Understanding how adoptees see themselves in the relationship with their adoptive parents : an interpretative phenomenological analysis : a qualitative study

Abstract

This study aims to explore in depth the lived experience of adoptees’ relationship with their adoptive parents from the perspective of the adoptees. In-depth interviews with the adoptees were conducted with three participants. They were two females and one male and their ages ranged from twenty till sixty. Moreover, they had been adopted by few months after birth. One of the participants was a married grandmother. The research methodology that guided this study was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). After the interviews were transcribed, three superordinate themes, which were: “Dealing with Powerful Emotions that Affect the Relationship with the Adoptive Parents”, “A Good Relationship with the Adoptive Parents, With Some Challenges” and “Building a Relationship with the Biological Family”. This study sheds light on how the adoptees perceive their relationship with their adoptive parents throughout the years. Moreover, an indication on the adoptees’ feelings towards their biological family can be found. This study also includes a discussion on limitations of study and recommendations for future research practice.