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Child adoption matching: preferences for gender and race

Author

Listed:
  • Baccara, Mariagiovanna
  • Collard-Wexler, Allan
  • Felli, Leonardo
  • Yariv, Leeat

Abstract

This paper uses a new dataset on child-adoption matching to estimate the preferences of potential adoptive parents over US-born and unborn children relinquished for adoption. We identify significant preferences favoring girls and against African American children put up for adoption. These attitudes vary in magnitudes across different adoptive parents—heterosexual, same-sex couples, and single women. We consider the effects of excluding single women and same-sex couples from the process, and find that this would substantially reduce the overall number of adopted children.

Suggested Citation

  • Baccara, Mariagiovanna & Collard-Wexler, Allan & Felli, Leonardo & Yariv, Leeat, 2014. "Child adoption matching: preferences for gender and race," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 46795, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:46795
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    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/46795/
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    Cited by:

    1. Dirk Bethmann & Michael Kvasnicka, 2022. "A Theory of Child Adoption," Journal of Economic Development, The Economic Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, vol. 47(2), pages 101-114.
    2. Simon Clark, 2020. ""You're Just My Type!" Matching and Payoffs When Like Attracts Like," Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 295, Edinburgh School of Economics, University of Edinburgh.
    3. Daniela V. Negraia & Jill E. Yavorsky & Denys Dukhovnov, 2019. "Mothers' and fathers' well-being while parenting: does the gender composition of children matter?," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2019-013, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    4. Morten Størling Hedegaard & Jean-Robert Tyran, 2018. "The Price of Prejudice," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 40-63, January.
    5. Cameron Taylor, 2024. "Why do families foster children? A Beckerian approach," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 261-293, March.
    6. Terence Highsmith, 2024. "A Dynamic Matching Framework for Faster Child Adoptions," Papers 2411.09817, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2025.
    7. Juan Pantano & Qi Li, 2013. "The Demographic Consequences of Gender Selection Technology," 2013 Meeting Papers 1161, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    8. Pierre-André CHIAPPORI & Sonia OREFFICE & Climent QUINTANA-DOMEQUE, 2016. "Black-White Marital Matching: Race, Anthtopometrics and Socioeconomics," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 82(4), pages 399-421, December.
    9. Baccara, Mariagiovanna & Lee, SangMok & Yariv, Leeat, 2020. "Optimal dynamic matching," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 15(3), July.
    10. Stone, Blayne D., 2024. "On your mark, get set, go: The athletic recruitment and postsecondary experiences of Black male college athletes formerly in foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Vincent W. Slaugh & Mustafa Akan & Onur Kesten & M. Utku Ünver, 2016. "The Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange Improves Its Matching Process," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 46(2), pages 133-153, April.
    12. Johannes Baumler & Martin Bullinger & Stefan Kober & Donghao Zhu, 2022. "Superiority of Instantaneous Decisions in Thin Dynamic Matching Markets," Papers 2206.10287, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2025.
    13. Dirk Bethmann & Michael Kvasnicka, 2012. "A Theory of Child Adoption," Ruhr Economic Papers 0342, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    14. Khun, Channary & Lahiri, Sajal, 2017. "The economics of international child adoption: An analysis of adoptions by U.S. parents," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 22-31.
    15. Souvik Roy & Agamani Saha, 2025. "A Directed Lazy Random Walk Model to Three-Way Dynamic Matching Problem," Papers 2507.06126, arXiv.org.
    16. Channary Khun & Sajal Lahiri & Sokchea Lim, 2020. "Why Do U.S. Parents Prefer Private To Foster Care Adoptions? The Role Of Adoption Subsidies, Gender, Race, And Special Needs," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(4), pages 1757-1782, October.
    17. Jiaming Soh & Kegon T. K. Tan, 2020. "The Nurture Effects of Multidimensional Parental Skills on College Attainment," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(1), pages 1-42.
    18. Ludwig Dierks & Nils Olberg & Sven Seuken & Vincent W. Slaugh & M. Utku Ünver, 2025. "Search and Matching for Adoption from Foster Care," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1093, Boston College Department of Economics.
    19. Domnisoru, Ciprian & Miller, Robert A., 2025. "Planning for Family Succession," IZA Discussion Papers 17800, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C78 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Bargaining Theory; Matching Theory
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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