The Relational World of Adopted Individuals: A Qualitative Study in Turkey

This study examines the relational experiences of adopted individuals in Turkey, focusing on biological and adoptive parent relationships, trust perceptions, and romantic relationships. A qualitative design was employed with eight adopted individuals across Turkey; data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using theory-informed reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke). Relationships with biological parents were emotionally complex and heterogeneous, ranging from regular contact to complete disengagement. Relationships with adoptive parents were largely characterized by love and care, though some participants reported ambivalent experiences including emotional harshness. Self-trust was relatively high, whereas trust in others and the world appeared more limited and conditional. Romantic relationships were marked by loneliness, longing, and fear of abandonment. An interpretive synthesis of the findings, conducted through the lens of adult attachment theory, suggested that participants’ relational configurations resonated predominantly with insecure orientations; configurations consistent with dismissive attachment were the most salient, followed by configurations consistent with fearful attachment. More secure relational configurations were evident among participants who experienced early awareness of adoption, open family communication, and continuity in caregiving. Findings highlight the multilayered nature of adopted individuals’ relational experiences within the Turkish context and offer qualitative contributions and practical implications for psychosocial interventions.