Researcher(s)
- Leopold Pullella, Neuroscience, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Mary Dozier, Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware
Abstract
Children adopted internationally are at a heightened risk for behavioral and psychiatric challenges, when compared to non-adoptive peers. According to meta-analysis completed by Femmie Juffer and Marinus H. van IJzendoorn in 2005, one possible explanation for these differences is pre-adoption adversity, which has correlated with an increase in behavioral issues and facilitation of mental health resources in children adopted internationally.
The work by Juffere and IJzendoorn is significant to the outlook of international adoption because it highlights various studies over several decades supporting that psychiatric symptoms, such as hyperactivity and depression, are more prevalent in internationally adopted children in comparison to non-adopted children. These findings reveal that a great number of internationally adopted children are especially reliant on their parents for mental health treatment. This project analyzes interventions, such as ABC and DEF that attempt to strengthen parent-child relationships in adoptive families
The participants in this study are mothers who volunteered themselves and their children, during early childhood, to participate in either the ABC or DEF intervention. A follow-up interview was given to the children when they were ten years old that recorded the type intervention they received (ABC or DEF), type of psychiatric symptom, and frequency of symptoms. Additionally, independent sample T-tests were run on each mental health disorder, providing results that there were no significant differences in frequency of psychiatric symptoms between the two groups.
Although there were no differences in the effectiveness of ABC or DEF on children adopted internationally, these findings could be revealing the severity of mental health disorders in children. Furthermore, it is also possible that more time passed would yield significant results. Lastly, these interventions could be compared with a control group in future research since one was not included in this project.