Unpacking Beliefs and Representations Surrounding Adoptive Families in Italy

Abstract

Being an adoptive family member could be challenging, especially if the social context conveys unrealistic representations. In Italy, few studies explored socially shared beliefs about adoptive families. We investigated how adoptive parents and adopted children are perceived within the Italian context and whether attitudes toward adoptive and biological parenthood are different. 630 participants who were not part of adoptive families completed an ad hoc questionnaire exploring adoption-related beliefs, the Semantic Differential Scale, and the Couples Ratings Scale after reading vignettes about biological and adoptive parenthood. Our results showed positive views of adoptive parents, high concerns about the social support for adoptive families, and high worries about physical and sexual abuse for biological families. These results are an important first step toward understanding adoption-related socially shared representations in Italy, with the final aim of preventing negative behaviors toward adoptive families.