Jan ter Laak

Adoption of romanian children in The Netherlands: behavior problems and parenting burden of upbringing for adoptive parents.

ABSTRACT. Seventy-two Dutch adoptive parents of 80 Romanian children completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Nijmegen Questionnaire for the Upbringing Situation (NQUS), and participated in a semistructured interview (response 83%). Thirty-four percent of the adopted children scored in the clinical range on Externalizing and 36 % on Total Problems scales. Significantly more children who were at least two years at placement and had stayed less than five years in the adoptive family received scores in the clinical range on almost all CBCL clinical clusters. Nevertheless, the adoptive parents judge their upbringing situation positive (NQUS).

Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder in Adopted Romanian Children Living in The Netherlands

Abstract The occurrence of symptoms of Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in eighty children adopted from Romania was studied. Their average age on arrival was 2.10 and at the start of this study 8 years. The 72 parent-couples (response 83%) were extensively interviewed and filled out the Dutch ADHD-questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Twelve of the 80 participant children (15%, eleven boys and one girl) clearly showed symptoms of ADHD. In addition they exhibited more Externalizing Behavior (CBCL) than the remaining 68 children (75% vs. 25%). These 12 children more often attended special education than the others (67% vs. 25%). The ADHD children also showed less recovery over time. Ten of the twelve ADHD children also showed comorbidity, i.e., symptoms of posttraumatic stress reaction, post institutionalized autism and other behavioral disorders. The ADHD children needed more professional care than the remaining 68 children. Their parents, however, judged the received care more negatively than the Other parents.

Associations of Perceived Sibling and Parent-Child Relationship Quality With Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Comparing Indian and Dutch Early Adolescents

The aims of the present study were (a) to examine whether Dutch and Indian early adolescents differ concerning sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems, and (b) to compare the associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems for Indian and Dutch early adolescents. Our sample consisted of 274 Dutch (mean age = 10.9 years) and 236 Indian early adolescents (mean age = 10.8 years). Questionnaires were administered in the final grades of 15 Dutch primary schools and six Indian English-language middle schools. Indian early adolescents reported more sibling warmth and parental negative interaction than Dutch early adolescents. However, associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems were similar. Our study indicates that cross-cultural differences may exist in quality of sibling and parent-child relationships, but not in their impact on externalizing and internalizing problems. More cross-cultural research concerning family relationship quality and its impact on early adolescent psychosocial development is needed to confirm our findings.

Adult Foreign Adoptees: Reactive Attachment Disorder May Grow into Psychic Homelessness

The heterogeneity of the group of adopted children does not allow to draw general conclusions about the nature and quantity of behavioral problems with adopted children. This nature and quantity depend on the chosen comparison group. Older foreign adoptees at placement often show complex physical and psychological problems. Many suffer from some kind of behavioral disturbances. Empirical data show that reactive attachment disorder (RAD) can often be diagnosed. The continuation of this disorder in adulthood will result in feelings of psychic homelessness. Examples are described to make clear what kind of behavioral problem it concerns. Research to select appropriate treatments for RAD and psychic homelessness is still lacking.

Life experiences and quality of life of involuntarily childless men in treatment and adoptive fathers

Objective: To explore the life experiences and quality of life of involuntarily childless men to determine whether adoption improves their quality of life. Background: The current study focused on specific life experiences – the strength of the desire for a child, problems in marital understanding and the quality of life of involuntarily childless men undergoing fertility treatment and adoptive fathers who had experienced infertility in an Indian context. Methods: A convenience sample of 100 involuntarily childless men undergoing fertility treatment was recruited and 100 adoptive fathers were selected through snowball sampling. Participants provided demographic information and completed seven questions that measured their strength of child wish (four items) and problems in marital understanding regarding childlessness (three items). Quality of life was measured with a German instrument, the Tübingen Quality of Life Questionnaire for Men with Involuntary Childlessness (TLMK; 35 items, English version). Results: Both groups emphasised the importance of being a parent. There was only a slight difference in problems in marriage due to childlessness. However, the results of the TLMK revealed that the adoptive fathers perceived an overall better quality of life than the involuntarily childless men. Conclusion: Adoption can improve the quality of life of involuntarily childless men in this particular ethnic group. Designing culture- and gender-specific counselling could be beneficial to both groups.

Adoptie van verwaarloosde kinderen: Een overzicht van onderzoeksresultaten bij adoptiekinderen uit Roemenie.

Samenvatting:Ouders van 80 Roemeense adoptiekinderen (respons 83%) vulden de cbcl, de Auti-R, de Trauma-vragenlijst, de adhd-vragenlijst en de Nijmeegse Vragenlijst voor de Opvoedingssituatie (nvos) in. Eénenveertig kinderen scoorden in het klinische gebied van één van de vragenlijsten. Zestien procent vertoont het zogenaamde Post Institutional Autistic Syndrome, 20% een Post Traumatische Stress Reactie en 15% adhd-gedrag. Er is bij veel kinderen sprake van co-morbiditeit. De klinische groep is bij aankomst zes maanden ouder (3;3 vs. 2;9), heeft een slechtere gezondheid bij aankomst en volgt vaker speciaal onderwijs dan de niet-klinische groep (n = 39). De ouders van kinderen in de klinische groep hebben meer hulpverleners geraadpleegd vergeleken met ouders van de kinderen in de niet-klinische groep.