EXAMINING THE INFLUENCE OF PRE-ADOPTIVE RISK ON ATTACHMENT BEHAVIORS IN INTERNATIONALLY ADOPTED CHILDREN
Date
2017-05
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Children adopted internationally have often experienced adversity in the form
of social neglect prior to adoption, often in the form of institutional care. Children who
were in institutionalized care before adoption are at-risk for negative outcomes related
to attachment formation and security. Removal from institutional care and experience
with adoptive parents may help children overcome the impact of pre-adoptive
experiences. The duration of previous adverse experiences may be important to the
children’s developing attachments, however. The association between length of time
children were institutionalized and secure attachment behaviors was examined.
Results showed that children who were institutionalized for longer periods of time
showed fewer secure attachment behaviors with their new caregivers than children
institutionalized for shorter periods of time. Similar findings emerged when
considering child age at adoption as the predictor variable.
Description
Keywords
Psychology, PRE-ADOPTIVE RISK ,ATTACHMENT BEHAVIORs, INTERNATIONALLY ADOPTED CHILDREN