Watching their parents grow older is also a reason to trace down their own birthparents. Most adult adoptees are not searching for an additional set of parents. They already have parents who love them. The Privacy Act allows adoptees access to information that the government holds and so supplements the Freedom of Information Act. Secrets are powerful.
Secrets cause people to feel worthless.
The primary area of secrecy currently coming under attack is the sealed record. This issue has caught the attention of legislators and the media. The sealed record issue has also caused the adoption agencies to protect the adoptive parents, the adoptees, and the birthparents. Searchers need to prepare themselves emotionally for varying disappointments. Despite the very real possibility for disappointment, adopted adults who search often report a sense of tranquility that comes from the initiation of the search itself than from any positive outcomes.