I was very misled by the headline "Adoption linked to teen suicide." As an adult adoptee, a director of an adoption agency and adoption worker for over 20 years, the article piqued my interest as to what connection existed between adoption and teen suicide. The article fell woefully short of answering the question.
The most glaring problem was a lack of definition for the term "adoption." The last paragraphs of the article are key to understanding adoption: " . . . one thing that distinguishes children who do well verses children who don't do well . . . [is] age."
Research indicates repeatedly that adoption at infancy is a very positive event for the child. In comparing four groups of children, those raised by natural parents, those raised by grandparents, those raised by a single parent and those raised by adoptive parents, one study indicated that the group that compared most favorably with those raised by natural parents was the group raised by adoptive parents.
Let's not compare tables and chairs and call them the same piece of furniture. Adoption of infants varies greatly from that of adopting older children with special needs. Adoption of an infant can allow a fresh start for unwed birth parents and provide an otherwise unobtainable gift and opportunity for a childless couple.
I hope that in the future, the Deseret News would take a more responsible position and promote good adoption understanding.
Chris Anderson
Draper