Elsbeth Neil
Clinical Psychology
Arriving Fall 2025
Education
PhD, 2000 University of East Anglia, UK
Center and Institute Affiliation
Center for Research on Families
Rudd Adoption Research Program
Research
My research interests center on adoption. With a background in both psychology and social work my research encompasses psychological perspectives, social policy implications and practice issues. My adoption research studies have provided opportunities to explore identity development, loss and separation, the impact of abuse, neglect and institutionalisation, but also recovery and resilience. I’m interested in people’s lived experience of adoption: the adopted person across the lifespan, their birth family members, adoptive parents. I use both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore experiences and outcomes related to adoption, particularly for children who have experienced early adversity such as those adopted from the foster care system. I have a particular interest in open adoption - the experience and impact of different openness arrangements for all concerned.