Emotional and behavior problems in adopted children – The role of early adversities and adoptive parents’ regulation and behavior

Background Early adversity and negative experiences in the adoptive family can put adopted children at risk for emotional and behavior problems. Objective This study analyzes the influence of children’s preadoptive history and adoptive parents’ characteristics on the psychosocial adjustment of nationally and internationally adopted children in Germany. Participants and setting The survey included 172 adopted children aged between 24 and 145 months and their adoptive parents. Methods Parents provided information about preadoptive history. Information about emotional and behavior problems was obtained from the parental version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parental well-being was obtained through a composite score of three standardized measures (self-efficacy questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale PSS-4, Brief Symptom Inventory BSI); parenting behavior was assessed with the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (DEAPQ). Results 12.5% of the adopted children scored in the clinical range of the SDQ. In a multiple regression analysis, the experience of maltreatment and neglect was the most important predictor of emotional and behavior problems at time of assessment, followed by pre- and perinatal risk and parental stress regulation difficulties, R² = .423, F(4, 128) = 28.539. Increases in the number of risk factors present were associated with a greater odd of children scoring in the clinical range of the SDQ. Conclusions Most of the nationally and internationally adopted children in this sample were well-adjusted. Prenatal and preadoptive risk as well as stress regulation capacities of the main caregiver contributed to the child’s development. An accumulation of risks increased the likelihood of adjustment problems in adopted children.