Relationships between adult attachment style, adoptee's motives for searching, and reunion satisfaction with birthmothers

Paper

Passmore, Nola L., Feeney, Judith A. and Peterson, Candida C.. 2005. "Relationships between adult attachment style, adoptee's motives for searching, and reunion satisfaction with birthmothers." Bowles, Terry (ed.) Australian Psychology Society's Psychology of Relationships Interest Group 5th Annual Conference 2004. Melbourne, Australia 12 - 13 Nov 2005 Melbourne, Australia.
Paper/Presentation Title

Relationships between adult attachment style, adoptee's motives for searching, and reunion satisfaction with birthmothers

Presentation TypePaper
AuthorsPassmore, Nola L. (Author), Feeney, Judith A. (Author) and Peterson, Candida C. (Author)
EditorsBowles, Terry
Journal or Proceedings TitleProceedings of the 5th Annual Conference of the ASP Psychology of Relationships Interest Group
Number of Pages5
Year2005
Place of PublicationMelbourne, Australia
ISBN0909881286
0909881294
Web Address (URL) of Paperhttps://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/43179/2/Proceedings2005.pdf
Conference/EventAustralian Psychology Society's Psychology of Relationships Interest Group 5th Annual Conference 2004
Event Details
Australian Psychology Society's Psychology of Relationships Interest Group 5th Annual Conference 2004
Event Date
12 to end of 13 Nov 2005
Event Location
Melbourne, Australia
Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between attachment styles and motives for searching among 109 adoptees who had searched for birth relatives. Searchers who had experienced face-to-face reunions with their birthmothers (n = 57) also completed items relating to their reunion satisfaction. Participants rated themselves on Bartholomew and Horowitz’s (1991) four attachment prototypes. They also completed the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ; Feeney, Noller, & Hanrahan, 1994) and the Motives for Searching Questionnaire, which identifies three search motives (i.e., searching to gain background information, to reconnect with birth relatives, and to resolve personal issues). While searching to reconnect with birth relatives and to resolve personal issues were both positively correlated with a preoccupied attachment style, differences also emerged between these two motives. Searching to reconnect with birth relatives was negatively correlated with a dismissing attachment style, while those who searched to resolve personal issues had a greater need for approval and less emotional closeness with their birthmothers. A secure attachment style was generally associated with better reunion outcomes, while those who saw relationships as secondary or had a higher need for approval were more likely to experience some negative reunion outcomes. Implications for counselling are discussed.

Keywordsadoptees; mothers; family reunions; therapy; negative outcomes;
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020441006. Sociological methodology and research methods
440301. Family and household studies
520399. Clinical and health psychology not elsewhere classified
Public Notes

Copyright © 2005 the authors

Byline AffiliationsDepartment of Psychology
University of Queensland
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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