Family Matters: Secrecy and Disclosure in the History of Adoption
From this American's feelings about biological kinship versus
socially constructed families are analyzed, as well as the stigma
of adoption - used at times to promote openess and secrecy. Finally
suspect psychoanalytic concepts such as "genetic
bewilderment", and bogus medical terms, such as "adopted
child syndrome", that paints all parties of adoption as
psychologically damaged are examined.
This book offers a comprehensive review of the history of secrecy and disclosure in adoption in the United States. The focus of the book is an examination of the historical context of the current practice of closed adoption records.--Carol Baumann "Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic "
