The purpose of this dissertation is to find out the role of facilitating environment for the psychological development of adopted children. To do this, the theoretical research was carried out followed by a case study in order to see how the parents, who have adopted their children, have experienced the theoretical research.
Firstly, the psychological development, well-being and restoration of adopted children were investigated in the view of Donald Winnicott and Christopher Bollas (Object Relation theorists). In the investigation, it was found that adopted children grow undergoing developmental line as non-adopted children do. It was also found that various objects such as birth-parents, agencies for adoption and so on could affect the development of adopted children as well as adoptive parents. Furthermore, it was found that psychologically healthy growth of adopted children means that the true-self/idiomatic-self of adopted children is revealed, and it is possible in time, the adoptive parents as a second facilitating environment are offered to adopted children. In concern to the future of adopted children which is one of most interesting aspect when it comes to matter of growth, it was discovered that it could be possible through restoration of psychic genera. It can be said that the attitude of adoptive parents accepting the child's psychological confusion which the child could experience is very important.
Secondly, a deep interview was done in order to see what kind of experience the adoptive parents experienced when their adopted child was psychologically developing. According to the interview, it seemed that the adoptive parents were determined to adopt because of their wish to raise a child and religious reasons. And it was revealed that the adoptive parents experience positive feeling right after adopting, but they began to experience psychological difficulties as time went by. It seemed to happen because there were relational difficulties between the adoptive parents and the adopted child, once the adoptive parents could not accept the true-self/idiomatic-self of the child. It was also found that the harmony between the nature of the adoptive parents and of the adopted children, or the relationship between the adopted children and their brothers/sisters created psychological difficulties. However it was found that the adoptive families had overcome these difficulties by a change in attitude by just accepting the true-self/idiomatic-self, the emotional support of the adoptive communities, the religious beliefs and so on.
Thirdly, it was found that it is important that the attitude of the adoptive parents endure and hold the confusion which the adopted children might experience searching for their true-self/idiomatic-self with the emotional support of the adoptive communities. Furthermore, it was also proven that the information about birth-parents and records about the pattern of object relation of the adopted children should be included. Therefore it can be concluded that these various objects can play role in facilitating for the psychological development of adopted children.
Lastly, it was discussed that family counselors should be careful not only focusing on the fact of adoption, when they deal with cases of adoptive families. This is because the psychological development of adopted children could be influenced by the various object surrounding their birth and growth. And it was suggested that group counseling and play therapy can be selected as a counseling method.