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Developmental Psychobiology Nov 2019This study examined cognitive-affective strategies as predictors of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to a social-evaluative stressor in adolescence as...
This study examined cognitive-affective strategies as predictors of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to a social-evaluative stressor in adolescence as compared to late childhood as a function of early life experiences. Participants included 159 children (9-10 years) and adolescents (15-16 years) divided into two groups based on early care experiences: non-adopted youth raised in their birth families (n = 81) and post-institutionalized youth internationally adopted from orphanage care (n = 78). Youth completed a version of the Trier Social Stress Test modified for use with children and reported on their trait emotion regulation and coping strategies. Children reported more use of suppression and disengagement than adolescents, while adolescents reported more engagement coping strategies. Non-adopted and post-institutionalized youth did not differ in reported strategies. Cognitive reappraisal predicted higher cortisol reactivity in non-adopted children and adolescents, and was not associated with reactivity in the post-institutionalized group. This study has implications for efforts aimed at promoting self-regulation and adaptive stress responses during the transition to adolescence for both typically developing children and children who experienced adverse early care.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Age Factors; Child; Child, Adopted; Child, Institutionalized; Emotional Regulation; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Male; Orphanages; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 30883739
DOI: 10.1002/dev.21849 -
Journal of Family Psychology : JFP :... Feb 2019Emotional distance regulation theory (Broderick, 1993; Grotevant, 2009) guided this examination of the changes in family structure and process in adoptive kinship...
Emotional distance regulation theory (Broderick, 1993; Grotevant, 2009) guided this examination of the changes in family structure and process in adoptive kinship networks experiencing different arrangements of contact between birth and adoptive family members. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to reveal four trajectories of postadoption contact experienced between adoptive and birth family members in adoptive kinship networks of same-race, domestic infant adoptions. Data were drawn from the Minnesota Texas Adoption Research Project, a study of 190 adoptive families and 169 birth mothers followed across four longitudinal waves (middle childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, young adulthood). Three aspects of the birth family adoptive family relationship measured at four times were used to create the groups: frequency of contact between the adopted person and birth mother, satisfaction of the adopted person with the openness arrangements, and number of adoptive and birth family members involved in the contact. Four trajectory groups emerged: no contact (41.6% of sample), stopped contact (13.7%), limited contact (26.3%), and extended contact (18.4%). Group membership was validated by coders who matched interview transcripts with group descriptions at levels significantly above chance. Knowledge of trajectories will assist professionals providing postadoption services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Adolescent; Adoption; Adult; Child; Female; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mother-Child Relations; Personal Satisfaction; Young Adult
PubMed: 30035570
DOI: 10.1037/fam0000449 -
Iranian Journal of Nursing and... 2023Despite the mutual benefit of adoption, due to the adverse attitude related to the barriers perceived by the couples, some people are not interested in adoption. The...
BACKGROUND
Despite the mutual benefit of adoption, due to the adverse attitude related to the barriers perceived by the couples, some people are not interested in adoption. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to measure attitudes toward child adoption.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This secondary analysis is part of a larger study on 178 infertile couples referring to the Afzalipour Infertility Center in Kerman, Iran. Factor Analysis (FA) was performed. The sampling was conducted using the convenience sampling method. The questionnaire was implemented using a mixed-method approach in three phases. Firstly, a pool was created. The second phase involved content validity. Lastly, construct validity was conducted.
RESULTS
The final version of the questionnaire with 20 questions had a total Cronbach's alpha of 0.70%. Six factors with eigenvalues of higher than 1.00 were extracted, which accounted for 52% of the total variance. These factors were "spiritual-psychological status of the new parents," "psychological status of the adopted child," "undesirable behaviors of others in the future," "anxiety of the new parents," "physical-behavioral characteristics of the adopted child," and "socio-economic factors." The model extracted from the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was confirmed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The 6-factor structure adequately fitted the data (Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.93; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.047; X/df = 1.393; = 0.002.
CONCLUSIONS
The internal consistency and construct validity of the questionnaire were confirmed. This instrument can be used in clinical and research practices.
PubMed: 38205422
DOI: 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_455_20 -
Sante (Montrouge, France) 2004Child health in developing countries is a public health priority both at the national and international level. The World Health Organization, UNICEF and other technical... (Review)
Review
Child health in developing countries is a public health priority both at the national and international level. The World Health Organization, UNICEF and other technical partners have developed The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy to reduce child mortality and improve child health and development through a holistic approach. By the end of 2002, 109 countries among which 17 in the region of the Americas and Caribbean had adopted and implemented this strategy,. In this region, Haiti presents the highest mortality rate for under-fives. Every year, more than 138,000 children die of diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and perinatal complications. Malnutrition contributes to a high percentage of these deaths. It is recognised that the mortality due to these diseases can be prevented. To fight this burden, Haiti officially adopted the IMCI strategy in 1997. The objectives of this paper are, after a general overview of the IMCI strategy, to describe Haiti's child health and analyse the achievements of the first steps of implementing the IMCI strategy in Haiti. The methodology used was a standardised literature review and a qualitative survey based on semi-structured interviews of national and local health authorities involved in the implementation of the IMCI strategy in Haiti. Main results show a limited impact of the first and second phase of implementation in the country. The key factors for this have been limited economical and human resources. A unequal distribution of existing resources between the different IMCI strategy components especially community and family practices, has limited adequate coverage. Isolated actions in favour of child health as well as a lack of co-ordinated interventions between the various actors have been among the barriers for an adequate implementation of this strategy. We recognise that the approach used here is not a formal evaluation on the implementation of IMCI in Haiti. Nevertheless, we hope this article will contribute to draw the attention of national and international public health decision-makers on the difficulties of implementing this strategy in Haiti and in this way, improve child health in the country.
Topics: Child; Child Welfare; Child, Preschool; Developing Countries; Haiti; Health Policy; Health Surveys; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Politics
PubMed: 15563407
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Psychology 2020Little research has examined victimization among school-aged children raised in lesbian/gay (LG) parent households and almost no work has attended to the school and...
Little research has examined victimization among school-aged children raised in lesbian/gay (LG) parent households and almost no work has attended to the school and community contexts that may impact their victimization risk. This study examined predictors of parent-reported child victimization and child adjustment, and parent responses to victimization, in 43 two-mother, 37 two-father, and 56 mother-father families, with adopted children (median age = 8.6 years). Predictors included parent (sexual orientation), school (climate, public versus private) and community (urbanicity, percentage voted Democrat) factors, with parent and child demographics included as controls. A total of 47% of parents reported one or more child victimization experiences in the past year; there were no differences by family type. An exploratory interaction between family type and urbanicity indicated that in large urban areas, children with LG parents were predicted to experience less victimization than children with heterosexual parents; in more rural regions, children with LG parents were predicted to experience more victimization than children with heterosexual parents. School climate was related to victimization: Parents who reported more negative school climate reported more child victimization. Children with higher levels of parent-reported victimization had higher levels of parent-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In large urban areas, children with LG parents were predicted to have fewer internalizing symptoms than children with heterosexual parents; in more rural areas, children with LG parents were predicted to have more internalizing symptoms than children with heterosexual parents. Regarding parents' responses to victimization, LG parents were more likely to talk to school administrators, their children, and the bully, compared to heterosexual parents.
PubMed: 32210887
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00372 -
Clinical Psychology Review Jan 1998The extent to which being adopted increases a child's risk for the development of adjustment problems has been debated for decades. Results from studies examining... (Review)
Review
The extent to which being adopted increases a child's risk for the development of adjustment problems has been debated for decades. Results from studies examining prevalence of adopted children and adolescents in outpatient and inpatient mental health treatment suggest that the risk associated with adoption is modest or nonexistent. This body of research is reviewed and critiqued. Two possible explanations for the apparent disparate findings of the clinically based and nonclinically based studies are explored: biases in referral for mental health treatment and the influence of the shape of the distribution of adjustment problems in the adopted and nonadopted populations. Implications for clinical practice and future research are explored.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adjustment Disorders; Adolescent; Adoption; Adult; Child; Child Behavior; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Risk Factors; Social Adjustment
PubMed: 9455623
DOI: 10.1016/s0272-7358(97)00055-x -
Journal of Child Psychology and... Jan 2011Experience in institutional/orphanage care has been linked to increased mental health problems. Research suggests that children adopted from institutions experience... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Experience in institutional/orphanage care has been linked to increased mental health problems. Research suggests that children adopted from institutions experience specific difficulties related to inattention/overactivity. Evidence of internalizing and conduct problems relative to non-adopted peers has been found in early childhood and early adolescence, but problems may not differ from other adopted children. This study clarifies the understanding of behavioral and emotional symptoms of post-institutionalized (PI) children during middle childhood.
METHODS
Eight- to eleven-year-old PI children (n=68) and two comparison groups, children internationally adopted from foster care (n=74) and non-adopted children (n=76), and their parents completed the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), externalizing, and internalizing symptoms. Group means for symptom level and number of children with symptoms above clinical cutoffs were compared.
RESULTS
PI children displayed an increased level of ADHD symptoms per parent report. PI child and parent report indicated a higher number of PI children above clinical ADHD cutoff. Both groups of internationally adopted (IA) children had higher levels of externalizing symptoms relative to non-adopted children, with parent report indicating higher numbers of IA children above the externalizing clinical threshold. Informants differed in their report of internalizing symptoms. Parents indicated that both IA groups displayed increased internalizing symptom levels and greater numbers above clinical threshold; however, children reported this to be true only for the PI group.
CONCLUSIONS
PI children differ from non-adopted peers across symptom domains in middle childhood. Whether these concerns were more broadly associated with international adoption rather than institutional care depended on symptom domain and informant. An understanding of this variability may be beneficial for treatment and intervention.
Topics: Adoption; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Child; Child Behavior; Child, Institutionalized; Emotions; Female; Humans; Internal-External Control; Male; Minnesota; Parents; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 20649913
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02294.x -
The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist : the... Apr 2021Following the diagnosis of absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI), women may experience considerable psychological harm as a result of a loss of reproductive... (Review)
Review
KEY CONTENT
Following the diagnosis of absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI), women may experience considerable psychological harm as a result of a loss of reproductive function and the realisation of permanent and irreversible infertility.Adoption enables women with AUFI, and their partners, to experience social and legal parenthood, also often providing benefits for the adopted child.Surrogacy offers the opportunity to have genetically related offspring. Outcomes are generally positive in both surrogates and the children born as a result.Uterine transplantation is the only option to restore reproductive anatomy and functionality. While associated with considerable risk, it allows the experience of gestation and the achievement of biological, social and legal parenthood.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
To gain an understanding of the routes to parenthood available for women with AUFI experiencing involuntary childlessness, such as adoption, surrogacy and, most recently, uterine transplantationTo consider a suggested management plan to facilitate counselling in women with AUFI who experience involuntary childlessness.
ETHICAL ISSUES
In the UK, while the number of children requiring adoption continues to increase, the number being adopted from care is decreasing.Some cultures may hold ethical or religious beliefs that surrogacy is unacceptable, and its legal position in many jurisdictions is problematic.Restrictive selection criteria and high costs may limit future availability of uterine transplantation.
PubMed: 34248417
DOI: 10.1111/tog.12729 -
BMC Pediatrics Jun 2020Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a leading cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. Children in foster care or domestically adopted are at greater risk for FASD....
BACKGROUND
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a leading cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. Children in foster care or domestically adopted are at greater risk for FASD. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence or risk for FASD in a selected population of foster and adopted children.
METHODS
Children between 2 and 12 years who were candidates for adoption in foster care were evaluated for clinical manifestations and historical features of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder based on established criteria for FASD.
RESULTS
Of the 89 children evaluated, 18 had mothers with a confirmed history of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Two children had fetal alcohol syndrome and one had partial fetal alcohol syndrome. In addition, five had alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, one had alcohol-related birth defects, and a single child had manifestations of both. Of the 71 children in which fetal alcohol exposure could not be confirmed, many had manifestations that would have established a diagnosis of FASD were a history of maternal alcohol consumption obtained.
CONCLUSIONS
In a population of high-risk children seen in an adoption clinic, many had manifestations associated with FASD especially where prenatal alcohol exposure was established. The reported prevalence in this study is higher than that reported in our previous study of younger children. This is most likely due to the higher number of children diagnosed with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders that typically manifest at an older age.
Topics: Aged; Alcohol Drinking; Child; Child, Foster; Female; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders; Humans; Mothers; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
PubMed: 32493264
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-020-02164-z -
[Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi] Japanese... May 2022Objectives This study targeted public health nurses in a Japanese municipality that had newly adopted the core components of the Finnish system to provide continuous...
[Perceptual changes among public health nurses brought on through a newly adopted system for providing continuous support in the municipality: Modelled at its core on Finnish practice for maternity and child health clinics (Neuvola)].
Objectives This study targeted public health nurses in a Japanese municipality that had newly adopted the core components of the Finnish system to provide continuous support to families with children until preschool. It sought to analyze changes in their perceptions for activities in maternal and child health care before and after the adoption.Methods Relevant data were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews, following an interview guide, conducted from September to October 2020. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Osaka City University in Japan.Results A total of 12 public health nurses participated. Prior to the adoption of the system modelled on Finnish practice, these nurses were dedicated to addressing the risks regarding families with children (especially those at high risk) through continuous engagement. However, they were hesitant to proactively engage with families at lower risk as non-continuous, one-off engagements resulted in a patchwork response. After the system was adopted, the nurses became aware of the trust cultivated with families under their care, which included those at lower risk, that enabled them to respond to the changing needs flexibly. The nurses recognized that they had acquired the capability to notice the subtle signs of changes, engage more proactively with the families under their care, and deliver the necessary preventive interventions at an early stage. They also demonstrated joy and satisfaction derived from the growth of children and mothers under their care, as well as keen awareness of the need to improve their professional skills, even though they were busy.Conclusion These findings indicate that the continuous support system modelled on the core components from Finland enables public health nurses to proactively engage with families at lower risk and deliver preventive interventions at an early stage. The system also motivated Japanese public health nurses who found greater pleasure in their work.
Topics: Child; Child Health; Child, Preschool; Female; Finland; Humans; Mothers; Nurses, Public Health; Pregnancy; Trust
PubMed: 35296591
DOI: 10.11236/jph.21-066