Adoptees facing adolescence: What accounts for their psychological well‐being?

Abstract

Introduction:In accordance with the "resilience paradigm", this study was aimed at exploring the role of the parent-child relationship in supporting internationally adopted adolescents' ability to develop a strong adoptive identity and a feeling of satisfaction with their own life. Methods: Participants were 105 Italian adopted adolescents (13-17 years) asked to complete a self-report questionnaire. Results: Results showed that adolescents generally feel fairly comfortable discussing adoptionrelated issues (especially with their mothers), have a medium-high level of adoptive identity, and appear to be quite satisied with their life. Moreover, while adoptive identity mediates the association between openness in communication regarding adoption and adoptees' well-being with mothers, father-child communication openness has a direct inluence on well-being. Conclusions: Findings highlighted that the quality of mother-child and father-child relationship plays a crucial role in guiding the process of adoptees' identity formation and inluencing their well-being. Recommendations for professionals working with adoptive families were discussed.

Psychosocial Consequences of Disclosing Misattributed Paternity: A Narrative Review

“…These presentations in children from unintended pregnancies are consistent with the empirical knowledge on adoption, which shows that adoptees are at higher risk for adverse life circumstances and psychological difficulties (Barroso & Barbosa-Ducharne, 2019; Ranieri et al, 2021). However, like not all unintended pregnancies are unwanted, not all adoptees are impaired in their psychosocial adjustment (Brodzinsky et al, 2021).…”

“…In the qualitative study by Grethel et al (2022), where the discovery of misattributed paternity is described as ‘a radical transformation in both self and familial identity’ (p. 12), the theme of identity transformation permeates all facets of the post-discovery experiences. In adulthood, when a stable identity is formed, discovering a different narrative about oneself can cause a significant internal restructuring that requires substantial emotional resources and coping (Ranieri et al, 2021). Interestingly, discovering your social father is not your biogenetic father is not always completely unexpected.…”

Poipoia te kākano, kia puawai: resilience and resistance in the lives of Māori adoptees

“…As an effect of being raised with an adoptive identity divorced from birth origins, adoptees, including Māori and non-Māori, have been over-represented in clinical contexts and places of disadvantage (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998; Hamilton et al, 2015; Kirschner, 1992; Ranieri et al, 2021). Various research attempts to document how adoption is a complex interplay of biological, social, psychological and cultural elements and a myriad of conditions exist to describe the problems adoptees present with, problems that often have psychological underpinnings.…”