Designing a Conceptual Model of Family Relationship Quality among Adoptive Couples: A Meta-Synthesis Study

Nafiseh Mostafaee; Mahdi Zare Bahramabadi; Atefeh Nezhad Mohamad Namaghi; Alireza Pirkhaefi

Authors

Nafiseh Mostafaee Ph.D. Student in Department of Counseling, Ki.C., Islamic Azad University, Kish, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2123-8169
Mahdi Zare Bahramabadi Associate Professor of Department of Counseling, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0632-2142
Atefeh Nezhad Mohamad Namaghi Assistant Professor, Cognitive and Behavioural Science Research Center, Department of Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3159-7810
Alireza Pirkhaefi Assistant Professor of Psychology Department, Ga.C., Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0451-4095

Keywords:

Family Relationship Quality, Couples, Adoption, Adoptive Parents, Family Cohesion, Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to develop a comprehensive conceptual model of family relationship quality among adoptive couples by synthesizing evidence from previous qualitative and empirical studies.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using a meta-synthesis approach based on the seven-step model proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). A systematic search was performed in relevant national and international scientific databases using keywords related to adoption, adoptive couples, family relationships, marital relationships, parent–child relationships, and family cohesion. After identifying potentially relevant records, the studies were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and subsequently subjected to methodological quality appraisal. Ultimately, 20 eligible articles were included in the final synthesis. Data extracted from the selected studies were organized into initial codes and analyzed through secondary coding, conceptual comparison, and thematic integration. The codes were progressively classified into concepts, categories, and overarching themes to construct the final conceptual model.

Findings: The meta-synthesis indicated that family relationship quality among adoptive couples is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by the interaction of psychological–identity, relational, and sociocultural factors. Psychological and identity-related challenges included unresolved infertility grief, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and difficulties in reconstructing parental identity. At the relational level, the quality of parent–child attachment, marital cohesion, emotional communication, mutual support, and adaptive patterns of interaction emerged as central determinants of family stability. Sociocultural influences included adoption-related stigma, social pressure, cultural attitudes, and limitations in formal and institutional support. Conversely, adequate social support, access to counseling services, cultural acceptance, and supportive family environments facilitated psychological adjustment, relational cohesion, and positive adaptation following adoption.

Conclusion: Adoption should be conceptualized as a dynamic and transformative family process rather than a single event. The proposed model demonstrates that favorable family relationships emerge through the reciprocal interaction of psychological adjustment, effective couple and parent–child relationships, and supportive sociocultural conditions. The model may provide a useful framework for assessment, counseling, and interventions designed to strengthen family functioning among adoptive couples.

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