Pre-adoptive risk factors and behavioural problems in children adopted from Poland

Abstract

Behavioural problems in adoptees have been related to adverse circumstances prior to adoption. We examined pre-adoptive risk factors and post-adoptive behavioural problems in children adopted from Poland. Dutch adoptive parents of 133 Polish adoptees (M_age = 8.7 years, range 2.8–15.2; M_ageadoption = 3.0 years, range .4–6.9) answered the Child Behaviour Checklist and questions regarding pre-adoptive risk factors, such as institutionalization, neglect and abuse. Polish adoptees in our sample were four times more likely to have clinical behavioural problems than non-adopted children. Compared with a group of children adopted from various countries, predominantly from Asia, Polish adoptees had higher levels of behavioural problems as well. Multiple pre-adoptive risk factors were present. Only a history of abuse was found to be associated with behavioural problems after adoption. Special attention and support after adoption are needed for these children and their adoptive parents, especially when a pre-adoptive history of abuse is known.

Keywords::

• Adoption
• Behavioural problems
• Pre-adoptive risk factors
• Institutionalization
• Abuse

The authors thank all adoptive parents and their children for their participation in the study. This work was supported in part by funding from the Stichting Kind en Toekomst [Foundation Child and Future].

Disclosure statement: Authors do not have any financial interest or benefit from the direct applications of their research.