptees in various ways as they mature. Accordingly, practitioners and researchers in the field of adoption have consistently taken interest in how international adoptees grow up and adjust. The total number of international adoptions from South Korea since the 1950s is estimated to exceed 160,000, and South Korean children adopted to the United States account for two-thirds of all international adoptions (Korean Ministry of Health & Welfare, 2018). Although international adoption from South Korea has decreased drastically since 2007, the well-being of adoptees abroad is still of great concern to the South Korean government. As more and more international adoptees seek to make contact with their motherland, post-adoption services including heritage camps, motherland tours, and language classes have been established, among others. Because the ultimate goal of adoption is to ensure children a happy life in a stable family environment, adoptees' happiness and well-being after their adoption are a major concern. However, clear data on this topic are difficult to find, especially with respect to international

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Reconstruction of Adoption Issues: Delineation of Five Phases Among Adult Adoptees

Cited by 23 publications

References 32 publications

Adult Adoptees as Partners and Parents: The Joint Task of Revisiting the Adoption History

Adult Adoptees as Partners and Parents: The Joint Task of Revisiting the Adoption History

Being adopted and being a mother

Effects of negative adoptee experiences and mediation of attitudes toward adoption on life satisfaction among international adoptees from South Korea

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