Emotional Problems In the Adoptee

Schechter, Marshall D.

doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1964.01720200005002

Cited by 78 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…One of the first researchers to write about psychological risk in adoption was Schechter (1960;Schechter, Carlson, Simmons, & Work, 1964). A psychiatrist and psychoanalyst by training, Schechter reported on what he believed to be a significantly high rate of referrals of adopted children to his clinical practice (over 13%) and suggested that these children might be at greater risk for emotional disturbance because of their history and unique psychodynamics, especially related to being informed of their adoptive status.…”

Section: Antecedents and Predecessors Of Adoption Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Adoption research: Trends, topics, outcomes

Palacios

Brodzinsky

2010

International Journal of Behavioral Development

266

198

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The current article provides a review of adoption research since its inception as a field of study. Three historical trends in adoption research are identified: the first focusing on risk in adoption and identifying adoptee-nonadoptee differences in adjustment; the second examining the capacity of adopted children to recover from early adversity; and the third focusing on biological, psychosocial, and contextual factors and processes underlying variability in adopted children's adjustment. Suggestions for future areas of empirical investigation are offered, with an emphasis on the need to integrate research, policy, and practice.

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Section: Antecedents and Predecessors Of Adoption Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Adoption research: Trends, topics, outcomes

Palacios

Brodzinsky

2010

International Journal of Behavioral Development

266

198

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“…Studies indicate that child psychiatric consultation is sought more frequently by adoptive families than by the general population [21,22].…”

Section: Emotional Problems In Adoptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adoption and the ownership of children

Derdeyn

1979

Child Psych Hum Dev

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Adoption has traditionally served infants, but an increasing number of children today come to adoption from divorce and remarriage and from foster placement. Many of these children are well out of infancy and have memories of and even existing relationships with persons from their past. A sense of continuity is clearly important to a child's development. The biological parents' serving as an object of projection by the adoptive family and an object of mystery and fascination by the adoptive child are well known sources of clinical problems. These phenomena might exert less influence if some kind of contact between all three parties were maintained. Suggestions for changing adoption policy open the door to potentially destructive relationships and loyalty conflicts. On the other hand, there are reasonable questions as to how well current practices serve all children. It is time to further our understanding of the effects of current practice so that adoption might optimally meet the needs of these young people.A desire to assure oneself of a degree of immortality and a sense of continuity through children is a basic human motivation [1]. While the adult wish for continuity through children is accepted without question, the need of the child adopted after infancy for continuity with his or her past is an issue which has not been adequately considered.For the most part, adoption has traditionally served infants, and adoption practice reflects the intent to recreate for the adoptive family the image of a nuclear biological family. Today, however, an increasing number of children come to adoption from divorce and remarriage and from the child welfare system. Many of these children are well out of infancy and have memories of and even existing relationships with persons from their past. Yet most of them must experience the complete break with former relationships as stipulated in a recent case: "public policy demands that an adoption carry with it a complete breaking of all ties" [2].There are indications of change in the legal area which mitigate some of the rigidities of accepted adoption practice. Some of the variations on Dr. Derdeyn is Associate Professor of

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“…Some researchers (Carey, 1974;Mikawa & Boston, 1968;Norvell & Guy, 1977;Plomin & DeFries, 1985;Singer, Brodzinsky, Ramsey, et al, 1985;Stein & Hoopes, 1985;Thompson & Plomin, 1988) argue that there are no appreciable differences in adjustment levels between adopted and nonadopted persons, whereas others (Bohmann & Von Knorring, 1979;Dalby, Fox, & Haslam, 1982;Dickson, Heffron, & Parker, 1990;Holden, 1991;Lipman, Offord, Boyle, & Ra-cine, 1993;Rogeness, Hoppe, Macedo, et al, 1988;Schechter, Carlson, Simmons, & Work, 1964;Sharma, McGue, & Benson, 1996a, 1996bSilver, 1970Silver, , 1989Simon & Senturia, 1966;Verhulst, Althaus, & Bieman, 1990a, 1990bVerhulst & Bieman, 1995) find significantly higher rates of maladjustment among adopted as compared to nonadopted persons. A few studies also show that on certain variables, adopted persons demonstrate higher functioning than do nonadopted persons (Marquis & Detweiler, 1985;Sharma et al, 1996a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When compared to nonadopted persons raised in intact families, adopted persons tend to show lower levels of functioning (Bohmann & Von Knorring, 1979;Dalby et al, 1982;Dickson et al, 1990;Holden, 1991;Rogeness et al, 1988;Schechter et al, 1964;Sharma et al, 1996a;Silver, 1970Silver, , 1989Simon & Senturia, 1966;Verhulst et al, 1990a). However, when compared to youth raised in institutional environments, in foster care, or even those reared by parents who demonstrate ambivalence or disregard about raising their children, adopted persons fare better (Bohman, 1970;Bohman & Sigvardsson, 1990;Hodges & Tizard, 1989;Triseliotis & Hill, 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Psychological Adjustment of United States Adopted Adolescents and Their Nonadopted Siblings

1998

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Using data from a national sample of 715 United States adoptive families, comparisons were made between adopted adolescents and birth adolescents (children born to the adoptive parents) on the Youth Self-Report (Achenbach), 8 psychological and behavioral adjustment factor scales from the Attitudes and Behaviors survey (Benson), and an identity scale (Search Institute). Multivariate, followed by univariate, analyses of variance showed significant differences between the 2 groups on the psychological factor scales of Licit Drug Use and School Adjustment. A subsample of nonclinically referred adopted adolescents were also compared to norms on the Youth Self-Report. Nonreferred adopted boys showed higher levels of adjustment than the norm group on Withdrawn behaviors. Nonreferred adopted girls showed better adjustment than the norm group on Social Problems and Withdrawn behaviors and poorer adjustment on Delinquent Behavior and Externalizing behavior. (Standardized effect sizes were in the small to moderate range.) These same patterns were evidenced when controlling for ethnicity. These data are examined within Brodzinsky's stress and coping model of adoptee adjustment and support a body of adoption research that finds a pattern of small but significant differences between adopted and nonadopted persons. The differences showing poorer adoptee adjustment in comparison to nonadoptees should not be overstated as is sometimes the case in the adoption clinical literature, and areas in which adoptees evidence higher levels of psychological functioning should be further researched.

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Emotional Problems In the Adoptee

Cited by 78 publications

References 15 publications

Review: Adoption research: Trends, topics, outcomes

Review: Adoption research: Trends, topics, outcomes

Adoption and the ownership of children

The Psychological Adjustment of United States Adopted Adolescents and Their Nonadopted Siblings

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