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Adoptive Identity

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Handbook of Identity Theory and Research

Abstract

Adoptive identity addresses these questions: “Who am I as an adopted person?” and “What does being adopted mean to me, and how does this fit into my understanding of my self, relationships, family, and culture?” The process of identity construction is observed in adoptive identity exploration, as adopted persons reflect on the meaning of adoption in their lives, take active steps to gather information that will enhance this understanding, and construct a meaningful narrative. A highly developed narrative is internally consistent, reflects multiple points of view, and has been developed through a process of exploration and reflection. Despite the increasing popular interest in adoptive identity, relevant theories and supportive research are still emerging. This chapter begins with an overview of the four worlds of adoption: domestic infant adoption, domestic adoption from the public child welfare system, international adoption, and kinship adoption. Knowledge of commonalities and differences across these types of adoption is critical for understanding adoptive identity. Next follows a discussion of the family, community, and societal contexts in which adoptive identity development occurs. The chapter then turns to identity theory. Our approach is grounded in Eriksonian and narrative theories, and incorporates recent theoretical work by Von Korff (2008) on the role of affect in adoptive identity. Finally, several promising approaches to identity intervention are discussed in the context of cautions, because the path toward adoptive identity is not linear and may extend well into adulthood. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future prospects in adoptive identity theory and research.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the adoptive parents, adopted adolescents, and birth mothers who participated in the longitudinal Minnesota-Texas Adoption Research Project and who have contributed significantly to our understanding of adoptive identity. Funding for the Minnesota-Texas Adoption Research Project has come from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01-HD-049859), National Science Foundation (BCS-0443590), William T. Grant Foundation (7146), Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, Office of Population Affairs of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. During the preparation of this chapter, both authors were supported by funds from the Rudd Family Foundation Chair in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Thanks also to Holly Grant, Bibiana Koh, Hollee McGinnis, Danila Musante, Di Samek, and Susan Krauss Whitbourne, who provided comments on the first draft of this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    Harold D. Grotevant

  2. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA

    Lynn Von Korff

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  1. Harold D. Grotevant
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  2. Lynn Von Korff
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Correspondence to Harold D. Grotevant .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public He, University of Miami, N.W. 10th Avenue, Suite 321 1425, Miami, 33136, Florida, USA

    Seth J. Schwartz

  2. , Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    Koen Luyckx

  3. School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QH, United Kingdom

    Vivian L. Vignoles

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Grotevant, H.D., Von Korff, L. (2011). Adoptive Identity. In: Schwartz, S., Luyckx, K., Vignoles, V. (eds) Handbook of Identity Theory and Research. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7988-9_24

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