Down the Rabbit Hole: The Mental Health Implications of Adoption Trauma on People Adopted at Birth
Keywords:
adopted, mental health, research, social work practiceAbstract
The mental health impact of adoption on people adopted at birth has been largely neglected in social work research and literature. Authored from my perspective as a clinical social worker experiencing reunion with my birth family, seeking guidance, and coming up empty, I explore the relationship between adoption, trauma, and mental health, challenging the perception that adoption is singularly and only good. I propose a framework, the Adoption Trauma Spectrum, from which mental health professionals and adoptees can better understand adoption trauma. This framework suggests adoption trauma may occur across the spectrum of human development, potentially affecting bonding, individuation, and relationship and attachment styles. This paper emphasizes the need for more research on the impact of adoption trauma on people adopted at birth and identifies implications for future research on adoption related issues such as the psychosocial impact of at-home DNA testing on adoptees, first families, and adoptive families.
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