Multi-disciplinary collaboration in Adoption Research opens the door to the powers of "team science"

What is it about?

Adoption research aims to provide the best possible care to adoptees and their families. The goal of this study was to understand the overall state of adoption research - its volume, the specialties of its researchers and how the researchers are connected to each other through shared research activities. To do this, we created and analyzed maps, or "networks", of the researchers' relationships. These maps revealed patterns between researchers that can be used to define needed research, form teams and create organizational supports that will direct and strengthen the field of adoption research.

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Why is it important?

An estimated 250,000 children are adopted annually worldwide. Over the last 25 years, researchers have taken increasing interest in the effects of this practice on the individuals involved, however, the direction and growth of the research has evolved without an overall plan. This research shows that adoption research has reached a level of complexity and mass for it to be considered a "team science", and that the field would benefit from strategic planning that may include intentional team-building and a unified professional organization. This study also demonstrates how social network analysis contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of a body of research.

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