TY - JOUR
T1 - Delaying Adoption Disclosure
T2 - A Survey of Late Discovery Adoptees
AU - Baden, Amanda L.
AU - Shadel, Doug
AU - Morgan, Ron
AU - White, Ebony E.
AU - Harrington, Elliotte S.
AU - Christian, Nicole
AU - Bates, Todd A.
PY - 2019/6/1
Y1 - 2019/6/1
N2 - Despite common recommendations from professionals that adoption disclosure should be done at early ages, reports suggest that a sizeable number of adult adoptees do not learn of their adoption status until older ages. The few studies that exist indicate that the late discovery of adoption is linked to psychological distress and feelings of anger, betrayal, depression, and anxiety. In this mixed-method study, 254 adult adoptees completed a survey consisting of the K10 (Kessler Distress Inventory) the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale–BREF, open-ended prompts, and demographic items. Results indicated that those who learned of their adoptions from age 3 and older reported more distress and lower life satisfaction when controlling for the amount of time adoptees have known of their adoption statuses and their use of coping strategies. Adoptees also indicated a desire for communicative openness and reported that beneficial coping methods included supportive relationships and seeking contact with birth relatives and other adoptees.
AB - Despite common recommendations from professionals that adoption disclosure should be done at early ages, reports suggest that a sizeable number of adult adoptees do not learn of their adoption status until older ages. The few studies that exist indicate that the late discovery of adoption is linked to psychological distress and feelings of anger, betrayal, depression, and anxiety. In this mixed-method study, 254 adult adoptees completed a survey consisting of the K10 (Kessler Distress Inventory) the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale–BREF, open-ended prompts, and demographic items. Results indicated that those who learned of their adoptions from age 3 and older reported more distress and lower life satisfaction when controlling for the amount of time adoptees have known of their adoption statuses and their use of coping strategies. Adoptees also indicated a desire for communicative openness and reported that beneficial coping methods included supportive relationships and seeking contact with birth relatives and other adoptees.
KW - adjustment
KW - adoption disclosure
KW - coping
KW - family processes
KW - late discovery adoptees
KW - parent/child relations adoption
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85082461580&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0192513X19829503
DO - 10.1177/0192513X19829503
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85082461580
SN - 0192-513X
VL - 40
SP - 1154
EP - 1180
JO - Journal of Family Issues
JF - Journal of Family Issues
IS - 9
ER -