Self-perception of psychological adjustment in adolescent adoptees

For decades, the psychological well-being of adoptees has been a great concern in the investigation regarding the field of adoption. However, studies in this particular area have not always been conclusive in determining if... [ view full abstract ]

For decades, the psychological well-being of adoptees has been a great concern in the investigation regarding the field of adoption. However, studies in this particular area have not always been conclusive in determining if adoption works as a successful intervention in the development of a healthy psychological adjustment of children who were separated from their birth families. Also, some research has shown that adjustment problems may intensify in early adolescence, which makes the study of psychological adjustment pertinent in this particular development stage.
The present study aims to analyse the self-perception of psychological adjustment in adolescent adoptees by pairing them with a group of adolescents who were never separated from their birth family and a group of institutionalized adolescents. The participants in the study were 135 adolescents, 45 who still live with their birth family, 45 institutionalized adolescents, and 45 adopted adolescents, with ages ranging from 12 to 17 years old. Data was collected using the self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess the adolescents’ perception of psychological adjustment. The SDQ includes five scales: emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity and prosocial behaviour, and allows for, not only the assessment of the difficulties of adolescents, but also their prosocial behaviour. The results showed significant differences between the self-perception of psychological adjustment among the three groups, with the group of adolescents who were never separated from their birth family presenting a more favourable self-perception of psychological adjustment when compared to the other two groups. The only scale where no differences were found between adopted adolescents and those who were never separated from their birth family was the prosocial behaviour subscale. However, in all scales, adolescent adoptees showed a more favourable self-perception of their psychological adjustment than institutionalized adolescents did. This last group obtained the lowest scores on all scales when compared to the other two groups.
The results suggest that adoption can indeed have a protective role in the development of adolescent adoptees, highlighting the importance of the integration of the child into a family context, and also reveal the weaknesses of psychological adjustment of institutionalized adolescents, who did not have the opportunity to grow up in a family environment. However, more research with adolescents is needed, since this is a developmental stage presenting special challenges to those who were separated from their birth family.