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Grandparent News
Grandparents Relate to Adopted Grandchildren the
Same as Biological
Knowing of this complete acceptance may lead more
to opt for adoption
April 16, 2007 If your son or daughter adopts a
child, do you relate to that child the same as you would to a biological
grandchild? Yes, you would, according to new research conducted at Haifa
School of Social Work.
This research is unique in the field in that it
evaluated adoptive relationships from the viewpoint of grandparents;
previous research examined relationships from the viewpoint of parents
and children.
Fifteen grandparents between the ages of 59 and 90
participated in the research which was conducted by Ms. Nira Degani
under the supervision of Prof. Ariela Lowenstein and Dr. Eli Buchbinder
of the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies at the University of
Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
The research identified five stages in the
development of emotional relationships between grandparents and their
adopted grandchildren.
> In the first stage, a grandparent views his
adopted grandchild as a solution to the anguish caused by his son's or
daughter's inability to bring a child into a world.
> In the second stage, while a strong emotional
connection is still absent, the grandparent looks to rationalize the
adoption and convinces himself that his children have saved a child that
may otherwise have been left uncared for.
> The third stage of emotional development is
marked by a superficial emotional connection.
> In the fourth stage, the grandparent accepts the
child as in integral part of the multi-generational family.
> In the final stage fifth stage, grandparents
begin to express concern that when their adopted grandchild turns 18, he
will begin to search for details about his biological family and may
chose to establish a relationship with them and abandon his adoptive
family. According to Degani, this stage demonstrates that the
grandparents see their adopted grandchild as an inseparable member of
the family.
Degani explains that the results of this research
can benefit many couples who cannot bring children into the world and
continue to undergo difficult fertility treatments.
"Today, in many cases, couples can undergo
unlimited fertility treatments and they continue the physically and
emotionally straining treatments, often out of concern for their
parents' reaction to the idea of adoption, she said.
Continuing treatment often harms both the physical
and emotional health of couples and may even lead to break-up of a
relationship. I believe that if couples know they will have the support
of their families and complete acceptance of an adopted child, many will
prefer to end the difficult course of fertility treatments and opt for
adoption."
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