Children in Adoptive Families: Overview and Update

• NCJ Number: 211720
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 44 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 987-995
• Author(s): Steven L. Nickman M.D.; Alvin A. Rosenfeld M.D.; Paul Fine M.D.; James C. Macintyre M.D.; Daniel J. Pilowsky M.D.; Ruth-Arlene Howe J.D.; Andre Derdeyn M.D.; Mayu Bonoan Gonzales M.D.; Linda Forsythe M.D.; Sally A. Sveda M.D.
• Date Published: October 2005
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reviews the research literature over the past 10 years on American children younger than age 18 years who are adopted.

Abstract

Research on the various aspects of adoption has traditionally been anecdotal in nature. However, during the past decade there has been an increase the number of well-designed research studies on outcomes and other issues associated with adoption. This article reviews this research literature, focusing on developmental influences, placement outcomes, psychopathology, and treatment associated with adoption. The results of the review indicated that while adoption offers developmental opportunities and many adopted children do very well, there are also risks associated with adoption. These risks include identity formation problems for infants and, for children adopted after infancy, developmental delays, attachment disturbances, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Among the interventions identified as effective at reducing deleterious outcomes are preventive counseling, post-adoption supports, focused groups for parents and their adopted children, and psychotherapy. Directions for future research are offered and include an examination of the long-term relationships among adopted children, their birth parents, and their adoptive parents in open adoption cases. References