Lee RM, Grotevant HD, Hellerstedt WL, Gunnar MR and The Minnesota International Project Team (includes Johnson DE, Madsen N, Bale M, Dole K and Iverson S). Cultural socialization in families with internationally adopted children. Jour Fam Psychology, 20:571-80, 2006.
ABSTRACT: Cultural socialization attitudes, beliefs, and parenting behaviors were examined in families with internationally adopted children. The authors hypothesized that parents with lower color-blind racial attitudes would be more likely to engage in enculturation and racialization parenting behaviors because they hold stronger beliefs in the value and importance of cultural socialization. Using data from the Minnesota International Adoption Project, the results support this mediation model of cultural socialization. Individual variations in cultural socialization also are discussed in terms of child development and shifting adoption attitudes and practices. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.
Gunnar MR, Van Dulmen MHM and the International Adoption Project Team (includes Grotevant H, Lee R, Hellerstedt W, Madsen N, Bale M, Johnson DE, Dole K and Iverson S). Behavior problems in postinstitutionalized internationally adopted children. Dev and Psychopathology 19:129-148, 2007
ABSTRACT: Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the rate and type of behavior problems associated with being reared in an institution prior to adoption were examined in 1,948, 4- through 18-year-old internationally adopted children, 899 of whom had experienced prolonged institutional care prior to adoption. The children's adoptions were decreed between 1990 and 1998 in Minnesota. Binomial logistic regression analyses revealed that early institutional rearing was associated with increased rates of attention and social problems, but not problems in either the internalizing or externalizing domains. Independent of institutional history, children who were adopted > or = 24 months had higher rates of behavior problems across many CBCL scales, including internalizing and externalizing problems. In general, time in the adoptive home, which also reflected age at testing, was positively associated with rates of problem behavior. Thus, there was little evidence that the likelihood of behavior problems wane with time postadoption. Finally, children adopted from Russia/Eastern Europe appeared at greater risk of developing behavior problems in several domains compared to children adopted from other areas of the world.
Smyke AT, Koga SFM, Johnson DE, Fox NA, Marshall PJ, Nelson CA Zeanah CH and the BEIP Core Group. The caregiving context in institution-reared and family-reared infants and toddlers in Romania. Jour Child Psychology and Psychiatry 48:210-218, 2007.
BACKGROUND: We assess individual differences in the caregiving environments of young children being raised in institutions in Romania in relation to developmental characteristics such as physical growth, cognitive development, emotional expression, and problem and competence behaviors. METHOD: Videotaped observations of the child and favorite caregiver in their 'home' environment were coded for caregiving quality, and this was related to child characteristics. Child emotional reactivity was assessed during responses to interactional tasks. Cognitive development was assessed from child responses to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Data regarding problem behaviors and competence were obtained from caregiver report. Children reared in institutions were compared on all of these measures to never institutionalized children to assist gauging degree of impairment. RESULTS: Children raised in institutions demonstrated marked delays in cognitive development, poorer physical growth, and marked deficits in competence. Individual differences in caregiving environment were associated with cognitive development, competence, and negative behavior among these young children being reared in institutions. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm previous findings regarding deficits associated with institutional care and extend our understanding of the impact of individual differences in caregiving quality on the development of young children in institutions.
Hellerstedt WL, Madsen NK, Gunnar MR, Grotevant HD, Lee RM, Johnson DE. The International Adoption Project: Population-based Surveillance of Minnesota Created through Adoption. Maternal and Child Health Journal, Matern Child Health J. 2007 Jun 12; [Epub ahead of print]
OBJECTIVES: To conduct the first population-based surveillance in the United States of parents who adopted children from countries outside of the United States. METHODS: A 556-item survey was mailed to 2,977 parents who finalized an international adoption in Minnesota between January 1990 and December 1998; 1,834 (62%) parents returned a survey. RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of the parents reported transracial adoptions (97% of the parents were white); 57% of the adopted children were Asian; 60% were female; and on average, the children were 18 months old at the time of placement. Only 15% of the parents reported household annual incomes less than $50,000 and 71% reported they had college educations. Sixty-one percent traveled to their child's country of birth prior to the adoption. Almost three-quarters involved their children in experiences related to their birth countries and 98% would recommend international adoption. Three-quarters of the parents believe that parental leave was an issue for them as they adopted. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based survey of U.S. parents who have adopted internationally. The adoptive parents were socioeconomically different than birth parents in Minnesota and their families are most likely to be transracial. Because international adoption has become more prevalent, it is important to understand the strengths and needs of families that are created through this unique form of migration.
Mandalakas AM, Kirchner HL, Iverson S, Chesney M, Spencer MJ, Sidler A, Johnson DE. Predictors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in international adoptees. Pediatrics 120’r610-r616, 2007.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to measure the factors that are associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in international adoptees. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 880 international adoptees who presented to the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota between 1986 and 2001. Five tuberculin units of purified protein derivative were placed intradermally on the left forearm. The largest diameter of induration was measured in millimeters between 48 and 72 hours. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric measures at initial screening. Data on age, birth country, and year of adoption were assessed. RESULTS: Adoptees (mean age: 26 months; range: 1-200 months; 62% female) came from 33 birth countries. Twenty-eight percent and 5% had evidence of chronic and acute malnutrition, respectively. Twelve percent had evidence of M. tuberculosis infection. The odds of M. tuberculosis infection increased 7% for each subsequent year during the period studied, increased 142% with each additional year of age for children < or = 24 months of age at baseline screening, and increased 15% with each additional year of age for children > 24 months of age at the time of evaluation. Tuberculin skin test induration response was not associated with nutritional status or birth region. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated a high prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection and malnutrition in internationally adopted children, placing them at considerable risk for progression to tuberculosis disease. These findings also support current guidelines recommending completion of tuberculin screening immediately after adoption.
Fuglestad AJ, Lehmann AE, Kroupina MG, Petryk A, Miller BS, Iverson SL, Johnson DE, Georgieff MK. Iron deficiency in International Adoptees from Eastern Europe. Submitted
Miller BS, Kroupina MG, Iverson SL, Mason P, Narad C, Himes JH, Johnson DE, Petryk A. Auxological evaluation and determinants of growth failure at the time of adoption in Eastern European adoptees. Submitted
Lee RM, Seol KO and the International Adoption Project Team (includes Gunnar M (PI), Grotevant H, Johnson DE, Lee R, Hellerstedt W, Madsen N, Bale M, Dole K, Iverson S). Comparison of the behavioral development of Korean children in orphanages and in internationally adopted families. Submitted
Johnson DE. “Medical issues in adoption.” In: The Praeger Handbook of Adoption. 2006; 1:35-39.
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