The Stress and Adjustment of Adoptive Families

• Main Authors: Juo-Chiao Huang, 黃若喬
• Other Authors: Li-li Mo
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33252615457237580773

碩士 === 東吳大學 === 社會工作學系 === 101 === Adoption is a substitutional service of the child and youth protection system. During the entire adoption process, prospective adoptive parents expend considerable effort in establishing a family and learning how to raise children well. However, adoptive families face difficulties and pressure while raising adopted children. This study investigated the pressure and difficulties that adoptive families had encountered during the process of raising children, how they had adjusted to the pressure, and the management strategies that they had used. This study used qualitative research methods, particularly the ABCX family crisis model, in considering adoptive family life cycle theory. The subjects were 9 adoptive fathers and mothers who had received adoptive services from an institution in the Taipei area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth perspectives from the subjects. The disclosed experiences were collated and analyzed to derive the following findings: First, the pressure was divided into 4 levels: “individual,” “familial,” “socio-environmental,” and “organizational and procedural.” Second, according to the results from the interviews, adjustment resources were divided into 3 categories: “individual and family resources,” “support between an adoptive family and a foster family,” and “support from related organizations.” Finally, the effects of a child entering a family by adoption were induced to provide the following 4 observational categories regarding transformation: “familial atmosphere after an adoptee arrives,” “familial communication,” “familial roles,” and “familial cognition strategies.” The results of the study offer suggestions for social workers, practical suggestions, policy makers, and future research directions.