Behavior problems in adolescence among international adoptees, pre-adoption adversity, and parenting stress

The evolution of behavior problems from school age to adolescence and their relationships with early risk factors and parenting stress were examined among 71 international adoptees. Children's health status and development were assessed soon after arrival in their family to provide indices of e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied developmental psychology 2018-07, Vol.57, p.53-61
Main Authors: Smith, Catherine, Cossette, Louise, Melançon, Fanny, Beauvais-Dubois, Cybèle, Smolla, Nicole, Gagnon-Oosterwaal, Noémi, Chicoine, Jean-François, Belhumeur, Céline, Malcuit, Gérard, Pomerleau, Andrée, Séguin, Renée, Bégin, Jean
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjustment
Adolescents
Adopted children
Adoption
Adversity
Age
Behavior
Behavior problems
Child development
Childrens health
Developmental psychology
Externalizing problems
Health status
Intercountry adoption
Internalization
Internalizing and externalizing symptoms
Internalizing disorders
International adoption
Longitudinal study
Maternal stress
Mothers
Parental stress
Parenting stress
Parents & parenting
Risk factors
Self report
Stress
Teenagers
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Summary:The evolution of behavior problems from school age to adolescence and their relationships with early risk factors and parenting stress were examined among 71 international adoptees. Children's health status and development were assessed soon after arrival in their family to provide indices of early adversity. At ages 7 and 15, self-report measures (DI and DIA) were used to evaluate behavior problems while mothers completed the CBCL. Mothers also completed the Parenting Stress Index and Stress Index for Parents of Adolescents. A lower percentage of children reported internalizing problems during adolescence than at school age while mothers reported a decrease in externalizing problems over age. A few correlations were found between internalizing and externalizing symptoms and early risk factors. However, these links were sequentially mediated by parenting stress at school age and in adolescence. The potential impact of parenting stress on international adoptees' psychological adjustment is discussed. •International adoptees' behavior problems tend to decrease during adolescence.•Behavior problems are related to early risk factors and parenting stress.•Parenting stress mediates the links between risk factors and behavior problems.
ISSN:0193-3973
1873-7900
DOI:10.1016/j.appdev.2018.04.005