Between 1991 and 2001, over 125,000 children entered the US as """"""""orphans"""""""" - the visa status given to children adopted internationally. In this same decade the number of those children who were institutionalized prior to adoption also increased, from about 20 to 65%. Although conditions in orphanages vary widely, there is almost always too little staff for children to receive consistent, nurturing care, and thus it is difficult for children to form secure attachments to their orphanage caregivers. Given the importance of attachment for a child's emotional development, adoptive parents are naturally concerned about how their children's pre-adoption experiences will affect their attachment behavior after adoption. To date, there is no research on adoptees' attachment behavior when first placed in the adoptive home or on the emergence of attachment to their new parents. Without this knowledge, parents and healthcare providers are at a loss to know whether a child's developing attachment is following a typical course or if intervention is needed. The purpose of this study is to develop knowledge regarding (a) attachment behavior of internationally adopted children during their first six months post adoption, and (b) factors that may influence their attachment behaviors. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
1F31NR010050-01
Application #
7155745
Study Section
National Institute of Nursing Research Initial Review Group (NRRC)
Program Officer
Bryan, Yvonne E
Project Start
2006-09-01
Project End
2009-08-31
Budget Start
2006-09-01
Budget End
2007-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$29,337
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Francisco
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
094878337
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94143
Niemann, Sandra; Weiss, Sandra (2012) Factors Affecting Attachment in International Adoptees at 6 Months Post Adoption. Child Youth Serv Rev 34:205-212
Niemann, Sandra; Weiss, Sandra (2011) Attachment Behavior of Children Adopted Internationally at Six Months Post Adoption. Adopt Q 14:246-267