Since the 1980’s, psychologists have been involved in assisted reproductive care, working alongside other professionals to support people in having children (Boivin & Gameiro, 2015; Patel et al., 2018). However, to the authors’ knowledge, none of the current literature explores how psychologists and other professionals work together in the context of surrogacy. The purpose of the current study was to explore the following question: how do psychologists describe their perceptions of, and interactions with, other professionals within the surrogacy process?
This study is part of a qualitative dissertation project. All psychologists (n = 8) were white, cisgender women who worked fulltime as psychologists in the USA.
Three themes emerged: a) valuing psychological health in surrogacy, b) heeding psychologists’ recommendations, and c) asserting professional boundaries. This study suggests that psychologists may not feel fully integrated or valued in surrogacy care teams. Indeed, these psychologists’ reported perceptions of, and interactions with, other professionals within the surrogacy process may have implications for the safety and wellbeing of surrogates and intended parents alike.”
Presenters:
Tia Hebbring, she/her, Undergraduate Student, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Rachel L. Dyer, she/her, Graduate Student, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Haviland Byrd, she/her, Undergraduate Student, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Madeleine Allen, she/her, Undergraduate Student, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Lauren White, she/her, Undergraduate Student, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Lilian Kreuser, she/her, Undergraduate Student, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin – Madison
This is a very interesting relationship to explore and the development of the three themes provided much insight into the topic. Thanks for sharing the research!
Thank you for the wonderful presentation about the role of psychologists in the surrogacy process! It’s frustrating to hear the blatant disregard of the importance of psychologists’ work in looking at the wellbeing of donors! One question I have is how can we transform institutions that work with psychologists into places that value their support?