Abstract
Adoption communicative openness refers to dialogue about adoption related issues between adoptive parents and their adopted child. It is through this form of communication that adoptive parents provide adoptees with information about their birth family, answer the adoptee’s questions, and explore other adoption related issues, and as a result aids in the psychological well-being of adoptees as they age. While it is important and beneficial for adoptees’ development, existing research has demonstrated the importance of adoption communicative openness (ACO) from the perspective of the parent in the interest of the adopted child without inquiring from the perspective of the adoptive parents. Existing research has explored why adoptive communicative openness is beneficial for adoptees, but what is unknown is how adoptive parents can enact this openness, as well as the concerns they may have as they attempt to be open with their adoptive children. Thus, the goal of this thesis is to learn how adoptive parents talk about adoption communicative openness with other adoptive parents. Exploring adoptive parents’ comments on social media platforms will provide an understanding of the most frequently discussed concerns that adoptive parents may have about discussing adoption within their families. This thesis will be conducted using qualitative social media analysis. The results of this thesis will help researchers understand the most commonly discussed barriers and concerns to open discussion. Learning about these concerns may help practitioners make recommendations for how to engage in open communication, thus helping adoptive families achieve the positive outcomes associated with adoption communicative openness.
Start Time
16-4-2025 9:00 AM
End Time
16-4-2025 10:00 AM
Room Number
304
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Art and Humanities
Faculty Mentor
Christine Anzur
Adoption Communicative Openness
304
Adoption communicative openness refers to dialogue about adoption related issues between adoptive parents and their adopted child. It is through this form of communication that adoptive parents provide adoptees with information about their birth family, answer the adoptee’s questions, and explore other adoption related issues, and as a result aids in the psychological well-being of adoptees as they age. While it is important and beneficial for adoptees’ development, existing research has demonstrated the importance of adoption communicative openness (ACO) from the perspective of the parent in the interest of the adopted child without inquiring from the perspective of the adoptive parents. Existing research has explored why adoptive communicative openness is beneficial for adoptees, but what is unknown is how adoptive parents can enact this openness, as well as the concerns they may have as they attempt to be open with their adoptive children. Thus, the goal of this thesis is to learn how adoptive parents talk about adoption communicative openness with other adoptive parents. Exploring adoptive parents’ comments on social media platforms will provide an understanding of the most frequently discussed concerns that adoptive parents may have about discussing adoption within their families. This thesis will be conducted using qualitative social media analysis. The results of this thesis will help researchers understand the most commonly discussed barriers and concerns to open discussion. Learning about these concerns may help practitioners make recommendations for how to engage in open communication, thus helping adoptive families achieve the positive outcomes associated with adoption communicative openness.