Long-term Outcomes in Adoption

Considerable debate has arisen in the professional literature regarding the possibility of increased psychological risk in adopted children compared with nonadopted children. A selective review of the literature indicates that, although most adoptees are well within the normal range of functioning, as a group they are more vulnerable to various emotional, behavioral, and academic problems than their nonadopted peers living in intact homes with their biological parents. Methodological problems associated with adoption research are discussed, and a new conceptual model of adoption adjustment is offered. Historically, adoption has been viewed as a highly successful societal solution for the problems confronting children whose biological parents could not or would not provide for them. In fact, the literature is overwhelmingly supportive of the benefits of adoption for these children, particularly when one considers the alternative caregiving options available for them. For example, research indicates that on a variety of outcome measures adopted children fare much better than those youngsters who are reared in institutional environments or in foster care. Furthermore, adoptees do significantly better than those children who are reared by biological parents who are ambivalent about caring for them or, in fact, do not want them.1 Because of the long tradition of viewing adoption as a solution, not only for children needing permanent homes, but also for women experiencing an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy and for infertile couples who want to be parents, professionals and lay people often have had difficulty accepting the possibility that the solution, itself, could at times be a problem. Over the past three decades, however, a sizable body of empirical, clinical and theoretical writings has emerged focusing on the complexities of family life and on the possible psychological risk associated with adoption. Much of this work can be traced to the early efforts of David Kirk 5 and Marshall Schechter, who were among the first professionals to call attention to the adjustment difficulties of adopted children and their parents. This article addresses the psychological impact of adoption on children. A selective review of the empirical and theoretical literature is undertaken with the goal of highlighting what is known about the way in which adoption influences the emotional, social, behavioral, and academic functioning of children. The focus of this article will be primarily on infant-placed adoptees, as well as on The Future of Children ADOPTION Vol. 3 • No. 1 Spring 1993 David M. Brodzinsky, Ph.D., is associate professor in the Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. 154 THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN SPRING 1993 intraracial (i.e., within-race) placements. Psychological outcome in special needs adoptions and transracial placements are addressed in separate articles in this journal issue by James A. Rosenthal and Arnold R. Silverman, respectively. Assessing Psychological