Adoption Relationships

The relationship between people involved in an adoption is configured in a triangle, called the adoption triad. This consists of the birth relatives, adoptive parents and the adoptee. Between these different parties is a complex dynamic linked to the other party involved.

Adoptees are what link adoptive and birth parents in the triad. They are the peak of the triangle shape and while in some families the interaction of the other two legs may only interact for the adoption, the adoptee may continue a relationship with both parents after he or she is an adult or if the adoption was left open post-placement.

The relationship between the birth and adoptive parents is connected by a straight line at base of the triad triangle. This is relevant if the adoptee was adopted as an infant, but otherwise the adoptive family may never meet the birth mother. Their relationship is what started the adoption process, but isn't expected to grow too far beyond the finalization, unless the child was adopted by kin.

A completed triangle may not always be the best representation of adoption relationships. Depending on what kind of relationship a child had with his or her biological family, developing relationships can be difficult. Children neglected at a young age are more likely to have trouble forming intimate attachments and may develop reactive attachment disorders that affect their ability to bond well into their adulthood.