Cutoffs, Estrangements, and Complex Adoptive Families

Transracial adoptions connect children with “forever families,” however narratives from adopted individuals reveal that adoptive families are not always for forever. Relationships among adoptees and their adoptive parents shift as adoptees move from childhood through adulthood. Those shifts can result in altered perspectives and changes in family dynamics. As members of the adult adoptee community, researchers, and clinicians, we will present our study on estrangement in adoptive families. We asked: 1) how do adopted individuals experience estrangement? and (2) what are the precursors to, and implications of, estrangement? We will present preliminary findings and gather input and insights from attendees.