The Impact of Adoption on the New Parents' Marriage

ABSTRACT

This literature review examines the effect of adoption on the new parents' marriage. There are many factors in common with the transition to biological parenthood. A general decline in marital satisfaction is related to the partners' ability to balance marital and parental roles, to expectations about the division of housework and child care, and to time demands. Adoptive parents' marriages are also affected by infertility and its investigation. Adoption, especially of older children, adds further strains, including differing responses to the child's acting-out behavior. Social support, including parent relief, can enhance a marriage. The paper also discusses needed research and implications for practice.

Key Words:

• Transition to parenthood
• marital satisfaction
• infertility
• adoption