Patterns and Predictors of Adoption Openness and Contact: 14 Years Postadoption

Increased attention is being paid to open adoption arrangements between birth parents and adopted children and families. This study examines openness and contact among 469 adoptions at 14 years postadoption from the fourth wave of the California Long-Range Adoption Study (CLAS) and 378 adoptions matched across all waves. The proportion of families reporting contact declined from Wave 3 (1997) to Wave 4 (2003) although contacts increased within open adoptions. Positive ratings of the contact's effect on the family increased the likelihood of contact between adoptive and birth families, although greater levels of overall satisfaction lowered the likelihood of openness over time. At any point in time, public agency adoptions were less likely to be open. Findings suggest that increased attention should be paid within agencies to how open arrangements are pursued for adoptive placements.