The purpose of this quantitative research project was to examine what services birthparents identified as needed prior to the adoption and post-adoption, what mental health issues and symptoms they are facing, and what the impact of adoption is on birthparents. Data were gathered through an online quantitative survey that relied on a convenient, purposive, and snowball sampling. The surveys were distributed through various birthparent support group websites, and Facebook pages and groups. Results of the research showed that participants that placed a child for adoption prior to 1990 had less access to services than those participants whose adoption occurred after 1990. However, participants in both year groups valued and wanted therapy/counseling, case management services, and support groups equally. The most common mental health symptoms among participants were depression and generalized anxiety and the majority of participants felt that their adoption experience contributed to their mental health symptoms. With this comprehensive understanding, adoption professionals can tailor pre and post-adoption services to meet the unique mental health needs of birthparents.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this quantitative research project was to examine what services birthparents identified as needed prior to the adoption and post-adoption, what mental health issues and symptoms they are facing, and what the impact of adoption is on birthparents. Data were gathered through an online quantitative survey that relied on a convenient, purposive, and snowball sampling. The surveys were distributed through various birthparent support group websites, and Facebook pages and groups. Results of the research showed that participants that placed a child for adoption prior to 1990 had less access to services than those participants whose adoption occurred after 1990. However, participants in both year groups valued and wanted therapy/counseling, case management services, and support groups equally. The most common mental health symptoms among participants were depression and generalized anxiety and the majority of participants felt that their adoption experience contributed to their mental health symptoms. With this comprehensive understanding, adoption professionals can tailor pre and post-adoption services to meet the unique mental health needs of birthparents.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tebben, Megan Krystine"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Social Work","degree_level":"Restricted Thesis: Campus only access","degree_discipline":"School of Social Work","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Cory Dennis"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:52:37Z","subjects":["adoption","birthparents","post-adoption","mental health","birth parents","Social Work"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/90","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Cory Dennis"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tebben, Megan Krystine"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-05-15T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["School of Social Work"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Restricted Thesis: Campus only access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Social Work"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["adoption","birthparents","post-adoption","mental health","birth parents","Social Work"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/90"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this quantitative research project was to examine what services birthparents identified as needed prior to the adoption and post-adoption, what mental health issues and symptoms they are facing, and what the impact of adoption is on birthparents. Data were gathered through an online quantitative survey that relied on a convenient, purposive, and snowball sampling. The surveys were distributed through various birthparent support group websites, and Facebook pages and groups. Results of the research showed that participants that placed a child for adoption prior to 1990 had less access to services than those participants whose adoption occurred after 1990. However, participants in both year groups valued and wanted therapy/counseling, case management services, and support groups equally. The most common mental health symptoms among participants were depression and generalized anxiety and the majority of participants felt that their adoption experience contributed to their mental health symptoms. With this comprehensive understanding, adoption professionals can tailor pre and post-adoption services to meet the unique mental health needs of birthparents.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["BIRTHPARENTS’ IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR PRE AND POST ADOPTION SERVICES: IMPACT ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Cory Dennis"],"dc:creator":["Tebben, Megan Krystine"],"dc:date.available":["2014-05-15T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this quantitative research project was to examine what services birthparents identified as needed prior to the adoption and post-adoption, what mental health issues and symptoms they are facing, and what the impact of adoption is on birthparents. Data were gathered through an online quantitative survey that relied on a convenient, purposive, and snowball sampling. The surveys were distributed through various birthparent support group websites, and Facebook pages and groups. Results of the research showed that participants that placed a child for adoption prior to 1990 had less access to services than those participants whose adoption occurred after 1990. However, participants in both year groups valued and wanted therapy/counseling, case management services, and support groups equally. The most common mental health symptoms among participants were depression and generalized anxiety and the majority of participants felt that their adoption experience contributed to their mental health symptoms. With this comprehensive understanding, adoption professionals can tailor pre and post-adoption services to meet the unique mental health needs of birthparents.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/90"],"dc:subject":["adoption","birthparents","post-adoption","mental health","birth parents","Social Work"],"dc:title":["BIRTHPARENTS’ IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR PRE AND POST ADOPTION SERVICES: IMPACT ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["School of Social Work"],"thesis:degree_level":["Restricted Thesis: Campus only access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Social Work"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:52:37Z"}