A sociocultural perspective on parenthood: the case of adoptive parenthood

The paper discusses parenthood from a socio-cultural standpoint. Mainstream psychology despite the different theoretical perspectives describes parenthood as an autonomous and processual function depending on intra-psychological dimension or micro-social, interactional dynamics impact individuals inner world. Differently the present work intends to recovery the cultural dimension of parenthood analyzing such higher human function as the result of cultural dynamics. Specifically we will suggest that the way the parental function is enacted is contextual-cultural specific, namely the way it is deployed depends on and is comprised by the cultural meanings mediating the enactment of parental activity. In order to develop such a view the present work focuses on a “borderline” condition, such as the adoptive parenthood, focusing on the dynamics paving the arising of the parental competence. Then, we outline some pragmatic implications dealing with the role and the aim of psychological assessment with adoptive parent-to-be.