The purpose of this study was to explore the potential benefits of a therapeutic horsemanship program for children adopted from foster care and their adoptive mothers. Standardized measures, open-ended interviews and surveys were administered to determine effects on external child behavior, child self-esteem and parenting stress. The Child Behavior Checklist was administered to measure behavioral challenges in the children in this sample. There were no statistically significant changes on any of the CBCL scales. Qualitative data from the mothers, Instructors and researcher observations show some affect on behavior. The Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory-3 was administered to measure self-esteem of the nine children in the sample. The decrease on the Global Self-Esteem Quotient of the CFSEI-3 was statistically significant using. Of the nine children, only three of them scored in the clinical range at pre-test. Of these three, two moved into the normal range and the third improved her score to be very close to the normal range. Qualitative data from the mothers, Instructors and researcher observations support this finding. The Total Stress score of the Parenting Stress Index -- Short Form for the mothers in the sample did not show a statistically significant decrease. Six of the nine mothers' pre-test and post-test scores were in the clinical range and only three had decreased post-test scores. The Qualitative data obtained through interviews, surveys and observations did not support a direct impact of the program on stress levels but rather an impact on level of support. Many mothers reported that they liked spending time with the other mothers to share resources and discuss their children. The data collected in this study does not provide sufficient evidence to make any causal statements about therapeutic horsemanship programs and children adopted from foster care. It does, however, provide support for the need for future research. The findings from this study have implications for meeting the needs of a variety of children adopted from foster and their adoptive parents. / text

Mulheres em transição para a maternidade por adoção vivenciam as transformações psíquicas e a espera por seus filhos enfrentando as adversidades específicas deste contexto. Com frequência, o período que antecede a chegada do filho adotivo é descrito como um momento de preparação para a parentalidade. Nesta etapa, que pode se estender por longos anos, a formação da identidade materna e a significação, através dos sentimentos, do tempo de espera pelo filho adotivo são importantes processos da construção destas famílias. Diante de tais evidências, a presente dissertação dedicou-se a compreender como se dão, no contexto da adoção, as transformações da organização psíquica no sentido de tornar-se mãe e quais são os sentimentos relatados na espera pela adoção em suas diferentes etapas que precedem a colocação da criança na família. Dois artigos compõem esta investigação. As participantes dos estudos foram quatro mulheres, de idades entre 38 e 44 anos, habilitadas e ativas no Cadastro Nacional de Adoção (CNA) há no máximo um ano. No primeiro foi investigado o processo de transformação da organização psíquica das mulheres (motherhood mindset), de acordo com Stern, Bruschweiler-Stern e Freeland (1998), no contexto da maternidade por adoção. Encontrou-se que mulheres em espera pela adoção vivenciam as mudanças próprias da formação da identidade materna, confirmando-se a experiência de gestação psíquica no período que antecede a chegada do filho adotivo. Já no segundo estudo, buscou-se compreender quais os sentimentos relatados por mulheres na espera pela adoção durante o processo de habilitação à adoção e durante a espera na fila do CNA. Os resultados apontaram que, na habilitação à adoção, as mulheres destacaram sentimentos como apreensão, frustração, dor e morosidade. Quando na espera na fila do CNA, estas mulheres enfatizaram sentimentos que foram alocados em duas categorias: esperança e desesperança. A análise destes dois estudos contribui para a literatura sobre a espera pela adoção, dando voz as mulheres que vivenciam este processo marcado por transformações psíquicas e comoções de sentimentos. Espera-se que este trabalho auxilie na compreensão da transição para a maternidade por adoção durante a espera pelo filho adotivo, motivando o cuidado com a saúde emocional destas famílias bem como novos trabalhos que se dediquem a esta temática. / Women in transition to adoptive motherhood experience the psychic transformations and the waiting for their children facing the specific adversities of this context. Often, the period that precedes the arrival of the adoptive child is described as a time of preparation for parenting. In this stage, which can last for many years, the development of the maternal identity and the significance of the waiting time are important processes of the construction of these families. In face of these evidences, this thesis is dedicated to understand how the transformations of psychic organization occur in the sense of becoming a mother in the context of adoption and what are the feelings manifested during the different stages of the waiting time that precedes the child`s reception in the family. Two papers compose this research. The participants of these studies were four women, aged between 38 and 44 years, qualified and active in the National Adoption Registry for a maximum of one year. In the first, the process of transformation of the motherhood mindset was investigated in the context of adoption maternity according to Stern, Bruschweiler-Stern and Freeland (1998). It was found that women waiting to adopt a child faced specific changes of the maternal identity development process, confirming the experience of psychic gestation in the period before the arrival of the adoptive child. In the other study, it was sought to understand the feelings in women waiting to adopt during the process of habilitation for adoption and during the waiting period in the National Adoption Registry´s queue. The analysis of these two studies contributes to the existing literature about the adoption waiting process, giving voice to these women who experienced this process marked by psychic transformations and feelings commotions. We hope that this thesis helps in understanding the transition to motherhood through adoption during the waiting period for the adopted child, motivating the attention to emotional health care of these families and the elaboration of new studies dedicated to this subject and the promotion of new studies dedicated to this subject.

Mulheres em transição para a maternidade por adoção vivenciam as transformações psíquicas e a espera por seus filhos enfrentando as adversidades específicas deste contexto. Com frequência, o período que antecede a chegada do filho adotivo é descrito como um momento de preparação para a parentalidade. Nesta etapa, que pode se estender por longos anos, a formação da identidade materna e a significação, através dos sentimentos, do tempo de espera pelo filho adotivo são importantes processos da construção destas famílias. Diante de tais evidências, a presente dissertação dedicou-se a compreender como se dão, no contexto da adoção, as transformações da organização psíquica no sentido de tornar-se mãe e quais são os sentimentos relatados na espera pela adoção em suas diferentes etapas que precedem a colocação da criança na família. Dois artigos compõem esta investigação. As participantes dos estudos foram quatro mulheres, de idades entre 38 e 44 anos, habilitadas e ativas no Cadastro Nacional de Adoção (CNA) há no máximo um ano. No primeiro foi investigado o processo de transformação da organização psíquica das mulheres (motherhood mindset), de acordo com Stern, Bruschweiler-Stern e Freeland (1998), no contexto da maternidade por adoção. Encontrou-se que mulheres em espera pela adoção vivenciam as mudanças próprias da formação da identidade materna, confirmando-se a experiência de gestação psíquica no período que antecede a chegada do filho adotivo. Já no segundo estudo, buscou-se compreender quais os sentimentos relatados por mulheres na espera pela adoção durante o processo de habilitação à adoção e durante a espera na fila do CNA. Os resultados apontaram que, na habilitação à adoção, as mulheres destacaram sentimentos como apreensão, frustração, dor e morosidade. Quando na espera na fila do CNA, estas mulheres enfatizaram sentimentos que foram alocados em duas categorias: esperança e desesperança. A análise destes dois estudos contribui para a literatura sobre a espera pela adoção, dando voz as mulheres que vivenciam este processo marcado por transformações psíquicas e comoções de sentimentos. Espera-se que este trabalho auxilie na compreensão da transição para a maternidade por adoção durante a espera pelo filho adotivo, motivando o cuidado com a saúde emocional destas famílias bem como novos trabalhos que se dediquem a esta temática. / Women in transition to adoptive motherhood experience the psychic transformations and the waiting for their children facing the specific adversities of this context. Often, the period that precedes the arrival of the adoptive child is described as a time of preparation for parenting. In this stage, which can last for many years, the development of the maternal identity and the significance of the waiting time are important processes of the construction of these families. In face of these evidences, this thesis is dedicated to understand how the transformations of psychic organization occur in the sense of becoming a mother in the context of adoption and what are the feelings manifested during the different stages of the waiting time that precedes the child`s reception in the family. Two papers compose this research. The participants of these studies were four women, aged between 38 and 44 years, qualified and active in the National Adoption Registry for a maximum of one year. In the first, the process of transformation of the motherhood mindset was investigated in the context of adoption maternity according to Stern, Bruschweiler-Stern and Freeland (1998). It was found that women waiting to adopt a child faced specific changes of the maternal identity development process, confirming the experience of psychic gestation in the period before the arrival of the adoptive child. In the other study, it was sought to understand the feelings in women waiting to adopt during the process of habilitation for adoption and during the waiting period in the National Adoption Registry´s queue. The analysis of these two studies contributes to the existing literature about the adoption waiting process, giving voice to these women who experienced this process marked by psychic transformations and feelings commotions. We hope that this thesis helps in understanding the transition to motherhood through adoption during the waiting period for the adopted child, motivating the attention to emotional health care of these families and the elaboration of new studies dedicated to this subject and the promotion of new studies dedicated to this subject.

Mulheres em transição para a maternidade por adoção vivenciam as transformações psíquicas e a espera por seus filhos enfrentando as adversidades específicas deste contexto. Com frequência, o período que antecede a chegada do filho adotivo é descrito como um momento de preparação para a parentalidade. Nesta etapa, que pode se estender por longos anos, a formação da identidade materna e a significação, através dos sentimentos, do tempo de espera pelo filho adotivo são importantes processos da construção destas famílias. Diante de tais evidências, a presente dissertação dedicou-se a compreender como se dão, no contexto da adoção, as transformações da organização psíquica no sentido de tornar-se mãe e quais são os sentimentos relatados na espera pela adoção em suas diferentes etapas que precedem a colocação da criança na família. Dois artigos compõem esta investigação. As participantes dos estudos foram quatro mulheres, de idades entre 38 e 44 anos, habilitadas e ativas no Cadastro Nacional de Adoção (CNA) há no máximo um ano. No primeiro foi investigado o processo de transformação da organização psíquica das mulheres (motherhood mindset), de acordo com Stern, Bruschweiler-Stern e Freeland (1998), no contexto da maternidade por adoção. Encontrou-se que mulheres em espera pela adoção vivenciam as mudanças próprias da formação da identidade materna, confirmando-se a experiência de gestação psíquica no período que antecede a chegada do filho adotivo. Já no segundo estudo, buscou-se compreender quais os sentimentos relatados por mulheres na espera pela adoção durante o processo de habilitação à adoção e durante a espera na fila do CNA. Os resultados apontaram que, na habilitação à adoção, as mulheres destacaram sentimentos como apreensão, frustração, dor e morosidade. Quando na espera na fila do CNA, estas mulheres enfatizaram sentimentos que foram alocados em duas categorias: esperança e desesperança. A análise destes dois estudos contribui para a literatura sobre a espera pela adoção, dando voz as mulheres que vivenciam este processo marcado por transformações psíquicas e comoções de sentimentos. Espera-se que este trabalho auxilie na compreensão da transição para a maternidade por adoção durante a espera pelo filho adotivo, motivando o cuidado com a saúde emocional destas famílias bem como novos trabalhos que se dediquem a esta temática. / Women in transition to adoptive motherhood experience the psychic transformations and the waiting for their children facing the specific adversities of this context. Often, the period that precedes the arrival of the adoptive child is described as a time of preparation for parenting. In this stage, which can last for many years, the development of the maternal identity and the significance of the waiting time are important processes of the construction of these families. In face of these evidences, this thesis is dedicated to understand how the transformations of psychic organization occur in the sense of becoming a mother in the context of adoption and what are the feelings manifested during the different stages of the waiting time that precedes the child`s reception in the family. Two papers compose this research. The participants of these studies were four women, aged between 38 and 44 years, qualified and active in the National Adoption Registry for a maximum of one year. In the first, the process of transformation of the motherhood mindset was investigated in the context of adoption maternity according to Stern, Bruschweiler-Stern and Freeland (1998). It was found that women waiting to adopt a child faced specific changes of the maternal identity development process, confirming the experience of psychic gestation in the period before the arrival of the adoptive child. In the other study, it was sought to understand the feelings in women waiting to adopt during the process of habilitation for adoption and during the waiting period in the National Adoption Registry´s queue. The analysis of these two studies contributes to the existing literature about the adoption waiting process, giving voice to these women who experienced this process marked by psychic transformations and feelings commotions. We hope that this thesis helps in understanding the transition to motherhood through adoption during the waiting period for the adopted child, motivating the attention to emotional health care of these families and the elaboration of new studies dedicated to this subject and the promotion of new studies dedicated to this subject.

'Closed stranger' adoption in Aotearoa / New Zealand from approximately 1940 to 1990 involved the practice of a complete break between the birth mother and her child and the legal transfer of the child to adoptive parents. In Aotearoa / New Zealand between 1940 and 1990, 108,899 adoptions took place, and most consisted of ‘closed stranger’ adoptions. These adoptions have caused much joy as well as some heartache for parties involved in the experience namely, birth mothers, adoptees and adoptive mothers and their whānau. This thesis reports original research which aims to investigate the unique experiences of Māori adoptive mothers in the 'closed stranger' adoption period and enable the impact of legal adoption on these Māori women who have not previously warranted research, to be valued. A qualitative methodology, Māori-centred research and unstructured kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) interviews were utilized to gather data from six Māori adoptive mothers. The intention of Māori centred research as its name suggests, is to locate Māori people and Māori knowledge at the centre of the research action. A thematic analysis utilizing interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used. The unique experiences of Māori women legally adopting in the ‘closed stranger’ adoption system were about whānau business, and grouped under that superordinate theme were experiences of ‘not blood’, land succession, naming and caring for whānau. The stigma of adoption resonated throughout the women’s narratives. As well, most of these Māori adoptive mothers found that they experienced ‘closed stranger’ adoption as a ‘rollercoaster of emotions’.

Les mères adoptantes à l’international vivent généralement un grand bonheur au moment de la rencontre avec leur enfant, car leur fort désir de fonder une famille ou de l’agrandir se concrétise (Duvert, 2007). Or, la période d’adaptation suivant l’arrivée de l’enfant peut être difficile, d’autant plus que plusieurs enfants adoptés à l’international présentent des besoins spéciaux (Dartiguenave, 2012; Martin et al., 2016). Le soutien apporté par le réseau immédiat est donc important (Jeannet, 2017). L’objectif de la présente étude est de documenter le rôle du réseau immédiat (famille, amis, autres parents adoptants, collègues, voisins) dans le soutien apporté aux mères adoptantes à l’international, suivant les trois premières années de l’arrivée de l’enfant. Douze entrevues individuelles semi-structurées ont été réalisées avec des mères ayant adopté au cours des trois dernières années. À leur arrivée, les enfants étaient âgés entre neuf mois et quatre ans et demi. Les thèmes de l’entrevue sont : les besoins des mères, la composition de leur réseau immédiat, les formes de soutien reçu et leur satisfaction du soutien. Précisons que le cadre conceptuel est celui du soutien social. L’analyse thématique dévoile que les besoins des mères sont d’avoir du répit, d’être écouté, encouragée et respectée dans leur rôle de parent adoptant. Leur réseau immédiat a surtout un rôle de soutien émotionnel et informationnel et occasionnellement un rôle d’accompagnement social. Le répit et l’aide concrète sont rares. Les mères rapportent que leurs principales sources de soutien sont leurs parents et leur meilleure amie. Les parents adoptants qu’elles fréquentent se distinguent par leur excellente compréhension de l’adoption. La majorité des mères sont satisfaites du soutien reçu. Leurs insatisfactions, peu nombreuses, sont le manque de répit et les difficultés de leurs proches non-adoptants à comprendre l’adoption. La discussion révèle que certaines mères sont inconfortables et réticentes à demander du soutien, car elles veulent être autonomes et craignent de déranger. Or, il ressort que les mères les mieux soutenues et satisfaites du soutien sont celles qui expriment leurs besoins de soutien. Quelques recommandations sont suggérées : accompagner les mères adoptantes à exprimer leurs besoins et informer le réseau immédiat sur la parentalité adoptive internationale. / International adoptive mothers generally experience great happiness when they meet their child, because their strong desire to start a family or expand it becomes a reality (Duvert, 2007). However, the adjustment period following the arrival of the child can be difficult, even more so when many children adopted internationally have special needs (Dartiguenave, 2012; Martin et al., 2016). The support provided by the immediate network is therefore important (Jeannet, 2017). The objective of this study is to document the role of the immediate network (family, friends, other adoptive parents, co-workers, neighbours) in providing support to mothers who adopted internationally, in the first three years after the child’s arrival. Twelve semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with mothers who adopted in the past three years. At their arrival, the children were between nine months and four and a half years old. The themes of the interview are: adoptive mothers’ needs, the composition of their immediate network, the forms of support received and their satisfaction of support. The conceptual framework is that of social support. A thematic analysis reveals that these mothers’ needs are to have respite, to be listened to, to be encouraged and to be respected in their role as adoptive parents. Their immediate network has a support role that is mainly emotional and informational and occasionally social. Respite and concrete help are rare. The mothers reported that their main sources of support are their parents and their best friend. The adoptive parents stand out within their immediate network in that they have an excellent understanding of adoption. The majority of the mothers are satisfied with the support received. Their dissatisfactions, though few, are the lack of respite and the difficulties of their non-adoptive relatives to understand adoption. The discussion underscores that some mothers are uncomfortable and reluctant to ask for support because they want to be independent and they fear bothering others. However, it emerged that the mothers who are the most supported and satisfied with the support are those who express their needs for support. Some recommendations are suggested: accompanying adoptive mothers in expressing their needs and informing the immediate network about international adoptive parenthood.