Family histories, family stories and family secrets: Late discoveries of being adopted

Gary Clapton

doi:10.3390/genealogy5040105

Family histories, family stories and family secrets: Late discoveries of being adopted

Gary Clapton^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Social and Political Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper reviews what we know about the experiences of adopted people who discover in later-life that they are adopted. It begins by discussing how and why various facets of the adoption experience have come to the fore over the 20th and 21st century time span of contemporary adoption. The paper concludes with the fact that research on the late discovery of adoption is in its infancy. It also points to parallels that will exist for people who have been conceived by anonymous donation and raises additional areas for possible research.

Original language	English
Article number	105
Pages (from-to)	1-7
Number of pages	7
Journal	Genealogy
Volume	5
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy5040105
Publication status	Published - 8 Dec 2021

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

adoption
late-discovery
family secrets
shock and losses

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10.3390/genealogy5040105Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

ClaptonGenealogy2021FamilyHistoriesFamilyStoriesFinal published version, 199 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

Cite this

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Family histories, family stories and family secrets: Late discoveries of being adopted

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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