Young adult adoptees (n=48) and nonadoptees (n=72) provided retrospective accounts of family relationships that portrayed adoptive families as more cohesive and adaptable, with greater closeness before adolescence. Results are considered in terms of discontinuities of observations of adoptive families and adoptees' personal reflections. (SLD)

Interviewed adopted college students regarding perceptions of adoptive family life. Found that overall satisfaction with adoptive status and family life was the strongest predictor of perceived general family environment. Perception of adoptive parents' communication styles predicted different aspects of family environment. Acknowledgment of life…

This paper looks at three parties impacted by adoption: the adoptive parents, the adopted child, and the adoptive family. When working with adoptive parents, counselors should respect the strength of the couple, their commitment to parenthood, and the closeness that may develop from weathering the issue of childlessness. Adoptive parents are…

A study identified adoption, family, and biographical variables that differentiated between adoptees who told or did not tell their adoptive parents about their search for their biological parents. Findings lend support to the importance of adoptive family discussion and suggest that the feelings about adoption of adoptive mothers and adoptive…

Examined family narratives among adoptive parents. Found that individual interviews of parents in open adoptions showed greater narrative coherence than those with parents in mediated adoptions; joint interviews produced greater narrative coherence than individual interviews; more coherence in joint interviews was correlated with partners' greater…

Synthesizing current literature with information obtained through interviews of adoptive, gay and lesbian, and multiracial families, this book is designed to help practitioners work with diverse families. An introduction explores the concept of a "normal family" and provides an overview of the book and a description of the interview…

Provides an overview of issues that families encounter over time in the adoption of children with special needs. Reports on a two-year survey of special needs adoption, which supported much of the conclusions provided by cross-sectional studies. Implications of the findings for the service system are discussed. (TJQ)

Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households, comparisons were made with quality of family relationships and well being across five different family structures with a particular focus on adoptive households. Findings indicated the most support for the perspective stressing importance of family processes, rather than family…

Reviews the existing theoretical and empirical evidence on the formation and maintenance of adoptive relationships, with a focus on an attachment perspective. Emphasizes Bartholomew's categorical model of attachment styles. Presents inferences about the influence of attachment status on interpersonal and family functioning. (DLH)

Even though current wisdom holds that adoptive parents should talk with their child about adoption as early as possible, no guidelines exist to prepare parents for the various ways their children might respond when these conversations take place. This book discusses how young children make sense of the fact that they are adopted, how their…

Several issues surrounding adoption are addressed in this journal. "Openness in Adoption," by Ruth G. McRoy and others, explores the movement away from confidentiality in adoption. "Mid-Life Reflections on Adoption" by Carol Yttri and "An Adoption Journey" by Shannon Latimer detail the experiences of adults who were…

This paper explores the principal features of nonlinear dynamical systems and applies the theory to parents' acceptance of a child adopted at an older age. Although family systems theories tend to be weak in addressing family change, chaos theory and catastrophe theory allow consideration of sudden, discontinuous change. If stable, the family may…

Recognizing the great variety of families in which children live, this book for children in upper elementary grades and their parents and teachers illustrates that variety through children's personal narratives about their families and descriptions of family activities. Section 1, "Families," presents the narratives of children ages 8 to 18 years…

A study of 18 families who adopted children with developmental disabilities found that nearly 12 years after their adoptions, families reported generally positive outcomes and good adjustment to their adopted children. Changes in the families were perceived as potential sources of reward as well as sources of stress. (Contains references.)…

Personal interviews were conducted with 67 adult adoptees who had reunions with birth relatives. Postreunion relationships were studied; closeness of the ensuing relationships was assessed. Interactive and motivating factors associated with the development of particular relationships were identified. Implications for clinical practice are…