Decision Making and the Adoption Process for American Families of Chinese Children: An Application of Rational Choice Theory

Interviews were conducted with 20 parents in the US who have adopted one or more children from China. The study focuses on the motivation to adopt, decision making regarding adoption and the process in relation to rational choice theory. The interviews also inquired about their required adoption trip to China and the post-adoption adjustment phase including bonding and developmental delays, as well as about why families chose to adopt from China, how they learned about the adoption agency they used and whether or not they knew families that had adopted internationally and more specifically from China. This information provided insight into the way that families obtained information that helped them reach important decisions throughout the adoption process.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Department dc:contributor.department

Sociology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Bryant, Monica Raye

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Bayer, Alan E.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Fuller, Theodore D.
• Wimberley, Dale W.

• Rational Choice Theory
• Intercountry Adoption
• China
• Adoption

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05092001-162030

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32411