Attachment and Human Development, 21(4), 2019, pp.372-388.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
This paper reports on a long-term follow-up of a longitudinal study conducted in Italy that assessed attachment patterns of late-adopted children (placed between 4 and 8 years old) and their adoptive mothers, in three phases: T1, at placement; T2, in childhood (7–8 months after adoption); and T3, in adolescence (current study). The following hypotheses were tested: 1) children’ IWMs will shift These findings reinforce the importance of taking attachment into account for adoptive families from the beginning of adoption.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This paper reports on a long-term follow-up of a longitudinal study conducted in Italy that assessed attachment patterns of late-adopted children (placed between 4 and 8 years old) and their adoptive mothers, in three phases: T1, at placement; T2, in childhood (7–8 months after adoption); and T3, in adolescence (current study). The following hypotheses were tested: 1) children’ IWMs will shift from insecurity towards security in a long-term follow-up; and 2) there will be a significant association between adoptees’ and adoptive mothers’ IWMs in adolescence. Participants were 22 late-adopted adolescents (aged 11–16) and their adoptive mothers, all assessed in previous phases. Participants completed several measures of attachment, including the Separation-Reunion Procedure (T1, T2), Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (T2), Friends and Family Interview (T3), and Adult Attachment Interview (T1, T3). Late-adopted adolescents showed both an increase in attachment security and a decrease in disorganized attachment from childhood to adolescence. Adoptive mothers’ (T3) secure states of mind were associated significantly to their adopted children attachment security in adolescence. These findings reinforce the importance of taking attachment into account for adoptive families from the beginning of adoption.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
adopted children, adoption, longitudinal studies, attachment, adoptive parents, young people;
European Journal of Social Work, 21(2), 2018, pp.270-284.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
The study examined data about 8438 children placed in out-of-home care by Child Protection Services in a region in the Northern Italy, during the time span of 2008–2012, to understand whether out-of-home placements led to an effective improvement in their conditions. Starting from literature analysis and available data, a range of outcome and process typologies was developed in order to analyse data. In particular, five outcome types (in family, stable; out of family, stable; adopted; on-going placement; unknown) and six process types (evolving; regressive; oscillating; static out-of-home; uncertain at home; undetectable) were detected. Each type was divided into sub-types. Then each child was given a tag attuned to an outcome and a process type. Descriptive analysis about outcomes and processes was carried out. The types and sub-types used in the study seemed to be a useful instrument for analysing the children’s paths outside their birth families. Implications for social work are discussed.
(Publisher abstract)
The study examined data about 8438 children placed in out-of-home care by Child Protection Services in a region in the Northern Italy, during the time span of 2008–2012, to understand whether out-of-home placements led to an effective improvement in their conditions. Starting from literature analysis and available data, a range of outcome and process typologies was developed in order to analyse data. In particular, five outcome types (in family, stable; out of family, stable; adopted; on-going placement; unknown) and six process types (evolving; regressive; oscillating; static out-of-home; uncertain at home; undetectable) were detected. Each type was divided into sub-types. Then each child was given a tag attuned to an outcome and a process type. Descriptive analysis about outcomes and processes was carried out. The types and sub-types used in the study seemed to be a useful instrument for analysing the children’s paths outside their birth families. Implications for social work are discussed.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
looked after children, placement, outcomes, child abuse, child protection, family reunification, adoption;
Adoption is unanimously considered a lifelong process, but adulthood and parenthood are life cycle stages that up to now have been explored only marginally. The principal aim of the present study is twofold: first, to analyse whether and how parenthood might lead the adoptee and his/her partner to reinterpret the adoption history and, second, to verify whether the attitudes of the two partners concerning adoption are similar or complementary. Thirty-four couples consisting of one adopted and one non-adopted partner, now parents, were interviewed and a graphic instrument, the Double Moon Test, was administered. Results revealed that most couples showed a shared attitude in valorising both the origin background and the adoptive family. However, in a number of cases a divergent position emerged, highlighting the crucial role of the non-adopted partner in encouraging the adoptee to revisit his/her adoption history. Overall, the practical relevance of the research findings is discussed and future direction of research are suggested.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Adoption is unanimously considered a lifelong process, but adulthood and parenthood are life cycle stages that up to now have been explored only marginally. The principal aim of the present study is twofold: first, to analyse whether and how parenthood might lead the adoptee and his/her partner to reinterpret the adoption history and, second, to verify whether the attitudes of the two partners concerning adoption are similar or complementary. Thirty-four couples consisting of one adopted and one non-adopted partner, now parents, were interviewed and a graphic instrument, the Double Moon Test, was administered. Results revealed that most couples showed a shared attitude in valorising both the origin background and the adoptive family. However, in a number of cases a divergent position emerged, highlighting the crucial role of the non-adopted partner in encouraging the adoptee to revisit his/her adoption history. Overall, the practical relevance of the research findings is discussed and future direction of research are suggested.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
adults, adoption, parents, adopted people, attitudes, family relations, birth families;
Attachment and Human Development, 16(6), 2014, pp.573-589.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Life before adoption is characterised by the lack of sensitive and stable caregiving, putting infants at risk for non-secure attachment patterns. What leads to adoptees’ attachment security in their adoptive families has not been conclusively determined. The authors investigated the roles of children’s temperament and adoptive parents’ attachment on adoptees’ attachment security. The variables were studied in a sample of 30 early-placed adoptees (age at adoption placement M = 5.37 months, SD = 4.43) and their adoptive mothers and fathers. Attachment patterns were investigated by means of the Strange Situation Procedure and the Adult Attachment Interview, and temperament via the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. Results showed that mothers’ secure attachment, but not fathers’ attachment
(Publisher abstract)
Life before adoption is characterised by the lack of sensitive and stable caregiving, putting infants at risk for non-secure attachment patterns. What leads to adoptees’ attachment security in their adoptive families has not been conclusively determined. The authors investigated the roles of children’s temperament and adoptive parents’ attachment on adoptees’ attachment security. The variables were studied in a sample of 30 early-placed adoptees (age at adoption placement M = 5.37 months, SD = 4.43) and their adoptive mothers and fathers. Attachment patterns were investigated by means of the Strange Situation Procedure and the Adult Attachment Interview, and temperament via the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. Results showed that mothers’ secure attachment, but not fathers’ attachment or adoptees’ temperament, increased the chance of secure attachment in adoptees. Temperament moderated the mother–child attachment match.
(Publisher abstract)
... at placement, length of adoption and gender. The attachment representations were captured using the Manchester Completion Attachment Story Task (MCAST), a doll-play narrative that provides four different attachment classifications – secure, avoidant, ambivalent and disorganised – and three global scorings for disorganisation, mentalising and coherence of mind.
The age of adoption was negatively associated
(Publisher abstract)
Late-adopted children have often suffered a wide range of deprivations in their pre-adoption lives. These early adverse experiences can have a negative effect on children’s attachment representations even after they have been adopted. This study assesses the attachment representations of 61 late-adopted children over the first year of placement, exploring the risk and protective factors of age at placement, length of adoption and gender. The attachment representations were captured using the Manchester Completion Attachment Story Task (MCAST), a doll-play narrative that provides four different attachment classifications – secure, avoidant, ambivalent and disorganised – and three global scorings for disorganisation, mentalising and coherence of mind.
The age of adoption was negatively associated with disorganisation, while length of placement was positively correlated with mentalising. Males seemed to be more vulnerable to insecurity and disorganisation than females. The data also suggested that for children placed after the attachment-sensitive phase, the longer the time spent in the adoptive families and being female were protective factors. Moreover, attachment narratives seemed to be a useful tool to explore the inner world of late-adopted children from the first year of placement.
(Publisher abstract)
Child: Care, Health and Development, 37(1), January 2011, pp.82-88.
Publisher:
Wiley
Late-placed children who have been adopted after 12 months of age are likely to show insecure or disorganised attachments towards their adoptive parents. This study examined the attachment patterns of late-adopted children aged 4–7 and their adoptive mothers during the first 7- to 8-month period after adoption. It aimed to evaluate the effect of adoptive mothers' attachment security on the revision of the attachment patterns of their late-adopted children. Attachment patterns were assessed in 20 adoptive dyads and 12 genetically related dyads within 2 months of adoption and then 6 months later. The children's behavioural attachment patterns were assessed using the Separation-Reunion Procedure and the children's representational (verbal) attachment patterns using the Manchester Child
Late-placed children who have been adopted after 12 months of age are likely to show insecure or disorganised attachments towards their adoptive parents. This study examined the attachment patterns of late-adopted children aged 4–7 and their adoptive mothers during the first 7- to 8-month period after adoption. It aimed to evaluate the effect of adoptive mothers' attachment security on the revision of the attachment patterns of their late-adopted children. Attachment patterns were assessed in 20 adoptive dyads and 12 genetically related dyads within 2 months of adoption and then 6 months later. The children's behavioural attachment patterns were assessed using the Separation-Reunion Procedure and the children's representational (verbal) attachment patterns using the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task. The attachment models of the adoptive mothers were classified using the Adult Attachment Interview. The results found a significant enhancement of the late-adopted children's attachment security across the time period. Moreover, all the late-adopted children who showed a change from insecurity to security had adoptive mothers with secure attachment models. However, the matching between maternal attachment models and late-adopted children's attachment patterns was not significant. The data suggest that revision of the attachment patterns in the late-adopted children is possible but gradual, and that the adoptive mothers' attachment security makes it more likely to occur.
In Italy, as in Europe, the number of internationally adopted school-aged children is increasing. The school is the first place where they can meet their new context, enabling good achievement of the whole integration and adoption processes. The research uses a qualitative method to explore the representations and the strategies that guide the educational work of 268 teachers of eight primary schools in relation to the adoptive family. ATLAS.ti 7.0 software was used. The results show an ambivalent representation of the adoptive family, which is reflected in the contents and strategy used by teachers to address issues of adoption.
(Publisher abstract)
In Italy, as in Europe, the number of internationally adopted school-aged children is increasing. The school is the first place where they can meet their new context, enabling good achievement of the whole integration and adoption processes. The research uses a qualitative method to explore the representations and the strategies that guide the educational work of 268 teachers of eight primary schools in relation to the adoptive family. ATLAS.ti 7.0 software was used. The results show an ambivalent representation of the adoptive family, which is reflected in the contents and strategy used by teachers to address issues of adoption.
(Publisher abstract)