Abstract

RESMINI, Gabriela de Faria et al. When Strangers Become Parents and Children: Bonding in Late Adoption. Gerais, Rev. Interinst. Psicol. [online]. 2023, vol.16, n.1, e19193.  Epub Jan 20, 2025. ISSN 1983-8220.  https://doi.org/10.36298/gerais202316e19193.

In this study, we sought to understand, retrospectively, the initial bonding experiences of families formed by late adoption. Participants were adoptive parents, aged 36 to 56 years, who had adopted children aged 3 to 5 years. Data collection was performed via a focus group and semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis resulted in five main themes: the beginning of the bond, the feeling of insecurity, the search for similarities, the desire to return the children, and the reactions of the children to the bonding process. As a result, participants expressed satisfaction with adoption and with their children. It was observed that, while the parents endured the initial difficulties, they gradually built the bond with their children and experienced the sensation of becoming parents. Notably, this study advances in relation to the existing literature by exploring the experience of parents in cases of late adoption.

Keywords : Late adoption; Adoptive parenting; Bonds in adoption.

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