Family and social relationships and psychosocial well-being in Italian families with internationally adopted and non-adopted children

This study compared mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of family and social relationships (marital relationship quality and social support) and psychosocial well-being (self-esteem, anxiety, childrearing stress, and satisfaction) in adoptive and non-adoptive families. Participants were 163 Italian international adoptive and 195 non-adoptive couples (mothers and fathers) with children aged between 7 and 11. Adoptive parents reported a higher marital relationship quality, more social support, and better well-being than the non-adoptive parents. Moreover, in both adoptive and nonadoptive families fathers were less anxious than their wives and mothers relied on a broader social network.