OPENNESS IN ADOPTION - EXPERIENCES AND SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES AMONG BIRTH MOTHERS

This article describes the experiences of young, American birth mother s with regard to openness in adoption process and arrangement. General ly, larger proportions of the sample have experienced moderate, or sem i-open, arrangements than those involving direct contact with the adop tive family The associations between these experiences and a series of social psychological outcomes are examined at four years post-relinqu ishment. The data reveal that features of open adoption, e.g., visitin g/phoning the adoptive family, have strong associations with long-term , positive outcomes for birth mothers. Perhaps equally important is th e finding that several moderately open features which do not require d irect or ongoing contact between birth mothers and adoptive families, e.g., birth mothers having a role in choosing the adoptive couple, are also strongly associated with positive outcomes. Policy implications are discussed.