title: Experiences of Dutch families who parent an adopted Romanian child.
abstract: The pilot phase of a longitudinal study of 83 children (response 86%) adopted from Romania is reported; the present status of the children is compared with the past status on the basis of parental recollection. At placement, the average age of the children was 2.9 years; at the time of the interview of the adoptive parents, the average age of the children was 6.8 years. At placement, 67% of the adoptive parents needed professional help, and 10% of the children were infected with Hepatitis B. Only 13% did not show any important psychosocial problems. The number of psychosocial problems reported by the parents at placement predicts 69% of the lag of development observed 4 years later; the age of arrival adds up to 72%. Most problems still exist 4 years after placement; however, no disruptions of the adoption have taken place yet.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoksbergen
authors.forename: Cor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Dijkum
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stoutjesdijk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000300:Adoption / Q000208:ethnology*; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012383:Romania / Q000208:ethnology