Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:900-904
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
The effects of the sealed record in adoption
AD Sorosky, A Baran and R Pannor
The authors found that 40 of 50 adult adoptees who had reunions with their
birth parents found the experience satisfying. Only 10% of the birth
parents reacted adversely, although negative response were somewhat more
common among the adoptive parents. These findings confirm the author's
belief that adoption practices, which in all but 4 states include permanent
sealing of birth records, should be changed to recognize the life-long
nature of adoption. Their recommendations include opening the records for
adult adoptees, creation of agencies to be available to provide assistance
and counseling for all involved (adoptees, their adoptive parents, and
birth parents), and consideration of new adoption methods that would not
require biological parents to forever relinquish their child and all
knowledge of him/her at adoption.
