Two maternal representations - A study of Israeli adopted children

Using an object relations perspective, the representations of birth and ado pted mothers in a sample of 52 nonreferred adoptees were studied. To better understand the specific effects of adoption on the construction of 2 mater nal representations, birth and adoptive maternal representation of adopted children was compared with that of nonadopted children. In addition, the ef fect of incongruous representations of birth and adoptive mothers on adopte es' externalizing and internalizing behavior; was explored. Compared with n onadopted children, adoptees' representations of the mothers appear as more concrete and less benign. Among adopted children, representations of the b irth mothers were found to contain split negative aspects of the adoptive m others. Moreover, the differences between birth and adoptive mother represe ntations were found to associate with adoptees' externalizing behaviors.