Lifelong Impact of Adoption

Adoption affects all triad members (adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents) and other birth and family members throughout life. The resources in this section provide information on the lifelong impact of adoption, focusing on several common themes.

The Hidden Impact of Adoption (PDF - 275 KB)
Drustrup (2016)
Explains the emotional difficulties adoptees may experience and highlights the role of a mental health professional in helping adoptees address conscious and unconscious feelings of loss, shame, and abandonment.

Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons

Series Title	Factsheets for Families
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 369KB) Order (Free)
Disponibilidad	Ver Versión para imprimir (PDF - 409KB) Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published	2013

Discusses the impact of adoption on adopted persons who have reached adulthood. There are several themes that emerge from personal accounts and data from academic studies about issues that adopted persons may face. This factsheet addresses these themes, which include loss, the development of identity and self-esteem, interest in genetic information, and managing adoption issues.

Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents

Series Title	Factsheets for Families
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 299KB) Order (Free)
Disponibilidad	Ver Versión para imprimir (PDF - 707KB) Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published	2015

Explores some of the emotional ups and downs that adoptive parents may experience before, during, and after adoption. While every family is unique and every parent has different feelings and experiences, there are some general themes that emerge regarding adoptive parents' emotional responses. The purpose of the factsheet is to identify some of these themes, affirm common feelings, and provide links to resources that may help your family address adoption-related concerns.

Impact of Adoption on Birth Parents

Series Title	Factsheets for Families
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 361KB) Order (Free)
Disponibilidad	Ver Versión para imprimir (PDF - 396KB) Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published	2013

Discusses some of the emotional issues that parents may face after making the decision to place an infant for adoption, in surrendering the child, and in handling the feelings that often persist afterwards.

The Invisible Realities of Adoption
Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York (2016)
Explains that for adoptions to be successful, children and families must work through the trauma they may experience as part of the adoption process and keep the focus on family to avoid a lifetime of negative feelings of abandonment. This article also explains the nonverbal concept of inducement.

Lifelong Issues in Adoption
Adoption.com (2016)
Explains seven characteristics that affect children who are adopted, adoptive parents, and birth parents throughout the lifespan.

Understanding Ambiguous Loss (PDF - 47 KB)
Fosterparentcollege.com (2016)
Defines ambiguous loss and examines the reasons why children may experience unresolved grief following adoption and suggests ways that parents can help children as they process the adoption.

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