Since 2005, Dr. Goldberg has been conducting a longitudinal study focused on the transition to adoptive parenthood among same-sex couples and heterosexual couples. Couples were initially interviewed before they adopted, and Dr. Goldberg’s research team has conducted a series of follow-up assessments since: 3 months post-adoption, 1 year post-adoption, 2 years post-adoption, 3 years post-adoption, and 5 years post-adoption. The team is currently conducting 8 year post-adoption assessments with these families. Members of each couple also complete questionnaire surveys at each time point. These interviews and surveys explore a variety of topics, including: adoption agency experiences; the division of labor; balancing work and family; social support; intimate relationship quality; separation and divorce; racial socialization; preparing children for bias; choosing a day care/school; navigating school/teacher relationships; and navigating relationships with children’s birth family members.
Regarding the current follow up: The current round of interviews with participants focuses on the transition to puberty. The research team is interested in how adoptive parents approach and manage the often intense emotional and physical changes that accompany puberty. Many families in this longitudinal study are same-sex parented and/or multiracial; by extension, attention is paid to how families’ unique identities shape parents’, children’s, and family’s experiences during adolescence and puberty.
For publications on these topics, see “Publications.” For a recent article aimed at teachers about how to make early childhood education settings more inclusive of diverse families, which appeared in the publication “Zero to Three,” see: The ABCs of Diversity and Inclusion.
Couples who participate in this study receive quarterly newsletters that contain updates about TAPP, adoption-related news and research, and information about adoption-related events; for example, see: Newsletter Spring 2022.
“I want to say again how grateful we are to participate in your ongoing work. We feel that your surveys and interviews helped to center and ground our thoughts about how we were growing our family and each other during our adoption journey. Your work has made us more thoughtful, sensitive, and loving parents.”–TAPP Participant
| Phase | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Pre-adopt | 3 months post-adopt | 1 year post | 2 years post | 3 years post | 5 years post | 8 years post |
| Interviews | X | X | X | X (some) | X (some) | ||
| Questionnaires | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |