Where is home? A Qualitative Research about birth and adoptive family belonging among adult adoptees

The present study aims to investigate, through semi-structured interviews with 33 adult adoptees, the representation of the meta-familiar space in which adoption is situated. In line with the biaxial model, participants' position with respect to the here-and-now elements (adoption axis) and the distant or lost elements (origin axis) was analysed. All the transcripts were examined through a semantic approach. The majority of the respondents assumed a central or intermediate position with respect to the space encompassing both axes. The study suggests that the position assumed by adoptees in the meta-familiar space should be taken into account as a crucial node while working with adult adoptees and while accompanying adoptive families.