title: Social Skills in Children Adopted from Socially-Emotionally Depriving Institutions.
abstract: This study assessed social skills in post-institutionalized (PI) children with respect to age-at-adoption, age-at-assessment, and gender. Parent ratings of social skills (Social Skills Rating System) and behavior problems (Child Behavior Checklist) were obtained for 214 children and 127 adolescents who were adopted from socially-emotionally depriving Russian institutions. Results showed that children adopted before 18 months of age have better social skills than those adopted after this age; those assessed in childhood demonstrate better social skills than those assessed in adolescence. PI females, especially later-adopted adolescents, have particularly poor social skills. Children with poor social skills tend to have higher rates of behavior problems.
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Candidate, Clinical and Developmental Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Psychology Department, 210 South Bouquet St., 3 Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.
authors.forename: Megan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Julian
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Psychology, Co-Director, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, 400 N. Lexington St., Pittsburgh, PA 15208.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: McCall
keywords: Adopted Children; Age at Adoption; Behavior Problems; Psychosocial Development; Social Adjustment