Coming Out of the Adoptive Closet

Coming Out of the Adoptive Closet explores the social disclosure patterns of adoptive parents, giving voice to the "everyday life" of adoptive families. In previous generations, parents often chose to keep the adoption experience hidden with an "adoptive closet." This qualitative study, utilizing interviews with 43 adoptive couples, explores the social disclosure of adoptive information by a new generation of adoptive parents. Focus is given to issues of social perception, individual development, family development, and family presentation strategies.