Special-Needs Adoption: A Study of Intact Families

Abstract

Seven hundred ninety-nine parents who adopted children with special needs responded to a mailed questionnaire probing child behavior, parent-child relationship, school performance, helpfulness of social work and other services, and the impact of the adoption on the family. About three-quarters of the parents reported positive impact; most were also positive in their assessments of social work services. Latency-age and adolescent adoptees, but not preschool children, demonstrated substantial behavioral problems. Acting-out, aggressive behavior as contrasted with withdrawn, inhibited behavior was strongly related to the impact of the adoption. Results are promising for minority children, for less wealthy and less educated adoptive families, and for adoptions by single parents and foster parents.