Adoption Breakdown: Concept, Research, and Implications. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Palacios, Jesús; Rolock, Nancy; Selwyn, Julie; Barbosa-Ducharne, Maria
• Other Names: Palacios Jesús guest-editor.; Rolock Nancy guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Research on social work practice. Volume 29:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 130
• Page End: 142
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: adoption -- adopted children -- adoptive families -- adoption disruption -- adoption dissolution -- adoption breakdown; Social service -- Periodicals; 361.3205
• DOI: 10.1177/1049731518783852
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-7315

Abstract

Purpose: A rich and heterogeneous body of knowledge about adoption breakdown has accumulated in recent years. The goal of this article is to review the existing research literature on the topic. Method: A comprehensive review of journal articles, book chapters, and technical reports addressing the issue of adoption breakdown was conducted. Results: Terminological and methodological difficulties are discussed before the main findings about the incidence of adoption breakdown are presented. A detailed examination of the child, parent, and support and service characteristics associated with the breakdown experience follows. The review ends with the analysis of some policy and practice implications, as well as with suggestions about how to increase and improve the study of adoption breakdown. Discussion: Although research into adoption breakdown has achieved a considerable progress in recent years, improvements are still needed in both the basic research and the applied implications domains.