Attachment Behavior of Children Adopted Internationally at Six Months Post Adoption

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to describe attachment behavior in children adopted internationally at six months post adoption. Twenty-two children and their adoptive mothers were observed at home for completion of an attachment measure. Mothers also completed a questionnaire on their child's preadoption care. Comparisons of children low and high in attachment security suggested that low secure children showed predominantly ambivalent attachment behavior or that they were still in the process of forming an attachment. Children having foster versus orphanage care prior to adoption differed in quality of preadoption care and in certain attachment behaviors, but not in overall attachment security.

KEYWORDS:

• attachment
• adoption
• institutionalization
• foster care
• quality of care

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health through a National Research Service Award, 5F31NR010050. The funding source had no influence, beyond the initial review and award of the grant, in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.