Fear of loss of a wanted child

Emotional accounts of Finnish prospective adoptive parents in pre-adoption services

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11941539
AutoresPia Eriksson (0000-0002-9892-9349, University of Helsinki, autor de correspondencia)
Año2016
Volumen40
Número3
Páginas209-218
Fecha de publicación2016-09-09
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAdoption & Fostering (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0308-5759 • E-ISSN: 1740-469X
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0308575916661270
OpenAlexW2509555349
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas21

This qualitative study analyses the emotions of fear and anxiety as experienced by prospective adoptive parents receiving pre-adoption services. The article draws on 19 narrative interviews with men and women who have pursued an adoption process in seeking to adopt a child from overseas. The findings suggest that the experience of fear was connected with the risk of losing a wanted child through rejection in the assessment procedure or a termination of the process, and also with a loss of control in their position as clients. The prospective parents strive to balance anxiety and hope through their own emotional engagement, while the professionals involved play an important role in regulating those emotions. Further, the fear and anxiety in this situation lead to an inhibition of both negative emotions in interactions with professionals and of engaging with them in a truly open, trusting and reflective relationship

Anxiety · Developmental psychology · Narrative · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Sociology · Child Welfare and Adoption · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies · Social Psychology