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We compared health status, anthropometric and psychological development of 123 children adopted before 18 months of age from China, East Asia (Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Cambodia), and Eastern Europe (mostly Russia). Data were collected close to the time of arrival, and 3 and 6 months later. Anthropometric measures included weight, height, and head circumference percentiles, and weight/height and height/age ratios (indices of acute and chronic malnutrition, respectively). We assessed cognitive (MDI) and motor (PDI) developments with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1993). At time of arrival, children presented physical, cognitive, and motor delays, as well as health problems. Growth parameters improved with time, but differently among the groups. East Asian children, in a better physical state at time of arrival, changed less than the others did across time. Children adopted from Russia globally had lower MDI than the others, while children adopted from East Asia had the highest PDI. Hierarchical linear modelling indicated that initial MDI was related to height/age ratio (index of chronic malnutrition), while its change over time was related to age at time of arrival. PDI was also related to height/age ratio, as well as to presence/absence of neurological signs at time of arrival. Infants with a higher risk index had lower MDI and PDI initial scores.

The purpose of this study was to compare adolescent mothers' (high-risk group), at-risk adult mothers' (moderate-risk group), and no-risk adult mothers' (low-risk group) behavioral interactions at one and six months postpartum, and to examine the relationships between maternal behaviors and infant developmental scores on the Bayley scales. Results indicated that high-risk teenage mothers and moderate-risk adult mothers vocalized less and had lower contingency rating scores compared to low-risk adult mothers. Also, infants in the high-risk and moderate-risk groups obtained lower mental scores at six months compared to the low-risk group. Moderate stability across time was found for maternal vocalizations and infant scores on the mental scale. Maternal vocalizations and behavioral contingency rating scores at one month were associated with infants' six-month performance on the Bayley scales. Specific intervention strategies were discussed with the aim of targeting and improving early maternal behavioral patterns in at-risk groups.RESUMEN: El propósito de este estudio fue el de comparar las interacciones de conducta al mes y a los 6 meses después del parto de madres adolescentes (grupo de alto riesgo), madres adultas bajo riesgo (grupo de riesgo moderado), así como madres adultas que no estaban bajo riesgo (grupo de bajo riesgo), y examinar al mismo tiempo las relaciones entre las conductas maternas y los puntajes de desarrollo del infante utilizando las escalas de Bayley. Los resultados indicaron que las madres adolescentes de alto riesgo y las madres adultas de riesgo moderado vocalizaban menos y tenían más bajos puntajes en cuanto a contingencias que las madres adultas de bajo riesgo. También los infantes en los grupos de riesgo alto y moderado obtuvieron más bajos puntajes mentales a los seis meses comparados con los infantes del grupo de bajo riesgo. Se encontró una estabilidad moderada a través del tiempo en cuanto a las vocalizaciones maternas y a los puntajes de los infantes en las escalas mentales. Las vocalizaciones maternas y los puntajes de la contingencia de la conducta al mes después del parto fueron asociados con la actuación del infante a los seis meses en las escalas Bayley. Se discutieron específicas estrategias de intervención This study constitutes part of the dissertation research of the second author. This research was supported by a FCAR scholarship. We would like to express our deepest appreciation to the mothers and their infants that participated in this study. As well, we are grateful to the nurses and educators in the community centers, and the many research assistants whose cooperation enabled us to conduct this project. We would also like to thank our sponsors for the abundant products sent to us

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