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Discourse Studies
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Assessing suitability for adoptive parenthood: hypothetical questions as part of ongoing conversation

Martine Noordegraaf

UTRECHT UNIVERSITY,THE NETHERLANDS, m.noordegraaf{at}fss.uu.nl

Carolus van Nijnatten

UTRECHT UNIVERSITY,THE NETHERLANDS

Ed Elbers

UTRECHT UNIVERSITY,THE NETHERLANDS

Social workers with the Dutch Child Protection Board use hypothetical questions as a means to assess the suitability of prospective adoptive parents for adoption. In particular, while talking about the future, prospective adoptive parents are assessed on their educational skills, knowledge and awareness with regard to adoption-specific problems. In our study we analysed the preliminary conversational work that has to be done in order to pose a hypothetical question. We distinguished between 1) patterns that start with an eliciting question as a way of collecting topics with which to build a hypothetical question, and 2) patterns that start with a retrieving question, using themes from earlier conversation. Follow up questions are part of the preparatory work and form a bridge between the elicitation of topics and the actual hypothetical question. These follow up questions can be asked both before and after the introduction of the hypothetical question. Follow-up questions in post-position allow the social worker to challenge parents' answers to hypothetical questions.

Key Words: assessment • conversation analysis • hypothetical questions • institutional communication • international adoption

Discourse Studies, Vol. 10, No. 5, 655-672 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1461445608094217
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