The Opt Institute commissioned a study to better understand perceptions and expectations related to adoption in the United States. The research was conducted among a nationally representative sample of the women who are considered to be of prime child-bearing age (a group the report will refer to as “CBA women”), which is 15 to 44. There are an estimated 65 million women currently in that age segment.
The research examined a variety of elements that have not been widely researched, if at all, regarding adoption in the United States. Those elements include:
- perceived value of children and human life
- past conception experiences
- anticipated response to future pregnancies
- attitudes about adoption
- knowledge about adoption
- influences on adoption thoughts and behavior
- relative knowledge and appreciation of adoption compared to abortion
- awareness and favorability regarding organizations advocating adoption and abortion
This study was conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, which is located in the Phoenix metropolitan area (Glendale, AZ). The study was fielded in January 2022 among a national random sample of 1,091 women 15-44 years of age. The results described in this report are drawn from cross-tabulated data based on the completed interviews.
The study can be downloaded on optinstitute.org
