A family of trust: African American parents' stories of adoption disclosure.
Dramatic increases in same-race adoptions of African American children have stimulated interest in the experiences of these families, including those related to disclosure. Data from interviews with 27 African American adoptive parents (7 mothers and fathers interviewed conjointly, 13 mothers interviewed alone) from 20 different families revealed the following themes: (a) efforts to prevent trauma to the child; (b) respect for the child's differentness and birth history; (c) developmental decisions in disclosure; (d) children's questions as motivations for disclosure; and (e) parents' feelings about disclosure. Findings confirm the importance of psychoeducation regarding methods and timing of disclosure and provide support for comparative research on contemporary disclosure, including racial differences in process and content.
Alexander
Leslie B
LB
Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, USA. lalexand@brynmawr.edu.
Hollingsworth
Leslie Doty
LD
Dore
Martha Morrison
MM
Hoopes
Janet W
JW
D000293:Adolescent; D000300:Adoption / Q000523:psychology*; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D035502:Trust; D014342:Truth Disclosure