Adopted Persons' Search for and Contact with Their Birth Parents I

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article presents a critical review of different lines of empirical research on adopted persons' search for their birth parents and identifies questions and issues that are in need of further study. The review covers research on the demographic and psychological characteristics of searchers and their motives for searching. Research findings are also used to evaluate the validity of three different theoretical frameworks that have been offered as explanations for why adopted persons search for their birth parents. Key Words: Adoptionsearchbirth parentsadoptive parentsoutcomes