Problem behaviors of children adopted from the former Soviet Union.
BACKGROUND
Although current meta-analyses of problem behavior of internationally adopted children exist, few children adopted from the former Soviet Union have been included in these reports. A significant concern is that 13 children adopted from the former Soviet Union have died at the hands of their American adoptive parents since 1996.


METHODS
A cohort of 105 children adopted from the former Soviet Union has been assessed at two points in time by telephone and postal surveys to measure the impact of risk and protective factors on problem behavior.


RESULTS
Pre-adoptive risk factors have declined in importance (except for birth weight) and protective factors (operationalized as aspects of family environment) have increased in influence over time. Problem behavior scores declined slightly at Time 2, despite the children having entered adolescence.


CONCLUSIONS
Families play a significant role in the behavior of children adopted from the former Soviet Union. Nurses should counsel families to shape the child's environment during the transition from orphanage to homes in the United States, especially for children who are low birth weight.
McGuinness
Teena M
TM
University of South Alabama College of Nursing, Mobile, AL, USA. teena@adoption-research.org
Pallansch
Leona
L
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000300:Adoption / Q000208:ethnology*; D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D019372:Orphanages / Q000458:organization & administration; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014586:USSR / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology