Parent Strategies for Addressing the Needs of Their Newly Adopted Child

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to describe reflections of nine American parents on the strengths, challenges, and strategies in parenting young children newly adopted from another country. Eight mothers and one father with an adopted child aged <3 years and home for <3 months completed standardized assessments measuring the child's social emotional development, sensory processing, and parental stress. Each parent participated in qualitative interview to discuss challenges and strategies helpful in addressing their children's needs. All parents reported challenges addressing their child's needs in the areas of sleep, feeding, attachment and self-regulation, and soothing. Parents reported similar strategies to address their child's behavioral concerns. Parents also reported on family factors and community resources that supported the success of the adoption. Although many families described their adoptive child as having challenges with multiple daily life activities, parents reported being able to create effective strategies to address many of these challenging behaviors.

KEYWORDS. :

• Attachment
• family adjustment
• international adoption
• self-regulation
• sensory processing

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Linda G. Tirella, OTD, OTR/L, MHA, is affiliated with the department of pediatrics, International Adoption Clinic, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Linda Tickle-Degnen, PhD, OTR/L, is affiliated with the department of occupational therapy, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Laurie C. Miller, MD, is affiliated with the department of general pediatrics, International Adoption Clinic, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Gary Bedell, PhD, OTR/L, is affiliated with the department of occupational therapy, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.