Marianne Berry

Women's Experiences of Violence and Seeking Help

Every day, women survive physical or sexual violence. Some survive as a result of services they receive in the aftermath of the abuse. The study presented here explored womens experiences of victimization and their use of and perceptions about the services they received. It is learned that what providers usually prioritize and what the women in this study used—namely emotional, psychological, and legal support—are not what these women identified as the most helpful. Instead, tangible supports, such as food, housing, and financial assistance, were viewed as the most helpful, along with religious or spiritual counseling.

The role of open adoption in the adjustment of adopted children and their families

Abstract Findings from a four-year study of over 700 adoptions by non-foster parents indicate that openness has decreased or ceased among a large proportion of adoptions, primarily among those adoptive families who chose openness at the recommendation or insistence of the adoption agency or agent. For all families in the fourth year of their adoption, satisfaction levels and other indicators of adjustment are very positive, with openness bearing little relation to adjustment at this point.

Behavior problems of children adopted when older

Adoptions of older children with histories of abuse or neglect are increasing. Previous studies have found these adoptees to be at risk of emotional and behavioral difficulties, and have associated these difficulties with adoption instability without identifying the specific behaviors that contribute to difficult adoptions. This study examined the behavior of 85 children adopted when aged three or older, using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist to pinpoint specific child behaviors associated with adoption instability and adoptive parent dissatisfaction. Aggressive and hyperactive children displaying antisocial behavior are at greatest risk of adoption instability. Recommendations to adoption practitioners include more detailed preparation and behavior management training for adoptive parents.

Outcomes of Child Welfare Services under Permanency Planning

According to the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-272), preferred permanency planning outcomes are reunification with the childs family, adoption, guardianship, and long-term foster care, in that order. This paper assesses available research on the results of each kind of placement. Indicators of placement outcome that are compared include abuse, placement stability, developmental outcomes, and childrens satisfaction with the placement. Children who are reunified are most poorly served under permanency planning. They deserve increased and longer-lasting services. Adoption of older children appears to be meeting its promise for children and deserves continued emphasis. Guardianship is little understood despite significant use. Since recent legislative changes, long-term foster care appears to have fewer drawbacks but does not adequately address the needs of children who age out of foster care. Reforms designed to improve services to dependent children are forwarded.

Preparation, support, and satisfaction of adoptive families in agency and independent adoptions

Information gathered from over 1000 adoptions in the fourth year of a prospective study of adoptions finds satisfaction levels to be quite high, with those families adopting through private agencies to feel best prepared and satisfied. Differences by adoption auspice are detailed and discussed.

The Impact of Family Preservation Services on Child and Family Well-Being

ABSTRACT Using a logic model as a conceptual framework, a family preservation program is described and evaluated. The current study explores the relationship between family characteristics, services provided, and three outcomes: successful case closure, child well-being, and family well-being. The methodology included an associational design, an availability sample, and hierarchical logistic and multiple regression. It was found that services have minimal effects on outcomes and, at times, families appear to get worse, depending on their family circumstances. This study sought to contribute to the family preservation knowledge base by examining the effect of both client and process level data on multiple child and family outcomes.

Contributors to adjustment problems of adoptees: A review of the longitudinal research

Retrospective studies of adoptive families have identified ways in which members of the adoptive family may be at risk of behavior and adjustment problems, but it is prospective research which can link those difficulties to factors which exist early in the placement. This review of prospective adoption research finds that most studies, but not all, report that adopted children are indeed at increased risk of behavior problems and decreased selfesteem. These studies, taken in sum, caution that unrealistic parental expectations and other parental misconceptions about the child, particularly regarding academic achievement, often lead to these difficulties in adjustment. Implications for practive are discussed.

The assessment of imminence of risk of placement: Lessons from a family preservation program

Intensive family preservation programs are a form of family services aimed at preventing the placement into foster care of children deemed at imminent risk of removal. There is considerable debate, however, on how best to determine the risk of imminent placement. This article presents an analysis of the determination of imminent risk within one family preservation program, and finds that the conventional and accepted risk factors to be used in making a risk determination at intake are more accurate at predicting placement after leaving the program than in predicting who is judged to be at imminent risk at intake. Specific elements contributing to this discrepancy are discussed, with implications for risk assessment research and policy.

The practice of open adoption:Findings from a study of 1396 adoptive families

Abstract Adoption agencies, centers and attorneys are arranging and creating open adoptions in increasing numbers across the United States, but little is known about how widespread this practice is, or how adoptive families manage the day to day practice of openness. New evidence from a survey of 1,396 newly adoptive families in California sheds light on the practice of open adoption and shows that the majority of these adoptions are open in some form, and that many adoptive families are cautiously comfortable with post-placement contact. Open practices across transracial and relative adoptions are also explored.

Preparing and supporting special needs adoptive families: A review of the literature

Families who adopt special needs children require substantial preparation and support, due to their increased risk of adoption difficulties and disruption. Studies of special needs adoptive families indicate that large proportions of parents are dissatisfied with the preparation they receive. Present forms of preparatory and supportive services by adoption agencies are reviewed, followed by descriptions of needed additions to and reemphasis in adoption services. These enhancements, such as more child-specific information, identification of problem areas, behavioral training, information on the impact of sexual abuse, identification of community resources, and availability of services over the life of the family, will help to better recruit and serve adoptive families.