The impact of adoption on the adolescent birthmother's school performance

Abstract

This study focuses on the impact that relinquishing a child for adoption has on adolescent birthmothers. The study seeks to understand factors leading up to the adoption, the adoption process and factors impacting negatively on the birthmother following adoption, which influence school performance negatively. The factors impacting negatively on school performance are delineated by an empirical study founded on relevant literature. Five others who relinquished their babies for adoption were interviewed. Correlations were drawn between the factors identified within the literature study and new factors emerging h m the interviews. The study aims to provide Life Orientation educators with information regarding adoption, the adoption process and the impact adoption has on the birthmothers. Furthermore the study seeks to provide guidelines for the Life Orientation educators to help other work through factors that impact negatively on their school performance. The results of the study delineate seven definite factors impacting negatively on the birthmothers and their school performance. The school performance of the others to whom these Factors can be attributed, deteriorated drastically, while birthmothers who felt content with their decision showed almost no deterioration in their school performance. Further study with a greater number of birthmothers is needed to confirm the results obtained within this study.