Perspectives regarding Motivations for Adoption by Christian Adoptive Parents: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological research study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 21 selfdescribed practicing Evangelical Christian families who have both biological and adopted children. The participants in the study shared numerous common elements pertaining to their shared perspectives. Here, we present the results specifically related to the reported motivations of the parents for adopting children. Findings included theological motivations to adopt (i.e., perceived biblical mandate, perspective of ministry, concepts of spiritual adoption, views towards God's blessings) and a perspective that some romanticize the nature of adoption. We discuss various theological and spiritual implications of the findings in the context of biblical teachings to care for orphans and show love to underserved populations. The results also are related to research literature addressing the stress often reported by parents who adopt children.

Why and how do parents decide to adopt? A study on motivations and the decision‐making process in becoming an adoptive family

“…Costa and Tasker (2018), in a sample of LGBTQ adoptive parents and prospective adopters, identified the search for permanence as a general motivation to adopt, and distinguished three types of specific motivations: altruistic/moral (parents who are able to provide a permanent family to a child in need); individualistic/intrinsic (parents who respond to their desire to become parents); and motivated reasoning (parents who had tried other options for parenting, or who had considered and abandoned other options before applying for adoption). Other motivations to adopt have also been identified, namely religion and spirituality (e.g., Firmin et al, 2017;Helder et al, 2020;Hollingsworth, 2000;Tyebjee, 2003), and loneliness or death of a child (Levinzon, 2006). Moreover, some studies have explored the specificity of motivations in intercountry and transracial adoptions (e.g., Zhang & Lee, 2011).…”

“…Other motivations to adopt have also been identified, namely, religion and spirituality (e.g. Firmin et al, 2017; Helder et al, 2020; Hollingsworth, 2000; Tyebjee, 2003), and loneliness or death of a child (Levinzon, 2006).…”

Parental Naming Practices in Same‐Sex Adoptive Families

“…In addition to the complexities of parent naming for same‐sex parents already discussed, the adoptive context introduces additional complexities and considerations in naming. Little work has examined naming in adoptive families, with existing work touching on the importance that families may bestow on renaming an adopted child (Firmin et al, ) and how different‐sex and same‐sex adoptive families choose a last name for their children (Patterson & Farr, ). Same‐sex adoptive parents often reported extensive discussion about last name choice.…”

“…One hallmark of becoming a parent is choosing a name for one's child(ren); although there are exceptions, including when parents adopt older children, who have already been named (cf. Firmin, Pugh, Markham, Sohn, & Gentry, 2017). Whereas the child naming process is understood as universal, the intentional and deliberate process of parent naming, also referred to as parental designation (Petit, Julien, & Chamberland, 2017) or parental referent or term selection (Bergen, Suter, & Daas, 2006;Colonna, 2013), that occurs in same-sex families (Bergen et al, 2006) is understudied.…”

Why and How Do Parents Decide to Adopt? A Study on Motivations and the Decision-Making Process in Becoming an Adoptive Family

“…Other motivations to adopt have also been identified, namely, religion and spirituality (e.g. Firmin et al, 2017;Helder et al, 2020;Hollingsworth, 2000;Tyebjee, 2003), and loneliness or death of a child (Levinzon, 2006).…”