Selective placement in adoption

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Abstract
Selective placement is the process of matching adoptive parents to adopted children with respect to particular characteristics. Previous studies of selective placement have been limited with respect to the variables examined as well as sources of information. The present study examined both physical and behavioral data on 206 “first” adoptions, including information on birth fathers and birth mothers, their parents, infant adoptees, and adoptive parents. Results indicate that physical as well as behavioral characteristics are used in selective placement, although the absolute level of selective placement is low. Selective placement based on education and occupation of the birth parents’ parents is not greater than selective placement based on education and occupation of the birth parents themselves. Characteristics of infant adoptees are not important factors in selective placement. To the extent that selective placement occurs for behavioral and physical characteristics, our data suggest that it is based largely on characteristics of the birth father.