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Effects of the History of Adoption in the Emotional Adjustment of Adopted Adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Caroline Tozzi Reppold  and
Claudio Simon Hutz
Caroline Tozzi Reppold*
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (Brazil)
Claudio Simon Hutz
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Caroline Reppold. Rua Honório Silveira Dias, 912/403 Bairro São João Porto Alegre/RS. Zip Code: 90550-150, (Brazil). Phone: +55-5191022673; E-mail: carolinereppold@yahoo.com.br
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Abstract

Since the decade of 1980, the model of stress and coping proposed for the assessment of vulnerability of adoptive families emphasizes that the emotional adjustment of those adopted is moderated by variables such as institutionalization, the manner and age at which the adoption was revealed, the change of first name, and the contact with the biological family. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of these variables to the perceived parenting style, mood, and self-esteem of the adopted adolescents. Participants in the study were 68 adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 15, adopted during infancy through judicial channels. The adolescents responded to a questionnaire about the history of adoption and to scales of Parenting Styles, Depression and Self-esteem. The main results indicated that the late revelation of adoption and the change of the first name are connected to higher levels of depression and low self-esteem and to more frequent perceptions of negligent or authoritarian parenting style. The contact with the biological family was frequently mentioned among those who perceived their parents as authoritative and presented the best indicator of mood and self-esteem. These findings were discussed in light of the necessity for multidisciplinary actions which can improve the psychological adaptation of the adopting families.

Desde la década de 1980, el modelo de estrés y afrontamiento propuesto para la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad de las familias adoptivas resalta que la adaptación emocional de los adoptandos es moderado por variables tales como la institucionalización, la forma y la edad en que la adopción se reveló, el cambio del nombre de pila, y el contacto con la familia biológica. El objetivo de este estudio era investigar la relación de estas variables con el estilo percibido de crianza, el estado emocional y la autoestima de los adolescentes adoptados. Participaron en el estudio 68 adolescentes, entre 14 y 15 años de edad, adoptados durante la infancia a través de vías judiciales. Los adolescentes completaron un cuestionario sobre la historia de la adopción y las escalas de Estilo de Crianza, Depresión y Autoestima. Los resultados principales indicaron que la tardía revelación de la adopción y el cambio del nombre de pila se relacionan con niveles mayores de depresión y baja autoestima y a la percepción más frecuente de estilo de crianza negligente o autoritario. El contacto con la familia biológica se mencionaba frecuentemente entre los que percibían a sus padres como autoritarios y era el mejor indicador del estado emocional y de la autoestima. Se comentan estos resultados a la luz de la necesidad de actuaciones multidisciplinarias que puedan mejorar la adaptación psicológica de las familias adoptivas.

Keywords

adoptionadolescenceadjustmentvulnerabilityadopciónadolescenciaadaptaciónvulnerabilidad
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 12 , Issue 2 , November 2009 , pp. 454 - 461
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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