Personal strengths and traumatic experiences among institutionalized children given up at birth (Les Enfants de Duplessis--Duplessis' children): II: Adaptation in late adulthood.
In a companion article, we retrospectively examined the childhood strengths and adverse experiences of a group of orphans given up at or near birth and raised in Quebec institutions. This article examines the relationship of their early experiences to functioning and symptoms in later adulthood. The same follow-up interview of 81 adults (41 women, 40 men) at a mean age of 59.2 years included assessments of their current symptoms and functioning. The mean adult Social and Occupational Functioning Score (57.8; 95% CI, 54.7-61.0) indicated moderate difficulty. Psychiatric symptoms were significantly higher than in a matched population survey sample from Quebec. Mean overall defensive functioning indicated a neurotic (inhibited) level. Total trauma and childhood strengths predicted adult outcomes, but childhood strengths moderated the effects of trauma. Institutionalization of children--if unavoidable--must build in effective safeguards against adverse experiences, especially among children with few strengths, and foster children's strengths to avoid impaired adult outcomes.
Perry
J Christopher
JC
Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, 4222 Chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec H3T 1E4, Canada.
Sigal
John J
JJ
Boucher
Sophie
S
Paré
Nikolas
N
Ouimet
Marie Claude
MC
Normand
Julie
J
Henry
Melissa
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002674:Child, Institutionalized / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011792:Quebec; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment