Adoptive Mothers' Attitudes to Contact

Highlights from an Australian Study

Bibliographic Data

ID11940366
AuthorsSusan Gair (0000-0002-2139-0269, School of Social Work and Community Welfare, James Cook University of North Queensland, Australia, corresponding author)
Year1999
Volume23
Issue3
Pages38-47
Publication date1999-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAdoption & Fostering (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0308-5759 • E-ISSN: 1740-469X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/030857599902300306
OpenAlexW2012553736
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited7

The topic of contact and reunion can be a complex and emotional one for birth parents, adopted people and adoptive families. While the perspectives of birth parents and adopted people regarding contact are evident in the literature, the range of possible attitudes taken up by adoptive parents are not extensively discussed. In this paper Susan Gair explores coping positions or attitudes taken by adoptive mothers in Queensland on the topic of contact. The larger research project from which these findings are drawn was concerned primarily with using qualitative research methods to explore the mothering experiences of Queensland women who have adopted children. The research findings suggest that adoptive mothers may be better understood by considering a number of factors which impact on the taking up of certain attitudes, and by recognising the transitory rather than assuming the static qualities of such positions

Coping (psychology · Developmental psychology · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Child Welfare and Adoption · Clinical Psychology · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Psychology · Social Psychology

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