Psychological Issues in Adoption: Research and Practice(Advances in Applied Developmental Psychology)

In this book, leading researchers spotlight how dramatically the practice of adoption has changed both in North America and Europe in recent decades due to, among other factors, a falling rate of domestically born infants being placed for adoption. This has resulted in a rise in international adoption, children of color being placed with Caucasian parents, increased foster care and special needs adoptions including children exposed to prenatal alcohol and drug use as well as maltreatment by birth parents. Also examined is the far more diverse group of adults being granted adoption rights, including single and homosexual parents. Research findings demonstrate the trend across countries toward open adoption, wherein the birth parents and adoptive parents meet to share information. As the editors note, there is no longer a typical adopted child or a typical adoptive family. Paralleling these changes has been a growing interest in the study of adopted children and adoptive parents. Although earlier research showed adoptees more likely to experience school problems and psychological disorders, recent studies show the differences in these areas between adoptees and non-adoptees to be relatively small. Models guiding adoption research are beginning to emphasize resilience and positive adaptation, rather than risk and psychopathology. This handbook will be of interest to all involved with adoption policy and practice.

Table of Contents:
Contemporary Adoption in the United States: Implications for the Next Wave of Adoption Theory, Research and Practice by D. Brooks, C. Simmel, L. Wind and R. P. Barth Changing Attitudes of Adoptive Parents in Northern European Countries by R. Hoksbergen and J. T. Laak Prenatal and Postnatal Risks to Neurobiological Development in Internationally Adopted Children by M. R. Gunnar and D. A. Kertes Adverse Preadoption Experiences and Psychological Outcomes by M. Rutter Change and Continuity in Mental Representations of Attachment After Adoption by J. Hodges, M. Steele, J. Kaniuk, S. Hillman and K. Henderson Beyond Adopted/Non-Adopted Comparisons by J. Palacios and Y. Sanchez-Sandoval Reconceptualizing Openness in Adoption: Implications for Theory, Research, and Practice by D. Brodzinsky Openness in Adoption: Outcomes for Adolescents within Their Adoptive Kinship Networks by H. D. Grotevant, Y. V. Perry and R. G. McRoy The Construction of Adoptive Parenthood and Filiation in Italian Families with Adolescents by R. Rosnati International Adoptions in Scandinavia: Research Focus and Main Results by M. Dalen Methodological Issues in Using Large-Scale Survey Data for Adoption Research by B. C. Miller, X. Fan, and H. D. Grotevant Recent Changes and Future Directions for Adoption Research by J. Palacios and D. Brodzinsky

About the Author :
David M. Brodzinsky is Professor of Developmental and Clinical Psychology at Rutgers University. He is also Director of the Rutgers Foster Care Counseling Program. Jesús Palacios is Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Seville, Spain. He co-authored a pre-adoption training program for prospective adopters and a book for adoptive parents.

Review :
Brodzinsky and Palacios's new edited volume picks up from the first author's earlier and important similar volume (The Psychology of Adoption, coed. with Marshall Schechter, 1990), which detailed the important changes occurring in child adoptions and reviewed their theoretical and practical significances. What gives the current volume special value is its cross-national focus, bringing contributions of leading researchers from the Netherlands, Spain, and Scandinavia together with those of outstanding North American adoption researchers. Like its predecessor, the current volume brings to one central place a huge amount of valuable information on adoptive adjustments and their transformations; changing adoption trends; transracial and transcultural adoptions; adoptions of older, disabled children; adoptions by single parents; gay and lesbian adoptive parents; open adoptions; the impact of adverse preadoption experiences; emotional bonding issues; and others. Anyone doing research on adoptions will want to have this volume, which saves the time and trouble of scouring through countless journal articles and governmental reports….Essential. All levels/libraries. [A] wonderful tool for experienced clinical professionals to use to bring themselves up to date on adoption research over the last two decades and to give social work students, new professionals, and advocates easy access to that same important information….Reading research can be dry, and well, boring! Very little about this book was boring. It was, instead, invigorating to think about the future of adoption and changes in our work with adoptive families. I consider this a must-read. In this collection of 12 articles, experts in the field describe current policy and practice as well as their research in the complex psychological issues for all parties concerned.