Partnering and parenting expectations in adoptive couples

Abstract

This paper describes research investigating couples who undertook the procedure of becoming adoptive parents, studying the partners' representations of relationships in the context of their psychological sense of loss owing to infertility. The sample consisted of 100 subjects (50 couples) who took part in an assessment process related to adoption within the Social Services structures. The subjects had the following features in common: they were between 35 and 45 years of age; the duration of their marriages was between 7 and 10 years; none had biological or previously adopted children. The instruments used were a Psycho-Social Questionnaire, the Adult Attachment Interview (Main & Goldwin, 1998) and the Family Life Space (Gozzoli & Tamanza, 1998). The results showed a majority of couples classified by the AAI as ‘Secure’, and a lack of couples formed by partners both classified as ‘Insecure’. Moreover, we found a prevalence of couples who are classified by the FLS instrument as failing in ‘space government’ (Fragmentation and Overfilling = 68%). These results suggest that adoptive couples show a strong appreciation of affect and attachment needs, but are still deeply in crisis in the personal and family relationship sectors of their lives.

Keywords:

• Adoption
• couple
• attachment

Acknowledgement

This research was possible through the use of funds 60%, 1° Faculty of Psychology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”.

Notes

Contributors

Alessandra Santona, Ph.D., Student in Dynamic, Clinical and Developmental Psychology. Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist, University of Rome, Italy.

Giulio Cesare Zavattini, Full Professor in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy of the Couple, University of Rome, Italy; Psychoanalyst I.P.A., Associate Member of the Society of Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alessandra Santona

Contributors Alessandra Santona, Ph.D., Student in Dynamic, Clinical and Developmental Psychology. Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist, University of Rome, Italy. Giulio Cesare Zavattini, Full Professor in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy of the Couple, University of Rome, Italy; Psychoanalyst I.P.A., Associate Member of the Society of Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists.