ADOÇÃO E AFETIVIDADE: EMOÇÕES EMERGENTES NAS ETAPAS DO PROCESSO ADOTIVO

ABSTRACT This article aims to analyze the emerging emotions experienced by prospective adoptive parents during the different stages of the adoption process, specifically related to the qualification phase and the waiting period within the National Adoption and Foster Care System (Sistema Nacional de Adoção e Acolhimento – SNA) in Brazil. The adoption of children and adolescents in Brazil is a process shaped by historical, legal, and emotional transformations. In this context, adoptive practices, which were initially guided by patrimonial interests, have come to incorporate ethical and emotional dimensions with the strengthening of children’s and adolescents’ rights. The qualification stage for adoption requires not only legal documentation but also psychosocial evaluations, which mark a moment of subjective reorganization, often accompanied by feelings of grief, frustration, and idealization. Entry into the SNA, which constitutes the next stage, intensifies the expectations of prospective adoptive parents, who frequently face long waiting periods due to mismatches between their desired profiles and those of the children available for adoption. Therefore, the adoption experience transcends legal procedures and demands emotional support, qualified listening, and subjective preparation from those seeking adoptive parenthood. Furthermore, adoption should be understood as an ethical and emotional commitment to childhood, requiring integrated public policies, sensitive interdisciplinary action, and continuous support for those involved, in order to foster healthy and lasting emotional bonds. Keywords: Adoption. Adoptive parenthood. Adoption process. Legal psychology.