Psychology
Contact between birth and adoptive families during the first year post-placement: Perspectives of lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Despite growing visibility of lesbian- and gay-parent adoption, only one qualitative study has examined birth family contact among adoptive families with lesbian and gay parents (Goldberg, Kinkler, Richardson, & Downing, 2011). We studied adoptive parents’ (34 lesbian, 32 gay, and 37 heterosexual; N = 103 families) perspectives of birth family contact across the first year post-placement. Using questionnaire and interview data, we found few differences in openness dynamics by parental sexual orientation. Most reported some birth mother contact, most had legally finalized their adoption, and few described plans to withhold information from children. We discuss implications for clinical practice, policy, and research.
Publication Title
Adoption Quarterly
Publication Date
2015
Volume
18
Issue
1
First Page
1
Last Page
24
ISSN
1092-6755
DOI
10.1080/10926755.2014.895466
Keywords
adoption, adoptive parents, birth family contact, lesbian and gay, openness
Repository Citation
Farr, Rachel H. and Goldberg, Abbie E., "Contact between birth and adoptive families during the first year post-placement: Perspectives of lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents" (2015). Psychology. 374.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/374