Mental health aspects of adoption and the role of mental health professionals: A Narrative review

Abstract

Background: Adoption is the process through, which a child who is orphaned, abandoned, or surrendered is legally provided with parents who are not the biological parents of the child, thus ensures to ensure the child's care and wellbeing. During the process of adoption and thereof, both adoptees and prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) face several psychosocial challenges. Assessment and timely intervention for these issues are paramount for the successful culmination of the adoption better longterm outcome. Aim: This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the adoption process in India, the psychological challenges faced by adoptees and adoptive parents, the role of mental health professionals, and future directions on this topic. Methods: For the current narrative review, a thorough literature search was performed using the PubMed and Google-scholar databases, along with a grey-literature search by visiting the websites of the relevant agencies, such Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India. The key terms used were adoption, mental health issues, adoptees, prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), and mental health professionals (MHPs). Results: Adoption is a difficult family construct that often gets neglected. India's legal framework for adoption is limited by delays in declaring children legally free for adoption and the lack of mental health assessments for adoptive parents. Adopted children face complex psychosocial challenges, with higher rates of externalizing behaviors, yet well-designed community-based studies are lacking. Strengthening multidisciplinary policies and mental health support is crucial for improving adoption-related outcomes. Conclusion: The current research adds to the limited literature on this topic. This paper can sensitize MHPs, PAPs, and stakeholders of the adoption process, along with providing some critical insights about the topic, which in turn can help in the successful culmination of the adoption process both for the adoptees and PAPs.