At a recent conference, someone asked: “Are there actual studies that prove open adoption is good for children?”
In this episode of Let’s Talk Adoption, Heather and Kim dive into the research and share findings from decades of studies on open adoption.
We’ll explore what the evidence shows about benefits for adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents — and also talk honestly about the challenges and situations where openness may not be possible or wise.
If you’ve ever wondered whether open adoption is just a trend or a well-supported practice, this episode brings clarity and balance straight from the research.
References
- Grotevant, H. D., & McRoy, R. G. (1998). Openness in adoption: Exploring family connections. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Siegel, D. H. (1993). Open adoption of infants: Adoptive parents’ perceptions of advantages and disadvantages. Social Work, 38(1), 15–25.
- Siegel, D. H. (2003). Open adoption of infants: Adoptive parents’ feelings seven years later. Social Work, 48(3), 409–419.
- Siegel, D. H. (2012). Growing up in open adoption: Young adults’ perspectives. Families in Society, 93(2), 133–139.
- Brodzinsky, D. (2006). Family structural openness and communication openness as predictors in the adjustment of adopted children. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 23(2), 163–183.
- Siegel, D. H. (2008, 2013). Additional longitudinal studies on adoptive parents and open adoption outcomes.