Progress 07/01/01 to 06/30/06
Outputs
1. Being female, being adopted at an older age, never placed in a foster home, and being a young adult were statistically significant factors that increased the probability of knowing about birth mothers. Being placed at older age and being a young adult also statistically significantly affected the probability of having knowledge about birth fathers. Being adopted at older age, never placed in a foster home, and being a young adult were statistically significantly associated with the probability of contacting birth mothers; being adopted at an older age was associated with the probability of contacting birth fathers. The more adoptees knew about or contacted their birth parents, the less they attended college and the more they formed couple relationships in young adulthood. However, this negative effect of knowing about or contacting birth parents almost disappeared when other variables were controlled (Kyung-Eun Park, dissertation, 2005). 2. Adolescents antisocial
behaviors are associated with age, gender, mothers education, maltreatment at earlier age, and relationship with peer group. The young adults scored on Aggressive Anti Social Behavior (AASB) and Non Aggressive Anti Social Behavior (NAASB) were more likely to be younger, males, and have mothers with less education. They were also more likely to have experienced early maltreatment. As adolescents, they also spent more time with friends; had friends who used tobacco, alcohol, and/or marijuana; and had parents who perceived less closeness with their adolescent. However, adoption status did not predict AASB once the other variables were controlled. Adoption status did predict NAASB, but only for females; adopted females were significantly more likely than nonadopted females to engage in NAASB (Grotevant et al., in press).
Impacts
Adoption has been highlighted in recent years as a permanent family situation for foster children. Kyung-Eun Parks dissertation research and Grotevant, et al., research provide new information about adoptees in adolescence and young adulthood. This information could be used by practitioners because post adoption services are being emphasized by governmental policy. This research also could help adoptees and adoptive parents better understand the role of adoption in adolescent development, and the extent of adoptees knowledge about and contact with birth parents.
Publications
- No publications reported in 2005, but see prior publications listed at http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth/pubs.
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Kyungeun Park's dissertation research is about adoptees' knowledge of, contact with, and involvement with, their birth parents. In her study of 487 adoptees from Waves I and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, she found that about 50% of adopted adolescents report knowing at least one of their birth parents. Adoptees were more likely to know about their birth mothers than birth fathers, and knowledge of birth parents was related to age of placement. Among those who knew about their birth parents, about 60% of adolescent adoptees have communicated with them in person, by the phone, or by letter. They reported feeling somewhat close to their birth parents, with those who were adopted prior to 6 months reporting the least closeness to birth parents. The percentage of those who knew anything about their birth parents (55%)increased very little over time. Adopted young adults report feeling somewhat closer to their birth parents, compared to when
they were adolescents. Bryan Winward's dissertation research has focused on comparing adopted and non-adopted young adults on the type and quality of their intimate relationships. His research has analyzed whether the experience of adoption itself, or if events leading up to adoption (i.e. abuse and neglect) play a greater role in determining the type and quality of relationships. He has found that adoption has a small effect on the type and quality of relationships, but abuse and neglect is a stronger predictor than adoption of negative relationship outcomes.
Impacts
This research will inform research professionals, as well as parents, about special issues that will help adoptive families and adolescents.
Publications
- No publications reported in 2005
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Data from wave III of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health In-home interview were received at Utah State University in May 2003. Several new questions in wave III asked about specific adoption characteristics (e.g., age at adoption, foster care, abuse and neglect) relevant to understanding adoptees adjustment. Preliminary analyses of wave III data show age at adoption, foster care experience, and abuse or neglect are associated with the adjustment of adopted youth. Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder and Impulsivity were common among males who reported abuse and neglect, and foster care experience, while suicide ideation and depression were more frequently reported among females who had lived in foster homes or had experienced abuse or neglect.
Impacts
This research will inform research professionals, as well as parents, about special issues that will help adoptive families and adolescents.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
1.In the Add Health school survey many adolescents inaccurately reported they were adopted. Adolescents who claimed to be adopted, but were not, were much more likely than other adolescents to report extreme and negative behaviors (Fan et al., in press). 2. In Add Health wave I questions, proxy variables were developed for four DSM-IV diagnoses: conduct disorder, alcohol abuse, cannabis abuse, and major depressive disorder (single episode). The approach described in this study provides a way to identify adolescents who are likely at risk for the development of mental health problems (van Dulmen et al., 2002). 3. Adopted adolescents' romantic relationships were found to be similar to nonadopted adolescent's romantic relationships. However, adopted females reported three times more forced sexual intercourse experience than nonadopted females (Christensen et al., to be submitted).
Impacts
This research will help research professionals, as well as parents, understand special issues that will aid adoptive families and young adopted adolescents.
Publications
- van Dulmen, M.H., Grotevant, H.D., Dunbar, N., May, M., Miller, B.C., Fan, X., Bayley, B., Christensen, M., & Coyl, D. (2002). Connecting national survey data with DSM-IV criteria. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 475-481.
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Progress 07/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
1. Analyses of Transitions to Young Adult Roles for Adopted and Non-adopted Adolescents: Using all three Waves of the Add Health data set, this study will compare non-adoptees' and adoptees' transitions to adulthood by investigating the timing and routes taken when leaving home (such as leaving home early, graduation from high school and going on to college, procurement of secure employment, and having (or caused) an unplanned pregnancy and birth). Stage of work: Preliminary. 2. Analyze Heterosexual Relationship Formation and Fertility-related Behaviors for Adopted and Non-adopted Adolescents: Using the first two Waves of the Add Health data set, this study will investigate the hypothesis that heterosexual relationship development may be more difficult for later placed adoptees who have experienced abuse and neglect. To test this supposition, adolescent relationship indicators and fertility-related behaviors will be compared for early and later placed adopted and
non-adopted adolescents, controlling for factors such as age, religiosity, SES, family structure, and ethnicity. Stage of work: Preliminary.
Impacts
This research will help professionals, as well as parents, understand special issues that will aid adoptive families and young adopted adolescents.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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