Post-adoption contact, adoption communicative openness, and satisfaction with contact as predictors of externalizing behavior in adolescence and emerging adulthood.
BACKGROUND
This study examined the relation between three variables related to adoptive family relationships (post-adoption contact between adoptive and birth family members, adoption communicative openness, and satisfaction with contact) and adoptee externalizing behavior in adolescence and emerging adulthood.


METHODS
The study included 190 families of infant-placed, domestic adoptees during childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze predictors of externalizing behavior from contact (adoptive parents and adolescent reports), adoption communicative openness (adoptive mothers), and satisfaction with contact (adoptive parents and adolescent).


RESULTS
Externalizing behavior showed moderate stability across childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. Contact and adoption communicative openness were related to each other, but not to externalizing behaviors in adolescence or emerging adulthood. Controlling for the effect of Childhood Externalizing, adoptive families most satisfied with contact reported relative declines in adoptee externalizing behavior during adolescence compared to those in less satisfied families. Satisfaction was also indirectly associated with Emerging Adult Externalizing, through its effect on Adolescent Externalizing.


CONCLUSIONS
Although contact and adoption communicative openness were highly correlated with each other, neither was related to adoptees' externalizing behavior in adolescence or emerging adulthood. Family-level satisfaction with contact was more predictive of externalizing outcomes.
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA. hgroteva@psych.u-mass.edu
Harold D
HD
Grotevant
Martha
M
Rueter
Lynn
L
Von Korff
Christopher
C
Gonzalez
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000300:Adoption / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010553:Personality Development; D012931:Social Environment; D055815:Young Adult