Faculty First Year Seminars 197PSY16 - Giving Voice to Foster Care an

After discussing the origins of foster care and adoption in the United States and defining exactly what each of the terms mean, the course will explore the seven life-long core issues (Silverstein and Kaplan, 1982) experienced by adoption triad members; birth/first parents, adoptees and adoptive parents. These core issues are loss, rejection, guilt and shame, grief, identity, intimacy and mastery/control. Students will explore these topics through the most current academic journal articles and personal narratives. Recognizing that Silverstein and Kaplan?s theory is over 30 years old, students will be charged with a) critiquing the theory based upon reading assignments b) exploring positive traits associated with foster care and or adoption and c) developing recommendations for the modern day foster care and adoption system. All students are welcome regardless of whether or not they experienced foster care and/or adoption.

Freshmen Only