Psychology
From face-to-face to Facebook: The role of technology and social media in adoptive family relationships with birth family members
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This qualitative study of 77 individuals in 40 couples (same-sex and heterosexual), who had adopted publically, privately, or internationally, examined parents' engagement with their child's birth family via technology (e.g., texting, e-mail, social media) through the lens of the Couple and Family Technology frame-work (Hertlein & Blumer, 2014). Parents used three approaches to contact: active, passive, and no contact. Regardless of approach, some parents described concerns about boundaries. Couples were generally in agreement in their perspectives on engaging with birth family via technology. Practitioners must be know-ledgeable about management of relationships via technology and help adoptive families set healthy boundaries.
Publication Title
Adoption Quarterly
Publication Date
2016
Volume
19
Issue
4
First Page
307
Last Page
332
ISSN
1092-6755
DOI
10.1080/10926755.2016.1217575
Keywords
adoption, birth family, gay, social media, technology
Repository Citation
Black, Kaitlin A.; Moyer, April M.; and Goldberg, Abbie E., "From face-to-face to Facebook: The role of technology and social media in adoptive family relationships with birth family members" (2016). Psychology. 359.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/359