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Updated: Feb 24, 2026
22:06
Induction and Monitoring of Adoptive Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity in Rats
Published on: October 1, 2007
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Adoptive parenting
Harold D Grotevant1, Albert Yh Lo1
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 135 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003 USA.
Current Opinion in Psychology
|August 17, 2017
Summary
Parenting processes, not adoption types, best predict child adjustment. This research informs support for adoptive families and professionals, highlighting the need for adoption-competent care.
Area of Science:
- Family Studies
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology of the Family
Background:
- Adoption policies and practices are evolving, presenting new challenges in adoptive parenting.
- Contemporary shifts in adoption necessitate updated research on parenting experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current research in three key areas of adoptive parenting: openness, racial/cultural socialization, and experiences of LGBTQ+ adoptive parents.
- To identify predictors of child adjustment in adoptive families.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent findings in adoptive parenting research.
- Examination of studies on openness in adoption, transracial/international adoption socialization, and LGBTQ+ adoptive parenting.
Main Results:
- Parenting processes, such as supportive family interactions, are stronger predictors of child adjustment than group differences (e.g., open vs. closed adoptions, same-sex vs. heterosexual parents).
- Research highlights the importance of racial and cultural socialization in transracial and international adoptions.
- Experiences of lesbian and gay adoptive parents are an emerging area of study.
Conclusions:
- Supportive parenting processes are crucial for adopted children's well-being.
- Adoption-competent professionals are needed across mental health, casework, education, and healthcare sectors to address the unique needs of adopted children.
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