A Mother’s Story: Phenomenological Study of Adoptive Mothers’ Experiences

Abstract

This thesis reports on an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of adoptive mothers’ experiences of raising a child who has previously experienced maltreatment. Six mothers from Edmonton and the surrounding area participated in the study. They all had adopted a child in government care who had previously experienced maltreatment. Six unstructured interviews were conducted and analyzed, gaining insight into mothers’ experiences of the adoption process, parenting a maltreated child, managing past caregivers, the nature of and relationship with systems and supports, mothers’ internal worldview, how mothers view themselves, and their emotional and psychological reactions. It is hoped that this study will positively impact social work practice, policy, and future research.