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Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Jan 2022Transracial/transcultural adoption is defined as a child of one race or ethnic group placed with parent(s) of a different race or ethnic group. An estimated 2 million...
Transracial/transcultural adoption is defined as a child of one race or ethnic group placed with parent(s) of a different race or ethnic group. An estimated 2 million children in the United States were identified as adopted in the 2010 census, and approximately one-fourth of these were transracial adoptions. Both a history of adoption and a strong ethnic or racial identity are specifically associated with health-related risk and protective factors for psychosocial, academic, and health behavior outcomes. A patient with a history of transracial adoption presents unique and important considerations for culturally responsive nursing care. This article begins with nursing practice considerations for transracially adoptive patients and provides an overview of epidemiology; relevant trauma informed nursing care;. laws and racial identity formation, and a mental model of health disparities to guide future directions. We synthesize information relevant to nursing care of individuals who are transracially adopted and racial/ethnic identity formation, including socialization and a merging model to conceptualize identities. The article also discusses principles of trauma informed care and health disparities and future improvements in the context of this population.
Topics: Child; Humans; Adoption; Censuses; Ethnicity; Nursing Care; Parents; Cultural Competency
PubMed: 36721853
DOI: No ID Found -
Child Abuse & Neglect Aug 2022Although a very heterogeneous group, adopted persons may present developmental and mental health problems of varying severity. Pre-placement adversity and trauma have...
BACKGROUND
Although a very heterogeneous group, adopted persons may present developmental and mental health problems of varying severity. Pre-placement adversity and trauma have often been linked to these problems. It has been also suggested that adoption itself is a psychological trauma, predisposing the individual to emotional difficulties.
OBJECTIVES
This article examines the links between early adversity, trauma, and adoption. We begin by defining trauma and then describe the way in which pre-placement adversity can undermine neurobehavioral and interpersonal functioning, increasing the risk for long-term psychological difficulties. Next, we examine children's recovery when placed in a stable adoptive home. Finally, we explore adoption as a lived experience, highlighting contextual and developmental factors that facilitate the person's positive or negative attributions about being adopted, leading to varying patterns of emotional adjustment.
CONCLUSIONS
Although pre-placement adversity increases adopted individuals' risk for maladjustment, the human brain and behavior are malleable, and placement in a nurturing adoptive home often facilitates recovery from early adversity, with significant heterogeneity in the extent of recovery within and across domains of functioning. While there is no evidence that early adoption is a trauma for the individual, ongoing negative life circumstances, attachment difficulties, and developmentally-mediated attributions about adoption can undermine the person's self-esteem, identity, relationships, and sense of well-being. Conclusions and suggestions for future research are offered.
Topics: Adoption; Child; Emotional Adjustment; Humans; Longitudinal Studies
PubMed: 34544593
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105309 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Nov 2021A compelling piece of science in this month's issue is the work of Wood et al., which addresses a long-standing question about adoption in infancy-could the process of...
A compelling piece of science in this month's issue is the work of Wood et al., which addresses a long-standing question about adoption in infancy-could the process of adoption affect the later characteristics of adopted children? This question arises from studies showing that children adopted at birth have higher rates of behavioral problems on average later in life. Potential confounds of such studies are that adopted children may enter the adoption with pre-existing vulnerabilities related to the reason for adoption, which in turn could lead to behavioral differences. Scientists trying to minimize this confound previously have capitalized on the benefits of animal model approaches-randomization, controlled genetic background, controlled environmental factors, faster development, opportunities for close observation-showing that adoption at birth can affect rodent offspring long term. However, a nonhuman primate study comes closer to addressing this question specifically for our human, primate vulnerability.
Topics: Adoption; Animals; Macaca; Problem Behavior
PubMed: 34116168
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.06.002 -
Child Maltreatment May 2021Adoption and guardianship are meant to provide permanency to foster children when reunification is not a viable option. Unfortunately, sometimes adoption and...
Adoption and guardianship are meant to provide permanency to foster children when reunification is not a viable option. Unfortunately, sometimes adoption and guardianship placements dissolve resulting in children returning to care. Currently, there is limited research on the prevalence and predictors of adoption and guardianship dissolutions. This study investigated rates of guardianship and adoption dissolution using a complete entry cohort from a large state foster care system and the associations between child characteristics and risk factors with dissolution. Drawing on a complete entry cohort of foster children in Texas that exited to either adoption or guardianship placements, results demonstrated that over 2% of adoptive placements and 7% of guardianship placements were dissolved. Compared with White and Hispanic children, Black children had a higher risk of guardianship, but not adoption, dissolution. Older age was associated with a higher risk of adoption dissolution, and females had a higher risk of guardianship dissolution than males. Behavior problems, cognitive disability status, and mental health issues were all associated with a higher risk of dissolution. These findings have important implications for caseworkers and policymakers on permanency for children in adoptive or guardianship placements.
Topics: Adoption; Aged; Child; Child Welfare; Cohort Studies; Female; Foster Home Care; Humans; Male; Risk Factors
PubMed: 32909825
DOI: 10.1177/1077559520952171 -
American Family Physician Apr 2015Unintended pregnancy refers to unwanted, unplanned, or mistimed pregnancies. One-half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and family physicians are... (Review)
Review
Unintended pregnancy refers to unwanted, unplanned, or mistimed pregnancies. One-half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and family physicians are often asked to provide counseling, support, and resources for women with unintended pregnancies. Options include carrying the infant to term and raising the child, carrying the infant to term and choosing adoption, or having an induced abortion. Family physicians should be equipped to direct women who choose to raise the infant to appropriate care and resources. Most U.S. women do not choose adoption, but there are multiple resources for women interested in this option. Physicians should not broker adoptions, match potential parents with mothers, or adopt children of their own patients. Induced abortion is performed in the first or second trimester of pregnancy. Medical management is comparable with surgical management, and both methods are safe and effective. Combination regimens with mifepristone and misoprostol are the most effective medical methods. Dilation and curettage and vacuum aspiration are the most common surgical methods.
Topics: Abortion, Induced; Adoption; Child Rearing; Consumer Health Information; Counseling; Decision Making; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Physician's Role; Physician-Patient Relations; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Pregnancy, Unwanted; Refusal to Treat; Risk Factors; Social Support; United States
PubMed: 25884862
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Postgraduate Medicine 2023Single parent adoption (SPA) is a relatively new construct worldwide and in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has laid down... (Review)
Review
Single parent adoption (SPA) is a relatively new construct worldwide and in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has laid down criteria for adoption in general and SPA in particular, in conjunction with the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children), 2015. There is scant literature on this topic of SPA, more so in India, that looks into the various psychological nuances of SPA from a mental health professional's (MHP) perspective. This review paper aims to assess SPA from the perspective of a MHP that will focus on its various legal nuances as well as the psychological connotations attached to it. For this, a search strategy was employed that included a thorough literature search from two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) with relevant keywords related to the topic. The various legal issues pertaining to SPA in the current scenario, the psychological issues and challenges faced by single parents, the behavioral outcomes of adoptees who are adopted by single parents, and ways to deal with the various obstacles of SPA are discussed.
Topics: Child; Humans; Female; Mental Health; Single Parent; Adoption; India
PubMed: 37357486
DOI: 10.4103/jpgm.jpgm_718_22 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Jun 2001
Topics: Adoption; Child; Child Welfare; Child, Preschool; Humans; Infant; United Kingdom
PubMed: 11431281
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.322.7302.1556 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2021In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a hallmark of reproductive medicine. However, the inconclusive outcome leads to marital disharmonies; thus, the choices of gamete...
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a hallmark of reproductive medicine. However, the inconclusive outcome leads to marital disharmonies; thus, the choices of gamete donation and surrogacy (GD/S) are often offered. In restricted countries, the child-rearing choice through foster/adoption care is promising, but the uptake remains low. We explore the current reproductive services and adoption scenarios in Asian countries to delineate this issue. The web and literature search using PubMed and Ichushi was conducted in Japanese and English using the keywords "adoption", "foster care", "reproductive medicine", including the interview with the respective Asian clinicians. We found that an established adoption system was seen in China, Malaysia, and the Philippines, mainly due to the restriction of GD/S. Although GD/S were allowed in Thailand, Singapore, and India, the different local affordability of IVF cost led to various adoption system scenarios. Nevertheless, the country's economic aspect does influence the establishment of adoption care, mainly due to financial support from local government. Otherwise, the significant barrier was the cultural/religious background leading to low adoption rates. We concluded that the adoption option should always be highlighted as an alternative strategy as it synergistically contributes to children's and infertile couples' welfare.
Topics: Adoption; Child; China; Humans; India; Malaysia; Philippines; Reproductive Medicine; Singapore; Thailand
PubMed: 33810525
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073466 -
American Family Physician Dec 1998
Topics: Adoption; Child; Diagnosis, Differential; Family Practice; Humans; International Cooperation; United States
PubMed: 9861871
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Aug 2022The aim of this study was to analyze the behavioral characteristics and success of adoption for previously hoarded cats.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to analyze the behavioral characteristics and success of adoption for previously hoarded cats.
METHODS
Shelter records and post-adoption surveys were analyzed for hoarded cats ⩾6 months old at intake. A non-standard scoring system was used. Intake scores were allocated contemporaneously and socialization scores were applied retrospectively for three time points (TPs): 5-10 days post-intake (shelter TP), ⩽1 week post-adoption (home TP1) and >1 week post-adoption (home TP2). Adoption returns were compared between hoarded and non-hoarded cats.
RESULTS
The study included 195 hoarded cats, of which 174 were adopted. Of 164 cats with intake scores, 86 (52%) were scored as 'friendly' at intake. Forty-five cats had socialization scores for all of the TPs, and of these, the percentages of 'supersocial' or 'social' decreased from 87% at the shelter TP to 47% at home TP1, then increased to 84% at home TP2. Most cats that scored as 'tense' at intake had supersocial or social scores at home TP2. Nine of the 88 cats with survey results had out-of-box (OOB) elimination in either the shelter or home but only 1/88 in both. Adopters expressed positive feelings for 42/43 cats for which feelings-based language was used in their survey responses. Notable behaviors, such as neediness, were recorded for 48/88 cats. Relationships with other household pets were typically positive. Eighteen of 174 hoarded (10%) and 188/2662 non-hoarded (7.1%) cats were returned post-adoption. Of these, six hoarded and 87 non-hoarded returns included behavioral reasons. There were no significant differences between hoarded and non-hoarded cats for total or behavioral returns.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Hoarded cats had high adoption rates, high adopter satisfaction and the potential for good emotional well-being in adoptive homes. Behavior at intake and OOB elimination in the shelter may not reflect post-adoption behavior. Behavior-based outcome decisions for these vulnerable animals should be deferred to allow time for habituation.
Topics: Animal Welfare; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cats; Hoarding; Retrospective Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35722998
DOI: 10.1177/1098612X221102122