Openness within adoption: challenges for child’s psychosocial development and self identity

ENWithin this paper open adoption as such is discussed with possible both positive and negative effects to those who are adopted or taken under the foster care. On the other hand openness within adoption in most cases is presented through positive side, when it is becoming increasingly common, especially due to a growing recognition of the benefits of allowing an adopted child to establish or maintain connections with the birth family. Although many studies have showed a relation between adoption and later difficulties, there is no clear evidence that adoption could cause behavioral problems in child's later development periods. However, many authors would argue that this process has much negative influence as well, especially dealing with adoptees ‘ self-identity formation, social attachment and communication with others: much of attention is paid to such children abilities to develop their own relations with other friends and mainly with step-parents; especially teenage period is stressed when identification challenges take over other developmental necessities and social bonds/attachment is developed. Thus the phenomenon of open adoption in the childhood is mainly presented in the context of its influence to a child's further psychosocial development and growth.