Substance Use Disorder Among Adoptees: A Clinical Comparative Study

Abstract

Goals of the study were to assess whether adoptees in treatment for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) (1) were over-, equi-, or under-represented in a clinical sample of patients with (SUD) and (2) differed demographically and clinically from non-adoptees with SUD. Sample consisted of 608 patients in two alcohol-drug treatment programs. Data collection included the Childhood Problems Scale, the Minnesota Substance Abuse Problem Scale, and the Minnesota Substance Abuse Treatment Questionnaire, and the Michigan Assessment-Screening Test/Alcohol-Drug. Findings showed that the prevalence of adoptees among SUD patients was 14 times higher than expected (95% Confidence Interval, 10 to 18 times). Adoptees reported childhood histories similar to those of non-adoptees with "any parental SUD", but they more closely resembled non-adoptees without parental SUD in regard to SUD severity and SUD treatment. Conclusion is that adoptees and their adoptive families should be alert to the increased risk of SUD among adoptees. Clinicians can expect that adoptees should manifest milder levels of SUD morbidity, similar to "non-heredity" SUD.

Substance Use Disorders and Adoption: Findings from a National Sample

“…We previously reported that the proportion of adoptees was 14 times higher than expected in two SUD treatment programs [13]. In a national US school survey, adopted adolescents had higher smoking, drinking, and drunk scores than nonadopted adolescents [14].…”

Substance Use Disorders and Adoption Status: Implications for Counseling Practice

“…As research progressed, variables related to preadoptive circumstances, including abuse and neglect, as well as postadoption factors, such as the influence of the adoptive family environment, were explored. More recent studies demonstrated how adult adopted persons are disproportionately represented in substance use treatment at a rate 14 times higher than nonadopted persons (Westermeyer et al, 2007) and found an increased risk in lifetime prevalence of substance use in adopted adults (Yoon et al, 2012). The following sections will review research examining substance use within adopted person populations from adolescence to adulthood.…”

Adoptive parents' suspicion of preadoption abuse of their adopted children and the use of support services

“…2007), mental (Juffer & van IJzendoorn 2005; Tieman et al . 2005; Westmeyer et al . 2007; Gibson 2009), behavioural (Brodzinsky 1993; Bramlett et al .…”

“…The number of adoptions in the USA has increased in recent years (Flango & Caskey 2005), and more attention has been given to the health and well-being of adoptees and their adoptive families. Research has found that adopted children have a higher risk of developmental (Johnson 2002;), mental (Juffer & van IJzendoorn 2005;Tieman et al 2005;Westmeyer et al 2007;Gibson 2009), behavioural (Brodzinsky 1993) and social (Brodzinsky 1993;Gibson 2009) problems compared with non-adopted children. Preadoption abuse is one factor that plays a role in Child: care, health and development Original Article doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011 the high risk of these problems among adopted youths (Smith & Howard 1994;Erich & Leung 2002;Groza & Ryan 2002;Juffer & van IJzendoorn 2005;Tan 2006;Simmel et al 2007; Van der Vegt et al 2009).…”