![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe differences between parents who were related to the child prior to adoption and those that were not.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to identify variables that increase the likelihood of positive parental outcomes.
Objectives: The research questions were: 1) Are there differences in demographic characteristics, child’s behaviors, parental expectations, and postadoption services between relative and non-relative adoptive parents?; and 2) Are differences between relative and non-relative adoptive parents related to parental outcomes (physical and mental/emotional health)?
Methods: The National Survey of Adoptive parents (NSAP) data set was used to investigate the research questions. The NSAP sample is nationally representative of adopted children in the U.S., ages 0-17, excluding step-parents (N = 2,068; relative parents: n=469; non-relative parents: n= 1,599).
Results: Findings revealed that children adopted by relatives were more likely to have been abused/neglected prior to adoption, and exposed to drugs/alcohol prior to birth; yet relative adoptive parents were less likely to have used more than usual health-related services for children of the same age, nor discussed post-adoption services with agency workers. With the exception of mothers’ emotional health with child younger than 6 years, parental outcomes did not differ between those who were related to the child and those that were not. In general, demographic variables (work status, income), ability to cope with the demands of parenting, the parent/child relationship (happiness, affection), parental perceptions of the child’s behaviors (obedience) and self-image were related to parental outcomes; significant variables differed across parental role and age of child.
Conclusions: The lack of differences in parental outcomes based on relative status may not be entirely unexpected given that the (legal) finalization of the adoption by parents signifies permanence to the family. Further investigations to elucidate parental and child variables related to parental physical and emotional health are needed.