If there was malpractice surrounding your adoption - experiences of adoptees

Because participating adoptees were already adults, malpractice had generally occurred more than 20 years ago, especially prior to their adoption in the country of origin and/or during the adoption process. The adoptees often discovered them later in life, for example during searches. 

The adoptees indicated that malpractice in intercountry adoption had a major impact on their emotional well-being. It often caused long-term problems in multiple areas, especially in the areas of trauma, identity development and relationships. For example, problems with self-esteem, attachment, fear of abandonment and grief were mentioned. It also had an effect on their own parenting. 

No words for it

Several adoptees indicated that it was very difficult to be heard. Because malpractice in adoption did not fit the positive story surrounding adoption, this was often not recognized in society. The narrative that the adoptee should be grateful often overshadowed the complex and ambivalent experiences that adoptees struggled with. This placed an additional burden on the adoptees. They sometimes could not understand why they had emotional and physical reactions, there was no recognition and no language to understand this and interpret their own experiences. Sometimes the discovery of malpractice also caused tension within the adoptive family, where it could lead to the adoptive parents feeling guilty or to conflict. 

Mourning

There was often little understanding and recognition of the adoptees' mourning for their losses, and no permission was given, as it were. In addition, mourning around a first family, where you also have a lack of information about this family, and mourning around the loss of a cultural context within a family that does not have this, are extra complicated.

Lack of information

A common thread in many stories was the feeling of injustice due to a lack of correct information about the background. The lack of correct information perpetuated an ongoing identity conflict. People felt that the lack of their own history violated their right to identity and that a fundamental human right had been taken away from them. Correct information and accessibility to it was therefore very important.

What do you need?

The adoptees appeared to have a strong need for social recognition that they were victims of malpractice. 

The importance of psychological help and counseling was emphasized in being able to accept and process the fact that malpractice had occurred. Also that there may be room for sadness and a lack of clear answers. The complexity and specificity of adoption-related problems requires high-quality and specialized adoption aftercare, both for the adoptees and their adoptive parents. Reunions can be complicated and confusing, partly because stories do not fit together, because information is missing and because there may be differences in expectations and cultural frameworks. 

In addition, people also indicated that they needed support with medical matters, administrative matters (especially during the search), legal matters and finances. In addition, the importance of malpractice prevention in current intercountry adoption was mentioned. 

The majority of adoptees emphasized the importance of good relationships within the adoptive family when malpractice had been discovered. The family could be an unconditional source of support and strength for the adoptee. Contacts with fellow sufferers were also very valuable, including for sharing experiences and realizing that you were not the only one. 

Villanueva O'Driscoll, J., Jaspers, Y., & Vanspauwen, N. (2022). Transnational Adoption: A Curse or a Blessing? The Psychosocial Impact of Malpractices in Transnational Adoption on Adoptees. Adoption Quarterly , 1-30.

Summary Gera ter Meulen, 2023