Keiser University Adoption Issues and Nature vs Nurture Questions

Adoption has become a more prevalent and supported method of beginning or continuing a family unit in our society. After reading pages 60-63 in your textbook and conducting your own research, answer the following questions regarding adoption and the emotional impact on the adopted child and family. 

*What is the impact of nature and nurture in the development of an adopted child?
*Is there a difference in the effect on the child based on adoption in infancy vs. later childhood?
*What is the difference in open and closed adoption and what are the potential outcomes or benefits of each?

Helpful Resources:

https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/f_adimpact.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804559/ 

Respond to two peers

peer 1 n Marie Allen 

Week 1 Discussion

COLLAPSE

Good evening Dr. Razo and Classmates,

Adoption Issues and Nature vs Nurture 

         Adoption is another way that people can nurture children as their own, especially when they are unable to do so biologically. While joyful for the adopted parents, the process of adoption can cause a multitude of emotions for birth parents and children; such as grief, loss, rejection, and identity issues. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). Nature and nurture are both important to the development of adopted children. Nature refers to genetic traits from birth, and nurture describes their environments and experiences over time. Physical attributes and socialization before adoption can partially shape the child’s identity, impacting overall behaviors. While the adopted environment can have significant impact because the child may be exposed to unfamiliar cultures, values, and norms. Therefore, the child’s age and the type of adoption determines how they are impacted, and how they respond to their new family and society overall (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). Adoption during infancy can lead to a smooth transition, and a stronger bond with their adoptive family, because the infant spent little or no time with biological parents and will not recall a previous family; thus, is able to form a stronger bond with their adoptive parents. However, adoption later in childhood can be harder because they have already learned the dynamics of their biological family making it hard to adjust to their new family (Santrock et al., 2021). 

         An open adoption occurs when the biological parents can select the adoptive parents and choose to maintain an ongoing relationship. This can be beneficial for everyone involved; the adopted child can keep a connection with their birth family; learn of their background and heritage and have a sense of security. Furthermore, both sets of parents can work together to ensure the child’s needs are adequately met (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). Open adoption can have drawbacks such as conflicting parental views that can lead to tension. Also, as the child grows older, balancing both families can be hard, causing them to develop a confused identity and self-esteem issues. However, in closed adoption, there is no contact between the birth and adoptive parents. This can be beneficial for the adoptive family, as they can focus on raising the child without communicating with their biological parents. Furthermore, this lessens the potential for conflicting views between the two families and confusion for the child (Pediatric Child Health, 2001). 

         WC 369 

References 

Child Welfare Information Gateway (n.d.). The Impact of Adoption. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/factsheets_families_adoptionimpact.pdf 

Pediatric Child Health. (2001) Understanding adoption: A developmental approach. 6(5):281-91. doi: 10.1093/pch/6.5.281.  

Santrock, J. W. (2021). Children (15th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 

peer 2 1 day ago

Ashley Bahamonde 

Week 1 Discussion

COLLAPSE

Greetings class,

           I believe that an adopted child will always show their genes no matter what because it is in their DNA, and it is nature. The nurture side of it depends on the environment that the child grows up in. When the child is adopted, the child could start doing things and start acting like the adoptive family does. That is nurture because it is a sign of how that adopted child is being raised. It is harder for an infant to understand adoption later in their life than it is for a child who is older, or in other words, at another stage (Understanding adoption: A developmental approach, 2001). In a closed adoption, the child will not be aware of their family history, while in an open adoption, the adoptee’s biological parents will continue to be in contact with their child. (What Is the Difference Between an Open and Closed Adoption, 2020).

           The outcomes and benefits will depend on the case. The good thing about an open adoption is that your child will grow up in peace knowing who there biological parents are and they may even have good contact with them as they grow up (What Is the Difference Between an Open and Closed Adoption, 2020). The bad part about an open adoption is that the new parents of the adopted child may feel as if “the child is theirs but not really theirs,” if that makes sense. In a closed adoption, the adoptee’s new parents will have no need to communicate with anyone other than their child because no other information exists (What Is the Difference Between an Open and Closed Adoption, 2020). For some parents this may seem like the best option but for their adopted child it could be very rough and very heartbreaking as they start asking questions in the future.

WC: 306

References

Understanding adoption: A developmental approach. (2001). Pediatrics & child health, 6(5), 281–291. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/6.5.281

What Is the Difference Between an Open and Closed Adoption? (2020, November 18). Adoption.org. https://adoption.org/what-is-the-difference-between-an-open-and-closed-adoption