Female adoptees' perceptions of contact with their birth fathers: satisfactions and dissatisfactions with the process

Article

Passmore, Nola L. and Chipuer, Heather M.. 2009. "Female adoptees' perceptions of contact with their birth fathers: satisfactions and dissatisfactions with the process." American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 79 (1), pp. 93-102. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014954
Article Title

Female adoptees' perceptions of contact with their birth fathers: satisfactions and dissatisfactions with the process

ERA Journal ID40380
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsPassmore, Nola L. (Author) and Chipuer, Heather M. (Author)
Journal TitleAmerican Journal of Orthopsychiatry
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry: interdisciplinary approaches to mental health and social justice
Journal Citation79 (1), pp. 93-102
Number of Pages10
Year2009
Place of PublicationHoboken, NJ. United States
ISSN0002-9432
1939-0025
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014954
Abstract

Qualitative data were analyzed to identify factors associated with adoptees’ satisfactions or dissatisfactions in their contact experiences with their birthfathers. Participants were 17 women who had been adopted prior to two years of age and had subsequently met their birthfathers. All women completed a questionnaire and seven also took part in a semi-structured interview. Four main themes were identified that affected satisfaction with contact: birthfathers’ attributes and behavior, adoptees’ attributes (e.g., expectations), behavior of others (e.g., birthmother, birthfather’s family, and adoptive parents), and circumstances of the conception and relinquishment. The implications of these findings for members of the adoption triangle and those providing post-adoption services are discussed.

Keywordsadoptees; adoption; birthfathers; birth fathers; birthparents; birth parents; reunion; family contact
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020520199. Applied and developmental psychology not elsewhere classified
520599. Social and personality psychology not elsewhere classified
441001. Applied sociology, program evaluation and social impact assessment
Public Notes

File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author.

Byline AffiliationsDepartment of Psychology
Griffith University
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