Philippine E-Journals

A Journey to the Soul: A Retrospective View of Adoption as Experienced by Female Adolescent Adoptees

Jennilyn Abad | Ma. Dawn Elaine Balingit | Romedee Moncada | Rushelle Ann Opina | Joshua Daryl Ortiz | Ciara Maica Paris | Lorylyn Pascua | Mark Billy Perpetua | Cheryl S. Lenon | Bryan Romulus Savellano

Discipline: Philosophy, Social Science

 

Abstract:

This study was intended for an in-depth analysis of the female adolescent adoptee’s lived experiences the focus of which is on typical adolescent behavior and the special issues revolving around the process of adoption. It describes the times when parents should become concerned, and the steps parents can take to make these difficult years more manageable. This study utilized a descriptive phenomenological study which helped extract meaningful narratives from a series of interviews. The data underwent collected underwent bracketing and was analyzed by using Colaizzi’s Method. Five themes were derived; (1) Suspicion: Picking up the puzzle pieces; The theme perfectly fit the initial step putting together bits and pieces of information in order to substantiate a suspicion into actual truth (2) Driving Force: Pursuit for truth; The unrelenting driving force was so intense and keep on pushing them to find out their withheld identity (3) Discovery: Bittersweet Disclosure; Most of them were grateful on how they end up being adopted by their respective families (4) Emptiness: The Missing Piece; Emptiness was something these informants cannot ignore. Like a puzzle, when one piece went missing, it can never be complete. Somehow deep within them a certain longing incessantly haunts them (5) Looking Back: A reflection of the past. Looking back on how their lives unfolded through the years, the participants gazed back and reflected on their pasts. Some shared a little bit of sadness but more of gratefulness to belong in a wonderful family. The crucial ingredient in their story of adoption was having been loved and accepted by their respective families. Adoption as lived through by female adolescents was like a process of solving a jigsaw puzzle, where one continuously strive to put together the missing pieces to uncover the mysteries in their identities.