Parenting Practices, Communication about Adoption and Children’s Behavior Problems in Adoptive Families

Abstract

Aspects relating to adoption have not been much in focus of psychology research in Latvia. The aim of the study was to investigate associations between parenting practices, attitude and communication about adoption and child behavior problems in adoptive families raising school-age children, as well as to investigate to what extent parenting practices, attitude and communication about adoption, as well as parent’s perception of adopted child’s adverse childhood experiences explains the internalized and externalized child behavior problems. Participants were 130 adoptive parents (94.6% women and 5.4% men) who are currently raising at least one adopted child between the ages of 7 and 18 (50.8% girls, 49.2% boys). Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, psychological control scale from Block’s Child Rearing Practices Report, parent report form of the Child Behavior Checklist were used in the study, as well as Kirk’s Adoption Questionnaire, which was adapted as part of the study. Results of the study revealed that adverse childhood experience, empathy for the child’s understanding and feelings about adoption, maladaptive parenting practices – inconsistent discipline and low involvement predict internalized behavior problems. On the other hand, poor monitoring/ supervision, psychological control, as well as adverse childhood experience and acknowledgement of differences related to adoption by adoptive parents predict externalized behavior problems. Implications for practice include recommendation to empathize the importance of positive parenting practices during pre and post-adoption trainings for adoptive parents.