Study Investigates Post-Adoption Depression

Becoming a parent is both a joyful and a stressful experience, whether parenthood is attained through biological or legal means. Just as a biological mother may experience Postpartum depression, adoptive parents may also experience Post-adoption depression. A study at the Purdue University investigated the causes of Post-adoption depression, and found that unmet and unrealistic expectations lie at the root of the condition.

“People often hear about postpartum blues when having a baby, but the emotional well-being of adoptive parents once the child is placed in the home is not really talked about. In this study, the majority of the adoptive parents who self-reported having experienced depression after the child was placed in their home often described unmet or unrealistic expectations of him or herself, the child, family and friends, or society,” said Karen J. Foli, an assistant professor of nursing and an adoptive mother.

The full article goes into detail about the nature of adoptive parents’ expectations. Do you think that the stresses of adoptive parents are comparable to those of biological parents? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below!