Children's Adjustment To Adoption

Focusing on developmental and clinical issues in children's adjustment to adoption, the authors introduce this volume with an overview of historical and contemporary perspectives, then explore various theories that have addressed the issue of psychological risk associated with adoption.

Following a review of empirical research on factors that influence the adjustment process, the authors discuss different types of adoption, analyze methodological problems, and discuss clinical and assessment issues that commonly arise in work with adoptees and their families.

"This recent volume is an important resource for instructors, researchers, and clinicians interested in the development of children who have been adopted. Brodzinsky, Smith, and Brodzinsky offer an up-to-date and accessible review of the history of adoption, theoretical perspectives that are used to organize thinking about adoption, and research that has evaluated the adjustment of children who have been adopted." --Journal of Marriage and the Family"The style is confident and authoritative . . . . this is a useful digest which, . . . . provides academics and practitioners with a neat, solid guide to key research in the field." --David Howe, in Child and Family Social WorkA significant contribution to understanding the effects of adoption, ChildrenÃ+s Adjustment to Adoption presents major issues that affect both the process and outcome of adoption for children and their parents. It begins with a historical and contemporary perspective on adoption and then focuses on the various theories that have addressed the issue of psychological risk associated with adoption. Extensive coverage is provided on the adjustment of children and parents to adoption itself and on the psychological development including adjustment and maladjustment over the course of childhood and adolescence. Children whose adoptions emerge from such circumstances as child abuse, parental drug use, and parental HIV are closely examined as are adoptions across racial and cultural lines. This volume offers extensive coverage of theory and research on children and families and the contextual issues pertinent to the adoption process, with clinical vignettes punctuating key points. The authors close with adiscussion of intervention and assessment issues that commonly arise when working with adoptees and their families. ChildrenÃ+s Adjustment to Adoption is a welcome addition to the current literature on the psychological issues associated with adoption. It will be valuable for professionals in the fields of clinical and counseling psychology, developmental psychology, nursing, social work, health services, and family studies.

Booknews

Places adoption in historical context to address issues that affect both the process and outcome of adoption for children and their parents. Presents theoretical perspectives on the adoption process, along with supportive research, and looks at research on both the adjustment of children and parents to adoption itself and on psychological development over the course of childhood and adolescence. Concerns such as child abuse and parental drug abuse, and adoption across racial and cultural lines, are addressed. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.