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Abstract

This study compared the behaviours of previously institutionalised Romanian foster children(ages 6–12) with normative data for non-referred children. We hypothesised that foster children would have higher scores (more unfavourable outcomes) on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher Report Form (TRF) (all syndromes) than norms. Results were mixed, showing that (a) boys and girls have Attention Problems with the TRF, but not the CBCL; (b) girls have fewer Internalising Problems than norms (CBCL and TRF); and (c) boys have more problems than norms for Attention, Inattention, Hyperactivity, Aggressive, Externalising, and Total Problems with the TRF; and more problems than norms on Social, Rule-Breaking, Externalising, and Total Problems with the CBCL, but fewer problems for Attention. In addition, many differences between Romanian foster children and norms were insignificant. Sampling issues and norms, reporting differences between foster parents and teachers, individual differences, as well as the better than expected results for foster children when compared to norms may stem from a variety of causes that are discussed in this report.

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... They have (a) direct access to health services, food, & clothing; (b) a personal room and other belongings, and do not struggle with overcrowded beds and other living spaces; (c) more physical, emotional, & cognitive stimulation within their foster families and schools; (d) more social stimulation within their foster families, schools, clubs, and neighborhoods; and (e) less physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse because they are cared for by more affectionate and competent caregivers (Cojocaru, 2008;Rus, Butterfield, Cross, Purvis, Parris, & Cliff, 2014). Although there are improvements in foster children's environment and their outcomes compared to institutionalized children, studies in many countries reveal that foster children commonly manifest a high incidence of behavioral problems, health risk behaviors, and/or are more likely to utilize outpatient and inpatient mental health services compared with children from the general population (Gramkowski, Kools, Paul, Boyer, Monasterio, & Robbins, 2009;Halfon, Berkowitz, & Klee, 1992;McIntyre, & Keesler, 1992;Rus, Ito-Jäger, Parris, Cross, Purvis, Dr\ghici, 2014;Tarren-Sweeney & Hazell, 2006). In addition, there is a high incidence of developmental delays in infants and young children in foster care (Klee, Kronstat, & Zlotnick, 1997). ...
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The primary aim of this study was to explore the effects of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) intervention on Romanian foster parents’ psychological functioning (emotional distress) and how this intervention affects their perceived parenting behavior within their family. The participants included 80 Romanian foster parents (78 female and 2 male) ranging in age from 28 to 59 years (M = 45.73 years, SD = 6.38) in one county. Participants in the present study were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: REBT group (or the experimental group) and Control group. REBT group received Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and the Control group was given the standard training program on abuse and neglect that was taught within the Romanian child protection system. A pre-post design was used that included the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) as outcome measures. The results of the present study supported our hypothesis that professional foster parents receiving REBT would show lower levels of emotional distress (anxiety, depression, and anger) and an increased use of improved parenting behaviors (involvement, positive parenting, poor monitoring/supervision, inconsistent discipline, corporal punishments, and other behaviors) compared with foster parents who received the standard training program, as showed by parents self-reported change scores. The results of the present study highlight the usefulness of understanding the importance of professional foster parents receiving REBT.
... Sensitivity to the child's needs must include an awareness of the culture and context within which the child is living. This is picked up in a study from Romania on outcomes of children in foster care (Rus et al., 2014), and a discussion paper by Caroline Taylor and Lauren Breen (2014) on the impact of pet loss on survivors of child sexual abuse. Taylor and Breen highlight the important part that pets play in many children's lives, and the potential role that they may play in promoting healing and resilience. ...
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International adoption involves more than 40,000 children a year moving among more than 100 countries. Before adoption, international adoptees often experience insufficient medical care, malnutrition, maternal separation, and neglect and abuse in orphanages. To estimate the effects of international adoption on behavioral problems and mental health referrals. We searched MEDLINE, PsychLit, and ERIC from 1950 to January 2005 using the terms adopt* combined with (behavior) problem, disorder, (mal)adjustment, (behavioral) development, clinical or psychiatric (referral), or mental health; conducted a manual search of the references of articles, books, book chapters, and reports; and consulted experts for relevant studies. The search was not limited to English-language publications. Studies that provided sufficient data to compute differences between adoptees (in all age ranges) and nonadopted controls were selected, resulting in 34 articles on mental health referrals and 64 articles on behavior problems. Data on international adoption, preadoption adversity, and other moderators were extracted from each study and inserted in the program Comprehensive Meta-analysis (CMA). Effect sizes (d) for the overall differences between adoptees and controls regarding internalizing, externalizing, total behavior problems, and use of mental health services were computed. Homogeneity across studies was tested with the Q statistic. Among 25,281 cases and 80,260 controls, adoptees (both within and between countries) presented more behavior problems, but effect sizes were small (d, 0.16-0.24). Adoptees (5092 cases) were overrepresented in mental health services and this effect size was large (d, 0.72). Among 15,790 cases and 30,450 controls, international adoptees showed more behavior problems than nonadopted controls, but effect sizes were small (d, 0.07-0.11). International adoptees showed fewer total, externalizing and internalizing behavior problems than domestic adoptees. Also, international adoptees were less often referred to mental health services (d, 0.37) than domestic adoptees (d, 0.81). International adoptees with preadoption adversity showed more total problems and externalizing problems than international adoptees without evidence of extreme deprivation. Most international adoptees are well-adjusted although they are referred to mental health services more often than nonadopted controls. However, international adoptees present fewer behavior problems and are less often referred to mental health services than domestic adoptees.
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Adopted children have been said to be difficult children, scarred by their past experiences in maltreating families or neglecting orphanages, or by genetic or pre- and perinatal problems. Is (domestic or international) adoption an effective intervention in the developmental domains of physical growth, attachment security, cognitive development and school achievement, self-esteem, and behaviour problems? Through a series of meta-analyses on more than 270 studies that include more than 230,000 adopted and non-adopted children and their parents an adoption catch-up model was tested. Although catch-up with current peers was incomplete in some developmental domains (in particular, physical growth and attachment), adopted children largely outperformed their peers left behind. Adoptions before 12 months of age were associated with more complete catch-up than later adoptions for height, attachment, and school achievement. International adoptions did not lead to lower rates of catch-up than domestic adoptions in most developmental domains. It is concluded that adoption is an effective intervention leading to massive catch-up. Domestic and international adoptions can be justified on ethical grounds if no other solutions are available. Humans are adapted to adopt, and adoption demonstrates the plasticity of child development.
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Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the rate and type of behavior problems associated with being reared in an institution prior to adoption were examined in 1,948, 4- through 18-year-old internationally adopted children, 899 of whom had experienced prolonged institutional care prior to adoption. The children's adoptions were decreed between 1990 and 1998 in Minnesota. Binomial logistic regression analyses revealed that early institutional rearing was associated with increased rates of attention and social problems, but not problems in either the internalizing or externalizing domains. Independent of institutional history, children who were adopted >or=24 months had higher rates of behavior problems across many CBCL scales, including internalizing and externalizing problems. In general, time in the adoptive home, which also reflected age at testing, was positively associated with rates of problem behavior. Thus, there was little evidence that the likelihood of behavior problems wane with time postadoption. Finally, children adopted from Russia/Eastern Europe appeared at greater risk of developing behavior problems in several domains compared to children adopted from other areas of the world.
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Are serious growth delays caused by malnutrition and neglect permanent or reversible? The effects of institutionalization and international adoption on children's physical growth are estimated with meta-analysis. Studies with sufficient data to compute differences between adoptees and the reference population (33 papers with 122 study outcomes) were collected through Web of Science, ERIC (Education Resource Information Center), PsycINFO (Psychological Literature), and Medline (U.S. National Library of Medicine) (1956-2006). The influence of pre- and postadoption care on height, weight, and head circumference was tested. Effect sizes (d) and confidence intervals (CIs) around the point estimate for the growth lag indices were computed. The more time spent in institutional care, the more the children lagged behind in physical growth (d = 1.71, 95% CI: 0.82-2.60, n = 893). At adoptive placement, the children showed large delays in height, weight, and head circumference (d = -2.39 to -2.60; n = 1331-3753). Although after adoption, they showed almost complete catch-up of height (d = -0.57, 95% CI: -0.87 to -0.27, n = 3437 adoptees) and weight (d = -0.72, 95% CI: -1.04 to -0,39, n = 3259 adoptees), catch-up of head circumference seemed slower and remained incomplete (d = -1.56, 95% CI: -2.27 to -0.85, n = 527). Later age at arrival was related to less complete catch-up of height and weight. International adoption leads to substantial catch-up of height and weight but not of head circumference, demonstrating differential plasticity of children's physical growth.
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The study assessed conduct and emotional difficulties in a group of Romanian adoptees at age 11, and serves as a follow-up to assessments made when the children were 6 years old. It was found that there was a significant increase in emotional difficulties, but not conduct problems, for the Romanian sample since age 6. It was also found that emotional difficulty was significantly more prevalent at age 11 in the Romanian group than in a within-UK adoptee group. Emotional difficulties in the Romanian adoptee group were found to be significantly and strongly related to previous deprivation-specific problems (disinhibited attachment, cognitive impairment, inattention/overactivity and quasi-autism); however, the presence of such early problems did not account fully for the onset of later emotional problems. Five contrasting hypotheses concerning possible mediators for later onset of emotional difficulties for the Romanian group were examined. No links were found to duration of deprivation or other deprivation-related indices, stresses/difficulties in the postadoption family environment, or educational attainment and self-esteem. There was some evidence that emotion recognition might play a role in the emergence of these problems, but other measures of social competence and theory of mind showed no associations with the onset of emotional problems.
1037//0033-2909.127.3 Rus et al. Copyright © DOI: 10.1002/car rRutter M, O’Connor TG and the ERA Study Team Are there biological programming effects for psychological development? Findings from a study of Romanian adoptees
  • Doi
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