Assessing and displaying suitability for adoptive parenthood: a conversation analysis of relationship questions and answers

Noordegraaf, Martine; Nijnatten, Carolus van; Elbers, Ed

doi:10.1515/text.2010.015

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(29 reference statements)

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“…The institutional setting might inhibit the achievement of a state of honest reflection in the interactions with the professional, which has also been noted by van Nijnatten (2010) in the context of child welfare. Earlier resistance and strategies by clients in child welfare have been identified by Smith (2008) and Dumbrill (2006), and in prospective adoptive parents by Noordegraaf et al (2010). Dumbrill (2006) names three strategies as 'playing the game, co-operate, or fight', all of which are connected to the different perception of the power usage of the professional.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting one’s best foot forward: Finnish prospective adoptive parent’s strategic interaction in statutory pre-adoption services

Eriksson

2017

Qualitative Social Work

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In an inter-country adoption process, the private issue of becoming a parent takes place within a regulated institutional setting and process with professionals acting as gatekeepers along the way. This qualitative study based on 19 narrative interviews scrutinizes the strategic interaction used by prospective adoptive parents to navigate the controlling institutional setting of statutory pre-adoption services. This social interaction with the professionals is analysed as power negotiations and discussed by utilizing Goffman’s conceptual framework of expression management and stage play. The study shows that prospective adoptive parents, whose primary aims differ from those of the professionals, play on different teams than the professionals. Therefore, they utilize expression games through information, emotion, and team management in order to put their best foot forward in the pre-adoption services. But along the inter-country adoption play the audience shifts and the professionals often join the same team as the future adoptive parents. Further, the article discusses the consequences of this on the relationship between the professionals and prospective adoptive parent as a client within a global inter-country adoption scene.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting one’s best foot forward: Finnish prospective adoptive parent’s strategic interaction in statutory pre-adoption services

Eriksson

2017

Qualitative Social Work

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“…Fear in this controlled setting leads to a strategic action of hiding negative emotions and avoiding any expression of dissatisfaction. This subsequently leads to a prudence in the prospective adopters' actions as they are acutely aware of the delicacy of the situation and the importance of 'playing their cards right' (Noordegraaf, Nijnatten and Elbers, 2010). This can result in strategies that maximise personal gain but hinder reflection and honesty.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear of loss of a wanted child: emotional accounts of Finnish prospective adoptive parents in pre-adoption services

Eriksson

2016

Adoption & Fostering

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This qualitative study analyses the emotions of fear and anxiety as experienced by prospective adoptive parents receiving pre-adoption services. The article draws on 19 narrative interviews with men and women who have pursued an adoption process in seeking to adopt a child from overseas. The findings suggest that the experience of fear was connected with the risk of losing a wanted child through rejection in the assessment procedure or a termination of the process, and also with a loss of control in their position as clients. The prospective parents strive to balance anxiety and hope through their own emotional engagement, while the professionals involved play an important role in regulating those emotions. Further, the fear and anxiety in this situation lead to an inhibition of both negative emotions in interactions with professionals and of engaging with them in a truly open, trusting and reflective relationship.

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“…In five studies, researchers followed a phenomenon from text to talk, or talk to text. For instance, the studies showed how social workers included and omitted aspects of clients’ talk in documents (Arminen and Perälä, 2002; Noordegraaf et al, 2009a), and how clients’ interactional conduct was used in texts as proof of their character or relationships (Noordegraaf et al, 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conversation analysis in social work research: a scoping review

Flinkfeldt

Iversen

Jørgensen

et al. 2022

Qualitative Social Work

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Given the emphasis on communication in social work, the empirical study of social work interactions is an important area for research. By examining recordings of naturally occurring social interaction and analysing participants’ practices in close detail, conversation analysis (CA) provides rigorous resources for understanding the practical challenges and opportunities of professional intervention. Since the origins of CA in the 1970s, this approach has been used for investigating interactions in a wide range of institutional domains. Based on articles published in peer-reviewed journals in English, this scoping review maps the development of CA in social work research. The review gives an overview of the institutional contexts, professional groups and client groups that have been investigated using CA methods, as well as how their interactional practices have been examined. We show contributions of CA to understanding social work in terms of specific interactional practices, how practitioners accomplish challenging institutional activities in interactions and how theories and ideals about interactions relate to social work practice. The review highlights research gaps concerning clients’ resources for pursuing agendas, embodied conduct in social work, contributions to the cumulative body of CA research and implications for practice. We discuss these findings in relation to CA as a relatively new approach in social work research and the challenges which CA may need to address to become a more integrated part of social work research and practice.

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Assessing and displaying suitability for adoptive parenthood: a conversation analysis of relationship questions and answers

Cited by 9 publications

References 21 publications

Putting one’s best foot forward: Finnish prospective adoptive parent’s strategic interaction in statutory pre-adoption services

Putting one’s best foot forward: Finnish prospective adoptive parent’s strategic interaction in statutory pre-adoption services

Fear of loss of a wanted child: emotional accounts of Finnish prospective adoptive parents in pre-adoption services

Conversation analysis in social work research: a scoping review

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