Adoption in the Family

From: Yearning for family transcends borders, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek,
California), August 6, 2006 Sunday, STATE AND REGIONAL NEWS, 20060806-CC-0806-
Yearning-for-family-transcends-borders, 4059 words, Jackie Burrell, Contra Costa Times,
Walnut Creek, Calif.

This article focuses on the shift to overseas adoption in American families. It cites certain statistics but does not show how they were actually collected.There were no indications as to the quality or methods of these statistics. The article does not seem to have any specific theory, but it does have the overall feeling that international adoption is a positive thing, both for the American families and the orphans that are being adopted.

From: A Taste of Family Life in U.S., but Adoption Is in Limbo , The New York Times, January
13, 2007 Saturday, Late Edition - Final, Section A; Column 1; National Desk; Pg. 1, 2107
words, By JANE GROSS, TERRYVILLE, Conn.

This article focuses on the increasing difficulty in international adoption because of technicalities, fraud and beauracracy. There are again some statistics cited but no method as to how they were collected, though it seems to have been from an employee from an American adoption agency knowledgeable in the system. The article does not focus on facts as much as it does on the feelings and dealings of international adoption. There are many personal accounts. It is more qualitative than quantitative.

From: The other mother: Birth mothers don't get respect, support for selfless act, Tulsa World
(Oklahoma), December 3, 2006 Sunday, LIFESTYLE, 20061203-TU-1203-The-other-
mother, 1405 words, Jennifer Chancellor, Tulsa World, Okla.

In this article there are no statistics, it focuses on the emotional challenges of the birth mother while going through the process. It also defends these mothers and calls for some change and proliferation in the available counseling for these women. There is no underlying theory or practice in this article, but it focuses on the well being of the birth mothers. It a way of bringing attention to emotional health of these birth mothers.

From: Growing family, Tulsa World (Oklahoma), November 5, 2006 Sunday, Final Home
Edition, Family; Pg. D1, 1639 words, JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer

This artcle, like the one above, is not statistcally based, it is more of a personal account of the growing families in America. It shows one account of a family that had its own biological children and then decided that adoption was a good continuation. There are no statistics and no underlying theory, only personal accounts.

From: Madonna Overseas Adoption Follows Trend, Associated Press Online, October 19, 2006
Thursday 9:57 PM GMT, , ENTERTAINMENT NEWS, 1216 words, By JOCELYN NOVECK,
AP National Writer, NEW YORK

This article can be seen in conjunction with the article titled Yearning for family transcends borders. It focuses on the increasing trend of overseas adoptions and how this affects the family dynamics in the US. It turns families multicultural and multiracial. This specific article does have some statistics but does not reveal the source or method of acquisition. It shows this overseas adoption as a popular trend and publicized through celebrities. There does not seem to be any underlying theory or practice.

In all of these articles cited there is a deficit in statistical information or sources of statistics. It seems one must take the facts in these articles at face values, but regardless it the focus of the articles is not the statistical information within them. They all focus on more personal accounts. It is evident that in some of the articles the author seems to have some bias, as in the article pertaining to birth mothers. The author is clearly an advocate for more counseling and some type of transition from open adoptions. In general, all the articles focused on the adoption of children, and more specifically on overseas adoptions and how that changes the family dynamic. Again they are not particularly quantitative reports but more qualitative personal accounts. It is not correct to say that these few personal accounts can represent all experience in adoption, nor should one think of these articles in that light. Rather, I feel these articles can be taken for what they are: accounts of positive and negative experiences with adoption, both domestic and international. But the overall attitude towards adoption in these five articles seem to be a positive one.