Abstract
<p>Genetic mirroring, the developmentally recurring need to perceive reflected biological similarity in genetically related others, has gained clinical salience as an explanatory framework for the identity experiences of adoptees and donor-conceived individuals. Despite this, the construct lacks the theoretical architecture required for empirical investigation: a precise definition, differentiation from adjacent constructs, and a plausible operationalization pathway. The present paper addresses that gap through four coordinated contributions. First, a formal construct definition is proposed, encompassing three theoretically distinct dimensions: biological salience, embodied discontinuity, and mirroring responsiveness. Second, the construct is situated within a nomological network specifying its hypothesized relationships with established psychological variables, including identity exploration, narrative identity coherence, attachment security, genealogical bewilderment, and physical self-concept. Third, a theoretical case is made for incremental validity over existing frameworks: genetic mirroring is proposed to capture variance in adoptee psychological functioning that neither attachment theory nor narrative identity frameworks can fully account for. Fourth, a preliminary scale structure is proposed as proof of concept. The paper's aim is to transform a clinically emergent construct into a formally theorizable and measurable entity, enabling the empirical program necessary to evaluate its scientific and practical significance.</p>