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A phenomenology of relinquishment as experienced by male adoptees

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dc.contributor.authorQuinn, Rose, author
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-13T20:12:30Z
dc.date.available2024-03-13T20:12:30Z
dc.date.issued2008
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this dissertation was to gain knowledge about men relinquished and adopted as infants through the stories they tell about themselves. The following research questions were addressed: What are the stories male adoptees are told and then tell others about their relinquishment and adoption? How do they understand their relinquishment? What are the effects of relinquishment and adoption on them and what are the specific times or events in their lives when being relinquished or adopted seem to be more noticeable? Seven men participated in this qualitative phenomenological study. Participants completed a short demographic survey and two personal interviews. All interviews were transcribed and data were analyzed for themes to address the research questions. All participants were told at a very young age they were adopted. Their stories about their relinquishment and adoption came from documents such as letters from birth parents, information from adoptive parents, and conversations with birth mothers. Participants did not express overt negative feelings toward themselves as a result of being adopted. However, they did have many questions about their true identity. Regarding the impact of adoption, the men stated that adoption was just part of their lives; however, it did make them feel their life experience was unique. Participants struggled to find ways to define the term "relinquishment," but all of the participants said that relinquishment was the right decision made by their birth parents and they did not feel "rejected" or "abandoned." Nearly all of the participants mentioned times in their lives when being relinquished/adopted did have an effect on them, such as becoming a parent and reaching the age of their birth parents. The participants had different backgrounds, different ways of being parented, but had similar life stories.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierETDF_Quinn_2008_3321304.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/237915
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
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dc.rights.licensePer the terms of a contractual agreement, all use of this item is limited to the non-commercial use of Colorado State University and its authorized users.
dc.subjectadoption
dc.subjectadult
dc.subjectmale
dc.subjectmen
dc.subjectphenomenological
dc.subjectqualitative
dc.subjectrelinquishment
dc.subjectsocial studies education
dc.subjectdevelopmental psychology
dc.subjectgender studies
dc.titleA phenomenology of relinquishment as experienced by male adoptees
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

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