Reunions of Adoptees Who Have Met Both Birth Parents: Post-Reunion Relationships and Factors that Facilitate and Hinder the Reunion Process

Abstract

Eighteen adoptees who had met both their birth mothers and birth fathers were surveyed in order to determine the types of post-reunion relationships they developed with each birth parent and the factors that facilitated or hindered their reunions. While adoptees were more likely to develop a personal rather than nonpersonal relationship with birth mothers, relationships with birth fathers were more evenly divided between personal and nonpersonal relationships. Thematic analysis revealed some similarities in the factors that influence reunions with each birth parent (e.g., birth parent characteristics, support from others), though some differences also emerged (e.g., reactions to pregnancy and relinquishment). Issues of kinship, identity, and family structure are discussed, along with implications for counseling.

KEYWORDS:

• adoption
• adoptees
• birth mothers
• birth fathers
• birth parents
• reunions
• counseling

This research was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (DP0344557).

Notes

∗Indicates participants who chose more than one type of relationship.