ContextInternational adoption involves more than 40 000 children a year
moving among more than 100 countries. Before adoption, international adoptees
often experience insufficient medical care, malnutrition, maternal separation,
and neglect and abuse in orphanages.ObjectiveTo estimate the effects of international adoption on behavioral problems
and mental health referrals.Data SourcesWe searched MEDLINE, PsychLit, and ERIC from 1950 to January 2005 using
the terms adopt* combined with (behavior) problem, disorder, (mal)adjustment, (behavioral)
development, clinical or psychiatric (referral), or mental health;
conducted a manual search of the references of articles, books, book chapters,
and reports; and consulted experts for relevant studies. The search was not
limited to English-language publications.Study SelectionStudies that provided sufficient data to compute differences between
adoptees (in all age ranges) and nonadopted controls were selected, resulting
in 34 articles on mental health referrals and 64 articles on behavior problems.Data ExtractionData on international adoption, preadoption adversity, and other moderators
were extracted from each study and inserted in the program Comprehensive Meta-analysis
(CMA). Effect sizes (d) for the overall differences
between adoptees and controls regarding internalizing, externalizing, total
behavior problems, and use of mental health services were computed. Homogeneity
across studies was tested with the Q statistic.Data SynthesisAmong 25 281 cases and 80 260 controls, adoptees (both within
and between countries) presented more behavior problems, but effect sizes
were small (d, 0.16-0.24). Adoptees (5092 cases)
were overrepresented in mental health services and this effect size was large
(d, 0.72). Among 15 790 cases and 30  450
controls, international adoptees showed more behavior problems than nonadopted
controls, but effect sizes were small (d, 0.07-0.11).
International adoptees showed fewer total, externalizing and internalizing
behavior problems than domestic adoptees. Also, international adoptees were
less often referred to mental health services (d,
0.37) than domestic adoptees (d, 0.81). International
adoptees with preadoption adversity showed more total problems and externalizing
problems than international adoptees without evidence of extreme deprivation.ConclusionsMost international adoptees are well-adjusted although they are referred
to mental health services more often than nonadopted controls. However, international
adoptees present fewer behavior problems and are less often referred to mental
health services than domestic adoptees.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/200958/JRV50009.pdf

Behavior problems and mental health referrals of international adoptees: a meta-analysis.

INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION IS AN INcreasing phenomenon involving more than 40 000 children a year moving between more than 100 countries. By setting uniform norms and standards, the 1993 Hague Convention endorsed and facilitated international adoption. International adoption may offer the advantage of a permanent family to a child for whom a family cannot be found in the country of origin. In 2004, most international adoptions in the United States (22 884) were from China, Russia, Guatemala, South Korea, and Kazakhstan, whereas most international adoptions in Europe (15 847 in 2003) were from China, Russia, Colombia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. Since the 1970s, domestic adoptions in North America and Europe drastically decreased, whereas at the same time the number of international adoptions increased. International adoptees often experience inadequate prenatal and perinatal medical care, maternal separation, psychologicaldeprivation, insufficienthealth services, neglect, abuse, and malnutrition in orphanages or poor families before adoptive placement. Animal models have shown that early maternal

/pdf/behavior-problems-and-mental-health-referrals-of-19rqiu5izf.pdf

Behavior Problems and Mental Health Referrals of International Adoptees

This meta-analysis of 62 studies (N=17,767 adopted children) examined whether the cognitive development of adopted children differed from that of (a) children who remained in institutional care or in the birth family and (b) their current (environmental) nonadopted siblings or peers. Adopted children scored higher on IQ tests than their nonadopted siblings or peers who stayed behind, and their school performance was better. Adopted children did not differ from their nonadopted environmental peers or siblings in IQ, but their school performance and language abilities lagged behind, and more adopted children developed learning problems. Taken together, the meta-analyses document the positive impact of adoption on the children's cognitive development and their remarkably normal cognitive competence but delayed school performance.

/pdf/adoption-and-cognitive-development-a-meta-analytic-1ye5agh4a0.pdf

Adoption and cognitive development: a meta-analytic comparison of adopted and nonadopted children's IQ and school performance.

Fostering security? A meta-analysis of attachment in adopted children.

The current article provides a review of adoption research since its inception as a field of study. Three historical trends in adoption research are identified: the first focusing on risk in adopti...

Review: Adoption research: Trends, topics, outcomes

EnglishRecent developments in intercountry adoption worldwide, based on a demographic analysis of trends in 22 receiving states between 2001 and 2007, are reviewed. The analysis shows a marked decline in the global number of adoptions after a steady rise from the mid-1990s to over 45,000 in 2004.FrenchLes recents developpements de l’adoption internationale dans le monde entier, observes a partir de l’analyse des tendances demographiques dans 22 pays d’accueil entre 2001 et 2007, sont passes en revue. L’analyse montre une baisse sensible du nombre global d’adoptions apres une hausse constante du milieu des annees 1990 jusqu’a plus de 45,000 en 2004.SpanishSe revisaron los desarrollos recientes en la adopcion entre paises a nivel mundial, con base en analisis demograficos de tendencias en 22 estados receptores entre 2001 y 2007. El analisis muestra un marcado declive en el numero global de adopciones despues de un aumento sostenido desde la mitad de los anos noventa, por encima de 45,000 en 2004.

/pdf/the-rise-and-fall-of-intercountry-adoption-in-the-21st-3dodx4qibw.pdf

The rise and fall of intercountry adoption in the 21st century

Intercountry adoption is not usually seen as a matter for demographers, although articles in the International Migration Review have looked at international adoption as a migratory process. This article outlines the author's estimate of the number of intercountry adoptions world-wide, using data recorded by 18 receiving states in the 1990s. Data from selected receiving countries are used to estimate the number of adoptions from states of origin. Comparisons are made with data for 14 countries over the period 1980–89 collated by Kane (1993).

Intercountry adoption in the new millennium; the``quiet migration''revisited

The implications of developments in intercountry adoption worldwide in the early years of the twenty-first century are explored, based on analysis of data from 20 receiving countries. Between 1998 and 2004, intercountry adoption increased by 42 per cent. Problems in data collection and analysis are examined, as is the reliability of estimates of numbers of children sent by countries of origin when derived from data provided by receiving countries. Also considered are various measures of standardization which can be used to facilitate comparison between countries and show trends over time. The potential for more detailed comparative analysis is explored.

/pdf/trends-in-intercountry-adoption-analysis-of-data-from-20-4nz9xh7fmx.pdf

Trends in intercountry adoption: Analysis of data from 20 receiving countries, 1998-2004

This article examines the latest trends in intercountry adoption worldwide, based on data from twenty-three receiving countries. Trends in the number of children sent by states of origin are based on their returns to the Hague Special Commission or on estimates derived from country data provided by the receiving states. The analysis concentrates on the period from 2004 to 2010 when estimated annual global numbers declined from 45,000 to 29,000, fewer than those recorded in 1998. The article will also look at changes in the age – and other characteristics – of children sent. Discussion centres on changes in sending countries, exploring the declines in China, Russia and Guatemala, the rise in adoptions from Haiti after the earthquake of 2010 and the emergence of Africa – and in particular Ethiopia – as a significant source of children for adoption. The article concludes with a consideration of the implications of a continuing high demand from childless couples in developed countries on the intercountry adoption ‘market’; and the prediction of David Smolin that, unless truly reformed, intercountry adoption will eventually be abolished and labeled as a ‘neo-colonial mistake’.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/CC53024FED8DB244CD9F9F25576B3212/S1474746412000085a.pdf/div-class-title-the-global-decline-of-intercountry-adoption-what-lies-ahead-div.pdf

Peter Selman

Papers

The rise and fall of intercountry adoption in the 21st century

Intercountry adoption in the new millennium; the``quiet migration''revisited

Trends in intercountry adoption: Analysis of data from 20 receiving countries, 1998-2004

The global decline of intercountry adoption: What lies ahead?

Intercountry adoption: developments, trends and perspectives