Pre-Adoption Adversity and Self-Reported Behavior Problems in 7 Year-Old International Adoptees

Abstract

To further investigate the long-term impact of pre-adoption adversity on international adoptees, externalizing and internalizing symptoms were assessed using a self-report measure at school-age in addition to mothers' reports. The sample consisted of 95 adopted children and their mothers. Children's health and developmental status were assessed soon after arrival in their adoptive family. At age 7, the Dominic Interactive, a self-report measure, was used to evaluate externalizing and internalizing symptoms while mothers completed the CBCL. Children's self-reports were compared to their non-adopted peers'. Adopted children reported more symptoms of specific phobia than their peers. A significant correlation was found between mothers' and children's reports but only for externalizing symptoms. Self-reported symptoms were related to indices of nutritional and psychosocial deprivation at arrival, such as low height/age and weight/height ratios. Our results emphasize the importance of considering international adoptees' perception of their psychological adjustment and the long-term impact of early risk factors.

Decrease in Behavioral Problems and Trauma Symptoms Among At-Risk Adopted Children Following Trauma-Informed Parent Training Intervention

“…However, the post-intervention improvements in behavior and trauma symptoms are supported by post-intervention improvements found in other studies utilizing different measures for the same intervention principles, including changes in neurochemistry (Cross et al 2011 ; Purvis et al 2011 1), attachment behavior (Purvis et al 2013a , b ), and social/emotional skills (Purvis et al 2011 ). In addition, other studies have found high validity between parent reports of behavior and other behavioral measures, including teacher report (Kriebel and Wentzel 2011 ; Miller et al 2009 ) and self-report ( Gagnon-Oosterwaal et al 2012 ). As is common in studies of adopted children with early adverse histories, especially post-institutionalized children, there was no direct measure of pre-adoption experiences.…”

Does family drawing assess attachment representations of late‐adopted children? A preliminary report

“…We suggest that this result deserves specific attention because disorganized attachments have been associated with developmental, adjustment, and behavioral problems, although they cannot be matched to specific psychopathologies. Indeed, some authors have suggested that a general sense of lack of confidence in relationships may be more evident in adopted children (Gagnon‐Oosterwaal et al., ).…”

“…We suggest that this result deserves specific attention because disorganized attachments have been associated with developmental, adjustment, and behavioral problems, although they cannot be matched to specific psychopathologies. Indeed, some authors have suggested that a general sense of lack of confidence in relationships may be more evident in adopted children (Gagnon-Oosterwaal et al, 2012). On a clinical level the children's FD could be used as a projective assessment tool that offers the possibility of a symbolic interpretation of the attachment figures, such as photographs and letters (Behrens & Kaplan, 2011), without requiring linguistic mediation.…”

Changes in Attachment‐Related Behavioural Problems of Internationally Adopted Toddlers in Finland: Results from the FinAdo Study

“…In earlier studies, deprivation has been considered to be one crucial contributor to later behavioural problems (Gagnon‐Oosterwaal et al, ; Hawk & McCall, ; Juffer & van Ijzendoorn, ). We found that the child's developmental delay as stated in the birth country's report was associated with attachment‐related behavioural problems at both time 1 and time 2, although it did not explain the change in mean scores.…”