Comparison of Parent–Child Relationship and Parental Acceptance in Adoptive Families and Families with Biological Children
Keywords:
parent–child relationship, parental acceptance, adoptive family, family with biological childrenAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to compare the parent–child relationship and parental acceptance in adoptive families and families with biological children.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a descriptive, causal-comparative research design. The statistical population consisted of parents with biological children and adoptive parents in Tehran in 2025. A total of 150 parents (75 adoptive parents and 75 parents with biological children) were selected as the research sample through convenience non-random sampling. To conduct the study, the Pianta Parent–Child Relationship Scale (2011) and the Parental Acceptance Questionnaire by Protter (PPAS) were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
Findings: The results indicated that the mean difference between the groups in parental acceptance was statistically significant in favor of adoptive families compared to families with biological children (p < .01). However, this difference in the parent–child relationship between adoptive families and families with biological children was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that parental acceptance is higher in adoptive families than in families with biological children.
Downloads
References
Aghakeshmiri, A., Soleimanian, A., & Golpich, Z. (2024). An Integrative Parenting Program for Adoptive Families: A Mixed-method Study. Journal of Practice in Clinical Psychology, 12(2), 137-152. https://doi.org/10.32598/jpcp.12.2.924.1
Al Taqatqa, F. A. S. (2022). Relationship between Parental Acceptance and Social Interaction of Children with ASD. Clin Schizophr Relat Psychoses(S), 2022. https://doi.org/10.3371/CSRP.AFAS.093022
Babakhani, P., & Sobhi Gharamelaki, N. (2024). Comparing Anxiety, Feelings of Loneliness, and Quality of Life in Single Women with and without Adopted Children. Journal of Family and Health, 14(42), 163-175. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Ceballo, R., Lansford, J. E., Abbey, A., & Stewart, A. J. (2020). Parenting in adoptive families: Examining relationship quality and adjustment outcomes. Child development, 91(3), 987-1002. https://www.sciencedirect.com
Coburn, J. (2022). Parental Warmth and Disciplinary Strategies in Two-Parent-Adoptive and Biological Families. https://search.proquest.com
Dehqan Manshadi, M., Fallah Mohammad, H., Sadrpoushan, N., & Mohammadi, F. (2024). Exploring the Psychological Experiences of Infertile Couples with Adopted Children. Health Dawn, 23(4), 80-101. https://tbj.ssu.ac.ir
Dunst, C. J. (2023). Meta-Analyses of the Relationships between Family Systems Practices, Parents' Psychological Health, and Parenting Quality. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20, 6723. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186723
Feeney, J. A., & Passmore, N. L. (2020). Adoption and attachment: Implications for parenting and child development. Developmental Psychology, 56(5), 843-857. https://www.sciencedirect.com
Firas Ahmad Saleem Al, T. (2022). Parents' acceptance and children's attachment security: A cross-cultural analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 35(2), 245-260. https://www.tandfonline.com
Gholami, M., Amir Mohajeri Mir, M., & Haghighian, M. (2021). Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experience of Single Women over 30 Years Old from Parenting-Related Lifestyle. Islamic Lifestyle, 5(3), 118-128. https://synapse.koreamed.org
Goldberg, A. E., & Smith, J. Z. (2022). Parenting and child outcomes in adoptive versus biological families: A comparative analysis. Journal of marriage and family, 84(1), 112-130. https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Gorla, L., Fusco, C., & Santona, A. (2023). A Retrospective Study on Adoptive Parenthood in the First Year after the Adoption: The Role of Parents' Attachment and Empathy on Communicative Openness. Healthcare, 11, 3128. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243128
Gorrela, M. G. Y. W. L. M., & Dozier. (2023). Adoption bonding and empathy in the first year. Journal of Family Psychology. , 37(1), 88–104. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001059
Hornstra, M., Kalmijn, M., & Ivanova, K. (2023). Dissonant relationships to biological parents and stepparents and the well-being of adult children. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(2), 215-230. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/02654075211031984
Hossein Ali Biki, A., & Esmaeili, M. (2020). Developing a Preparation Program for Adopting a Child: A Qualitative Study. Islamic Lifestyle Centered on Health, 4(2), 62-71. https://www.islamiilife.com
Khadami, A., & Hajizadeh Mimanadi, M. (2024). Understanding the Challenges of Adoption in Shiraz. Studies in Psychology and Educational Sciences, 10(1), 801-823. https://www.cureus.com
Liao, M., Ying, R., & Zhou, S. (2021). The influence of parent-child relationship on the academic pressure of elementary students: A moderated mediation model. Science Insights Education Frontiers, 9(1), 1161-1182. https://doi.org/10.15354/sief.21.or035
Rato, M. P. P., & Canavarro, M. C. (2023). Exploring the association between adoptive parents' attachment orientations and adoptees' emotional and behavioral difficulties: The role of parents' self-compassion and mindful parenting Master's thesis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra]. https://www.sciencedirect.com
Shariati, L., Askari-Nadoshan, A., & Rouhani, A. (2020). Adoption in the Mirror of Others: A Grounded Theory Study on Parents' Experiences with Normative Pressures of Adoption. Letter of the Iranian Demographic Association, 15(30), 167-201. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0193945909351299
Zanchettin, L., Tallandini, M. A., Gronchi, G., Zito, G., Ricci, G., & Russo, L. R. (2022). The quality of parenting in reproductive donation families: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 45(6), 1296-1312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.08.099
Zeegers, M. A. J., Colonnesi, C., Noom, M. J., Polderman, N., & Stam, G. J. J. M. (2022). Remediating child attachment insecurity: Evaluating the basic trust intervention in adoptive families. Attachment & Human Development, 24(2), 192-212. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2021.1964531
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sara Zamani, Roodabeh Hoshmandi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
