Adoptive Parent Linguistics and Perception of Parent–Adolescent Fit

ABSTRACT The present study sought to determine whether linguistic patterns used by adoptive parents when discussing their child's adoption related to their ratings of compatibility with the adopted child. Parents' feelings of compatibility have been linked to more positive adjustment outcomes in adoptees. Research on linguistics has shown that it is possible to infer aspects of a speaker's cognitive and emotional state from the linguistic patterns they use. Secondary data analysis was conducted with data from 177 adoptive families who participated in a larger study. Adoptive parent interviews covering topics of adoption were coded using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count 2015 (LIWC2015) software. Adoptive parents' linguistic patterns of negative emotional tone and perceptions of parent–adolescent incompatibility using the Parenting Stress Index were examined through actor‐partner interdependence models. Greater perceptions of incompatibility were associated with higher rates of negative emotional word usage both for adoptive mothers ( β = 0.18, p = 0.004) and adoptive fathers ( β = 0.24, p = 0.004). This study documents the connection between parental linguistic patterns and underlying feelings of compatibility within the adoptive placement. Mental health providers who treat adoptive families need to be mindful of the linguistic patterns parents use when speaking about their adoption experience, as this can indicate deeper feelings about placement fit, which have been shown to relate to child attachment and wellbeing within their adoptive home.